Quick Links

• Region 19 Facebook Group

• Past Council Meeting Notes

• View Regional Data Report (IECAM)

• Frequently Asked Questions

Action Council Members

• Africa Anderson, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

• Annemarie LeCompte, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, Care Coordinator and Government Relations Liaison

• Annie Behrns, Metropolitan Family Services, ECE Project Director

• Candace McCarthy King, DuPage Foundation Bright and Early Committee, Committee Vice Chair

• Janice F Guider, Equity in Health Advisors Network, Inc., President

• Jeanine Woltman, CASE/Glenbard Early Childhood Collaboration, Coordinator & Lead Home Visitor

• Jennifer Memmen, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

• Jill Garbaliauskjas, Bridge Communities, Director of Children's & Supportive Services

• Jillian Santora, DayOne Pact / Child & Family Connections, LIC Coordinator

• Kate Estrada, DuPage County Health Department, Community Initiatives Coordinator

• Katherine Layden, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Children's Mental Health Manager of Community and Home Visiting

• Kathryn Neuffer, The Morton Arboretum, Early Childhood Programs Supervisor

• Louise Dimick, Addison Public Library, Head of Children's Services

• Marianne Pokorny, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Director of Community Engagement

• Michelle Watkins, Abundant Children and Family Services Agency, Executive Director

• Mona Webber, Goddard School Darien, Certified Infant/Toddler Specialist

• Patricia Sherman, Kensington School, Director of Admissions

• Rhonda Eubanks, DuPage County Regional Office of Education, Parents as Teachers & Doula Home Visiting Supervisor

• Ruby Rodriguez, Educare of West DuPage, Family Engagement Supervisor

• Sweta Sobrin, DuPage Children's Museum, Senior Manager of Community Outreach and Early Learning

• Theresa Forthofer, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, President and CEO

• Veronica Morgridge, Metropolitan Family Services, Disabilities Coordinator

Family Council Members

• Annan Shehadi, Darien (DuPage County)

• Heidi Lopez, Glendale Heights (DuPage County)

• Jessica Delmuro, Carol Stream (DuPage County)

• Kimberly Choate, Downers Grove, Westmont (DuPage County)

• Lane Melchor, Naperville (DuPage County)

• Maria Diaz, Addison (DuPage County)

• Mariam Abbas, Bloomingdale (DuPage County)

• Marilyn Rodriguez, Aurora (DuPage County)

• Nelly Nestorova, Burr Ridge (DuPage County)

• Sandra Beiza, Glendale Heights (DuPage County)

• Sarah Baugh, Naperville (DuPage County)

• William (Bill) Halsey, Carol Stream (DuPage County)

Valerie Varju

Valerie Varju (she/her) is the Regional Council Manager for Region 19. Previously, Valerie served as the Director of Service Delivery Area (SDA) 5 for the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) in Joliet. In addition to overseeing programs funded through the Illinois Department of Human Services, Valerie collaborated with local agencies and Early Childhood Collaborations to improve support systems for children, families, and Early Childhood providers within the community. Prior to her time at the CCR&R, Valerie worked in the Early Childhood field as a teacher, assistant director, and director of early learning programs. Throughout her 20 years of experience, Valerie has had the opportunity to build connections with a variety of children and families from diverse backgrounds. Valerie obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, her Master of Science degree in Education with a specialization in Child Development from Ashford University, and has completed PhD level coursework in Early Childhood Education through Concordia University in River Forest. She lives with her husband and two children in Aurora.

Claudia Langoni

Claudia Langoni (she/her) is the Family & Community Engagement Specialist for Region 19. She has worked with nonprofit organizations for 20+ years serving as a Youth, Family, and Child Care Services Director for the YMCA, as well as the Youth and Child Care Manager for Rush Copley in Aurora during the pandemic. Claudia has been able to make a difference in families’ lives by providing children with quality educational, creative, and fun programs with exceptional teachers in licensed environments. She is passionate about building relationships with diverse families and supporting them through their journey of parenthood. 

Claudia has a Bachelor of Arts from Northern Illinois University with an emphasis in Translation and Business Spanish, and a minor in Sociology. She lived abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina for three years, and studied a semester at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. Claudia currently lives in Aurora and is a proud single mom of her son, Joey, a graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign. She enjoys spending time with family, cuddling her goldendoodle, Louie, and searching for treasures at vintage markets on the weekends.

Amy Soden

Amy Soden (she/her) is the Region 19 Administrative Support. Born and raised on the East Coast, she now calls the Midwest her home. She brings with her more than twelve years of experience in Early Childhood Education, more than five years running a local small business, non-profit experience, and most recently, project management at a children's publisher working with schools, districts, libraries, and organizations to help get more books into the homes and hands of children. She has an associate's degree in Early Childhood Education as well as a bachelor’s in Human Services.

Amy loves meeting new people and building community relationships. She lives in St. Charles and enjoys traveling, reading, cooking, and walking the Fox River Trail.

