YNPN CHICAGO EMERITUS BOARD
The YNPN Chicago Emeritus Board is an all-volunteer working and governing board consisting of past YNPN young nonprofit professionals board members.
ALEXANDRA GREENWALD (SHE/HER)
Managing Director of Communications and Marketing | Chicago Scholars
Alex Greenwald (she/her) is the Managing Director of Communications and Marketing at Chicago Scholars. She’s a proud first-generation college graduate and an alumna of Kenyon College and the University of Chicago Divinity School. She will take any opportunity to advocate for the value of liberal arts degrees (she really does use that religious studies BA every day).
​
Before coming to Chicago Scholars, Alex worked for Gamaliel Network, the Fundamentals department at UChicago, and ABC7 Chicago. Her writing has appeared in Christian Century, National Catholic Reporter, several suburban newspapers, among other publications.
​
Alex lives in Hyde Park with her husband, Chris, and their cats, Critter and Goose. When she’s not working, Alex is usually working on a creative writing project, attempting to quilt, or wandering around in the public library.
​
MARISSA HIGGS (SHE/HER)
Senior Marketing Strategist | Indigo Slate
Marissa Higgs (she/her) is currently a Senior Marketing Strategist at Indigo Slate, a global agency specializing in developing experiential marketing and digital transformation solutions for top companies worldwide. With a wealth of experience in B2B and B2C markets, Marissa's forte lies in crafting strategic narratives that uniquely connect brands with their audiences and she excels at creating storytelling moments that engage users while achieving brand objectives.
She is deeply involved in the Chicago nonprofit space, previously working in development/communications at nonprofits focused on ending homelessness. Marissa currently serves on the Emeritus Board for YNPN Chicago and previously held positions on the YNPN Chicago Executive Board as a Marketing Co-Chair and Development Co-Chair.
Marissa received a bachelor’s degree in English Writing and Italian from DePauw University. In her spare time, she is an avid reader with a love for Queer novels, poetry, and storytelling. She also enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending far too much time watching television shows/movies.
RACHEL WALERSTEIN (SHE/THEY)
Director of Professional Learning | UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago
Rachel is a teacher, writer, and community builder from Central New York. They are passionate about empowering others to co-create the world in which they want to live and work.
A teacher by training, Rachel received their Bachelor’s in Education from SUNY Oswego and their PhD in English from the University of Iowa before moving to Chicago. It was in their final teaching role at a for-profit high school here that Rachel realized their focus was no longer in the classroom, but on reimagining the infrastructure intended to support it. Now, they facilitate learning solutions that bring organizations together as a community to solve their most pressing problems and achieve their mission.
When not serving as the Senior Learning and Talent Development Manager for AIDS Foundation Chicago, Rachel enjoys perfecting their sourdough, checking out the local music scene, and spending time at home with their partner, dog, and cat.