Meet the Team

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Heather Van Benthuysen
Executive Director
hvanbenthuysen@cps.edu

Heather's 20+ years in education have focused on creating inclusive, democratic spaces that promote academic, social, and political impact for and with youth. She is a National Board Certified teacher, holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership, and an IL Type 75/General Administrative License.

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Isil Cinar
Operations Coordinator
icinar1@cps.edu

Isil holds a Bachelor’s from Carleton College in International Relations. She spent most of her career in customer and client service, and events industry. Passionate about delivering tools, processes and technology that enable seamless workflow, Isil aims to achieve operational excellence for the DSVE team and its district-wide stakeholders.

Inclusive and Responsive Education

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Lilly Cruz
Inclusive and Responsive Education Manager
lcruz4@cps.edu

Lilly brings over five years of national district-based systems improvement leadership around teaching and learning, equity and leadership, over 10 years of school-based leadership around literacy and coaching, and a recent practice in organizing for ethnic studies and facilitating healing spaces.

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Sabrina Chen
Inclusive and Responsive Education Specialist
schin2@cps.edu

Sabrina Chen

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Margie Smagasz
Project Based Learning Manager
mdsmagacz@cps.edu

Margie has a BA in Secondary Education with specifications in English and Social Science and a MA in School Leadership. She has 25 years of experience in education as a teacher, school administrator, and now with the district. Margie's legacy will be that she has supported hundreds of teachers and thousands of students to feel fulfilled in their learning experiences and ready to take on the world!

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Dustin Voss
Financial Education Specialist
Dvoss@cps.edu

Dustin (or Dusty) believes our schools and communities are powerful, become more powerful, and use that power for what they decide is good. He developed this belief during his 13 years as a classroom educator, 11 of those years at Fenger High School teaching Civics and Finance. He seeks to live this belief out in his work supporting Chicago’s students, teachers, and communities.

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Priscilla Lizasuain-Vazquez
Inclusive and Responsive Education Specialist
plizasuain@cps.edu

Priscilla

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Sam Ozik
Cimby Program Manager
scmattone@cps.edu

Sam has a BS in Environmental Policy and Behavior from the University of Michigan and a MS in Elementary Education from Northwestern University. As Program Manager for the CIMBY Program, she loves exploring every kind of environment in and around Chicago, and working with students and teachers to better understand how we can collectively make them better!

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Hiring New leadership role
Place-based Learning Specialist

Civic Engagement, Student Voice and Leadership Team

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Now Hiring
Civic Engagement and Leadership Manager
tbd
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Mildred Garcia-Gomez
Student Voice and Leadership Specialist
mlgarciagomez@cps.edu

Mildred has a BA in Social Work and Minor in Ethnic Studies from California State University, Sacramento and a MA in Social Work from Loyola University, Chicago. She is a 2020 Surge Institute Alum, where she further defined her identity as a bold Latinx leader. Mildred is passionate about creating spaces for youth where they are supported in finding the power of their existence.

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Now Hiring
Inclusive Partnerships Specialist

Inclusive Partnerships Specialist

Job Number: 230000AH

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Now Hiring
Student Leadership Coordinator
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Now Hiring
Community Partnerships Specialist