Lisa Aponte-Soto, PhD, MHA is the Director of the Pathways Program where she supports the coordination and implementation of the program learning modules as well as the outreach and recruitment of program participants. Dr. Aponte-Soto is also the founding President/CEO of Tanoma Consulting LLC. She specializes in asset-based community-driven models using mixed methods research and evaluation approaches. She also facilitates capacity building workshops on culturally responsive practices, leadership, strategic visioning, and quality assurance. Dr. Aponte-Soto previously served as Associate Director of Community Engaged Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago, National Program Deputy Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Connections, Director of Evaluation at Equal Measure, and Director of TRIO Programs at Richard J. Daley College. She is an affiliate researcher of the Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment (CREA) Center and a member of the Expanding the Bench Advancing Culturally Responsive and Equitable (ACE) Evaluation Network. She is a former American Evaluation Association Board member-at-large, an alumna of the Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) Program, and a founding member of the Latine Responsive Evaluation Discourse (La RED) Topical Interest Group.  Dr. Aponte-Soto earned her PhD in Community Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public and a Master of Health Administration and Policy from Governors State University. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language, Literature, and Translation from Loyola University Chicago.

Paola Torres is a first-generation Latina, born and raised in the southwest side of Chicago. She is a recent graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health where she obtained her Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health and has a Bachelor of Science degree with concentrations in Health Education and Promotion as well as Health Planning & Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has a background in health education, clinical and community-based navigation, program planning, and chronic disease prevention.  She is currently a Research Specialist at the University of Illinois Cancer Center where she manages and supports breast health programs aimed at providing education and navigation for breast cancer screening and genetic services for uninsured and underinsured patients. Paola has a strong passion for addressing health disparities and empowering communities with knowledge, expertise, and resources. 

Crystal Wash is the owner of Consortium for Educational Research and Advancement (CERA). Crystal is a program evaluator with experience in assessing and improving the effectiveness of educational programs. With a background in data analysis, Crystal has played a role in assessing projects aimed at enhancing program outcomes and impact. Throughout her career, Crystal has worked with a range of organizations, including government, nonprofit and educational institutions. Her expertise spans various domains, from early childhood education to higher education initiatives. Crystal’s approach to program evaluation places an emphasis on collaboration with stakeholders. She involves program staff, and other parties in the evaluation process, fostering a sense of ownership and buy-in that enhances the evaluation’s impact. Crystal holds a masters in Measurement, Evaluation, Assessment and Statistics at University of Illinois at Chicago. She also holds an MBA from Northwestern, Northwestern, and a master’s in educational leadership from National Louis.