Session 3 Speaker Bios

  • Founder & CEO, Latinos Progresando

    Luis is the son of Mexican immigrants, born and raised in Chicago’s Little Village, where he serves as founder and CEO of Latinos Progresando. Under Luis’ leadership, Latinos Progresando has extended its reach throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, to more than 80 cities in Illinois, 24 states in the US and more than 60 countries around the world.  

     

    Luis is an innovator in the nonprofit space, collaborating to build diverse coalitions across communities and across sectors: the place-based coalition called the Marshall Square Resource Network; the One Lawndale movement, which is developing a campus of community-focused capital projects in North and South Lawndale; and the Excellerator Fund, a multi-year, multi-million dollar initiative to increase investment in Black and Mexican leadership across the City of Chicago. 

     

    Luis is a member of the Board of Commissioners for the Chicago Housing Authority, and has contributed knowledge as a steering committee member of civic organizations like Chicago’s Racial Equity Rapid Response Team and We Rise Together at the Chicago Community Trust.

     

    Luis serves as board member of the Millenium Park Foundation, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Lincoln Park Zoo, ACLU of Illinois, The Nature Conservancy Illinois, AMPT Chicago, and HHP Lift. Luis received the Mayor’s Medal of Honor in 2021, the Leaders for a New Chicago Award from the Field Foundation in 2019, the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award from the Chicago Bears in 2018.

  • Co-Founder, Just Act Partners

    Matt Johanson is a co-founder of Just Act Partners, a young but ambitious social impact consulting firm that is deeply committed to helping businesses, non-profits, philanthropies and others take action and expand their presence and impact on the South and West sides of Chicago.

    Matt previously spent 28 years at Discover Financial Services. As Discover’s Chief ESG Officer and Senior Vice President of Social Impact, he led Discover’s corporate initiative to establish its Customer Care Center in Chatham and bring 1,000 jobs to the South side.

    Matt is a graduate of Illinois State University where he and his wife have established the Matt & Sue Johanson Diversity in Technology endowment. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and is a Leadership Greater Chicago 2022 Daniel Burnham Fellow.

    Matt serves on the boards of Little Friends, a Chicagoland nonprofit organization serving children and adults with autism and other neurodiversities, and CAN TV, Chicago’s public access television network.

  • CEO, Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation

    As the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation (GAGDC) since 2003, Carlos A. Nelson has been a driving force behind the organization's transformation into a robust community-focused entity. Under his leadership, the corporation has evolved from a solo endeavor into a dynamic team comprising nearly fifty dedicated staff members and numerous volunteers.

    Carlos is deeply committed to the revitalization of low-to-moderate income communities in Chicago and South Suburban neighborhoods. Through comprehensive community development strategies and initiatives, he and his team work tirelessly to create and maintain healthy, safe, and sustainable neighborhoods where families can thrive.

    With a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration, Carlos made the bold decision to leave corporate America in pursuit of his passion for community development. Since then, he has assembled a team of passionate professionals dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of south side and southland residents and businesses.

    Under Carlos' guidance, the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation's innovative strategies have garnered significant recognition, including winning the prestigious inaugural $10M Chicago Prize from the Pritzker-Traubert Foundation. As a result, Carlos’ vision culminated into the Landmarks Illinois and Community Neighborhood Development award-winning Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub.

    In addition to his role at GAGDC, Carlos is actively involved in various committees, advisory councils, and boards, including the University of Illinois at Chicago’s African-American Advisory Council, the Local School Council for Richard J. Oglesby Elementary School, and the advisory boards of organizations like the Chicago Development Fund and Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity. He also serves on the boards of New Pisgah Community Service Organization, and the Greater Chatham Initiative.

    Carlos' commitment to community service extends to his role as co-chair of the 006th Police District’s Business Subcommittee. He is a proud recipient of accolades such as the Norm Bobbins Emerging Leaders Award and the Chicago Defender Men of Excellence Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions to community development and leadership.

  • Executive Director, Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative

    Drea Slaughter, a native West Sider, serves as the Executive Director of the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative. She brings over a decade of experience in nonprofit and healthcare leadership. During her time with the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, she established a Community Advisory Board that amplified West Side voices and ensured programming truly reflected residents' needs.