Enlaces

• Región 19: Grupo de Facebook (inglés)

• Notas de las últimas reuniones del Comité (inglés)

• Ver Informe de Datos Regionales (IECAM) (inglés)

• Preguntas Frecuentes

Miembros del Comité de Acción

• Africa Anderson, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

• Annemarie LeCompte, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, Care Coordinator and Government Relations Liaison

• Annie Behrns, Metropolitan Family Services, ECE Project Director

• Candace McCarthy King, DuPage Foundation Bright and Early Committee, Committee Vice Chair

• Janice F Guider, Equity in Health Advisors Network, Inc., President

• Jeanine Woltman, CASE/Glenbard Early Childhood Collaboration, Coordinator & Lead Home Visitor

• Jennifer Memmen, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative

• Jill Garbaliauskjas, Bridge Communities, Director of Children's & Supportive Services

• Jillian Santora, DayOne Pact / Child & Family Connections, LIC Coordinator

• Kate Estrada, DuPage County Health Department, Community Initiatives Coordinator

• Katherine Layden, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Children's Mental Health Manager of Community and Home Visiting

• Kathryn Neuffer, The Morton Arboretum, Early Childhood Programs Supervisor

• Louise Dimick, Addison Public Library, Head of Children's Services

• Marianne Pokorny, YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Director of Community Engagement

• Michelle Watkins, Abundant Children and Family Services Agency, Executive Director

• Mona Webber, Goddard School Darien, Certified Infant/Toddler Specialist

• Patricia Sherman, Kensington School, Director of Admissions

• Rhonda Eubanks, DuPage County Regional Office of Education, Parents as Teachers & Doula Home Visiting Supervisor

• Ruby Rodriguez, Educare of West DuPage, Family Engagement Supervisor

• Sweta Sobrin, DuPage Children's Museum, Senior Manager of Community Outreach and Early Learning

• Theresa Forthofer, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, President and CEO

• Veronica Morgridge, Metropolitan Family Services, Disabilities Coordinator

Miembros del Comité Familiar

• Annan Shehadi, Darien (DuPage County)

• Heidi Lopez, Glendale Heights (DuPage County)

• Jessica Delmuro, Carol Stream (DuPage County)

• Kimberly Choate, Downers Grove, Westmont (DuPage County)

• Lane Melchor, Naperville (DuPage County)

• Maria Diaz, Addison (DuPage County)

• Mariam Abbas, Bloomingdale (DuPage County)

• Marilyn Rodriguez, Aurora (DuPage County)

• Nelly Nestorova, Burr Ridge (DuPage County)

• Sandra Beiza, Glendale Heights (DuPage County)

• Sarah Baugh, Naperville (DuPage County)

• William (Bill) Halsey, Carol Stream (DuPage County)

Valerie Varju

Valerie Varju (ella/la) es la Gerente del Comité Regional para la Región 19. Anteriormente, Valerie se desempeñó como Directora del Área de Prestación de Servicios (SDA) 5 para Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) en Joliet. Además de supervisar los programas financiados a través del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois, Valerie colaboró con agencias locales y cooperaciones de la primera infancia para mejorar los sistemas de apoyo para niños, familias y proveedores de la primera infancia dentro de la comunidad. Antes de su tiempo en CCR&R, Valerie trabajó en el campo de la primera infancia como maestra, directora asistente y directora de programas de aprendizaje temprano. A lo largo de sus 20 años de experiencia, Valerie ha tenido la oportunidad de establecer conexiones con una variedad de niños y familias de diversos orígenes. Valerie obtuvo su licenciatura en Psicología de la Universidad Loyola de Chicago, su maestría en Educación con especialización en Desarrollo Infantil de la Universidad Ashford, y ha cursado estudios de doctorado en Educación Infantil en la Universidad Concordia de River Forest. Vive con su esposo y sus dos hijos en Aurora.

Claudia Langoni

Claudia Langoni (ella/la) es la Especialista en Participación Familiar y Comunitaria de la Región 19. Ha trabajado con organizaciones sin fines de lucro durante más de 20 años, desempeñándose como Directora de Servicios para Jóvenes, Familias y Guarderías de la YMCA, así como Gerente de Cuidado para Jóvenes y Niños de Rush Copley en Aurora durante la pandemia. Claudia ha podido marcar una diferencia en la vida de las familias al brindarles a los niños entretenidos programas educativos y creativos de calidad con maestros excepcionales en entornos autorizados. Le apasiona construir relaciones con familias diversas y apoyarlas a lo largo de su camino hacia la crianza de los hijos. 

Claudia tiene una Licenciatura en Artes de la Universidad del Norte de Illinois con especialidad en Traducción y Español de Negocios, y una especialización en Sociología. Vivió en el extranjero en Buenos Aires, Argentina durante tres años, y estudió un semestre en la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) en Ciudad de México. En la actualidad, Claudia vive en Aurora y es una orgullosa madre soltera de su hijo, Joey, graduado en la Universidad de Illinois de Champañ. Le gusta pasar tiempo con su familia, acurrucarse con su goldendoodle, Louie, y descubrir tesoros en los mercados de antigüedades los fines de semana.

Amy Soden

Amy Soden (ella/la) es el Asistente Administrativo de la Región 19. Nacida y criada en la Costa Este, ahora llama al Medio Oeste su hogar. Trae consigo más de doce años de experiencia en Educación de la Primera Infancia, más de cinco años dirigiendo pequeñas empresas locales, experiencia en organizaciones sin fines de lucro y, más recientemente, gerente de proyectos en una editorial infantil que trabaja con escuelas, distritos, bibliotecas y organizaciones para ayudar a que más libros lleguen a los hogares y a las manos de los niños. Tiene un título asociado en educación infantil y una licenciatura en servicios humanos.

A Amy le encanta conocer gente nueva y entablar relaciones con la comunidad. Vive en St. Charles y disfruta viajar, leer, cocinar y pasear por el Camino Fox River.