Region 34
Lake

In partnership with iGrow Lake County

 

Region 34 Reports

Early Childhood Regional Needs Assessment highlights data and stories from community members across the Region and includes strengths, family- and community-identified needs, and recommendations for how to make our local Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services more accessible and equitable. 

Addendum includes additional community feedback captured as our Regional Team and Action and Family Councils shared our initial report’s findings throughout the Region.  

NEW Action Plan is a living community document that focuses on the top priorities from our Region’s initial ECEC needs assessment. Council members developed Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals for each recommendation and plans and timelines to fulfill them. 

a map of Illinois with Region 34 highlighted in blue
 

Family Council Members

  • Ana de LaLuz, Waukegan  

  • Brittany Nielsen, Union Grove  

  • Celia Padilla, Waukegan  

  • Fernando Aceve, North Chicago  

  • Jen DeShasier, Waukegan  

  • Katia Lezama, North Chicago  

  • Kaylee Peters, Round Lake Beach  

  • Laura Rosales, Zion  

  • Luisa F Alfaro, Beach Park  

  • Maria Salazar, Park City  

  • Martha Campos, Round Lake  

  • Natalalee Contreras, Gurnee  

  • Yoselin Martinez, Round Lake 

Action Council Members

  • Elina Gizatullina, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative 

  • Taishiya Nix, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative 

  • Bobbie Hinden, Family Focus Highland Park, Center Director  

  • Cheryl Caesar, Waukegan Public Schools, Assistant Director of Diverse Learners 

  • Dylan Olthoff, Illinois State Representative Rita Mayfield (IL-60), Chief of Staff 

  • Jamie DiCarlo, Mundelein Districts #75 & #120, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services 

  • Jennifer Cordova, College of Lake County, Bilingual Early Childhood Education Coordinator  

  • Jessica Medina, Peppermint Stick Children's Center Teacher 

  • Joan Battley, North Chicago Public Library, Children's Librarian 

  • Jon Ashworth, Lake County Health Department, Community Systems Development 

  • Judy Armstrong, Round Lake Kindergarten Readiness Committee, Committee Member  

  • Kerry Stokes, Child and Family Connections & Lake County Health Department, Social Emotional Specialist & LIC Coordinator  

  • Lauren McArdle, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District #95, Asst. Superintendent Student Services 

  • Lupe Rodriguez, Rosalind Franklin, Director of Community Health Engagement & Family Nurse Practitioner  

  • Maria Colunga, Round Lake Area School District #116, Community Outreach and Engagement Specialist  

  • Martina Rocha, Together for Childhood Network & CBP Consultants, Founder & President 

  • Mellissa Ferguson, Early Childhood Community Coalition (ECCC) of Lake County, Committee Chair 

  • Dr. Michael Karner, Regional Office of Education #34, Superintendent 

  • Natalie Udstuen, Fox Lake District #114, Assistant Principal  

  • Nicole Johnson, North Chicago School District #187, Director of Student Achievement 

Meet Your Regional Team!

Picture of Dane Cruz, a dark skinned person with short black hair and a black curly beard smiling from the chest up. Dane is wearing a blue blazer with a cream tie and silver earrings in front of a green, leafy blurred background.

Dane Cruz

Dane Cruz (he/him) is the Regional Council Manager for Region 34. Dane was born and raised in Lake County and is passionate about advocating for its residents. He served Lake County families and youth for over 12 years while working for the Community Youth Network, Waukegan Township, A Safe Place, and recently as Program Director for Lake County Head Start. Additional previous roles include Court Appointed Mediator, Family Mediator, Member of the Lake County State’s Attorney Victim Offender Mediation Program, and Court Appointed Special Child Advocate. 

Dane obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Doane University in Crete, Nebraska, and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. Dane believes taking steps to prevent conflict by identifying, implementing, and managing change can help cultivate impacts that improve the quality of life in our society. 

 

Maria Pizano

Maria Pizano (she/her) is the Family & Community Engagement Specialist for Region 34. Maria has over 14 years of experience in Early Childhood Education. She worked for the Head Start program as a teacher for 10 years. Maria is passionate about working with the community and advocating for the needs of diverse populations.  

Maria has worked with a wide range of families and community partners in the Lake County area. She believes family and community resources are integral pieces of optimal early childhood development and is passionate about supporting families with young children. In her spare time, Maria likes to volunteer, teaching her own children about the importance of helping the community. 

 

Pankti Jani

Pankti Jani (she/her) is the Administrative Support for Region 34. Pankti has an extensive work history in administration, research and development, finance, data management, and customer service. She specializes in leading accounting and financial projects and filing government claims. Born and raised in India, Pankti has a multi-cultural perspective on early childhood. She is fluent in multiple languages, which helps her communicate with a wide variety of people. Pankti volunteers at her daughter’s school and supports children in the community on regular basis.

Pankti holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance. She lives in Mundelein, Illinois, with her husband and two beautiful daughters. When not working, Pankti likes exploring new places, listing to music, cooking, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Contact Dane Cruz

Please fill out the form below to contact Dane. Your message will go directly to his inbox. You may also reach him at (309) 270-5572.

 

Región 34
Lake

En alianza con iGrow Lake County

 

Informes de la Región 34

La Evaluación de necesidades regionales de la primera infancia destaca datos e historias de miembros de la comunidad en toda la región e incluye fortalezas, necesidades identificadas por la familia y la comunidad, y recomendaciones sobre cómo hacer que nuestros servicios locales de educación y atención de la primera infancia (ECEC) sean más accesibles y equitativos. 

La Adenda incluyen comentarios adicionales de la comunidad capturados cuando nuestro Equipo Regional y los Comités de Acción y Familiar compartieron las conclusiones de nuestro informe inicial en toda la región.  

El NUEVO Plan de acción es un documento comunitario vivo que se centra en las principales prioridades de la evaluación inicial de necesidades de ECEC de nuestra región. Los miembros del consejo desarrollaron metas específicas, mensurables, alcanzables, relevantes y con plazos determinados (SMART) para cada recomendación y planes y cronogramas para cumplirlas.  

 

Miembros del Comité Familiar

  • Ana de LaLuz, Waukegan  

  • Brittany Nielsen, Union Grove  

  • Celia Padilla, Waukegan  

  • Fernando Aceve, North Chicago  

  • Jen DeShasier, Waukegan  

  • Katia Lezama, North Chicago  

  • Kaylee Peters, Round Lake Beach  

  • Laura Rosales, Zion  

  • Luisa F Alfaro, Beach Park  

  • Maria Salazar, Park City  

  • Martha Campos, Round Lake  

  • Natalalee Contreras, Gurnee  

  • Yoselin Martinez, Round Lake 

Miembros del Comité de Acción

  • Elina Gizatullina, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative 

  • Taishiya Nix, Child Advocate, Parent/Family Member Representative 

  • Bobbie Hinden, Family Focus Highland Park, Center Director  

  • Cheryl Caesar, Waukegan Public Schools, Assistant Director of Diverse Learners 

  • Dylan Olthoff, Illinois State Representative Rita Mayfield (IL-60), Chief of Staff 

  • Jamie DiCarlo, Mundelein Districts #75 & #120, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services 

  • Jennifer Cordova, College of Lake County, Bilingual Early Childhood Education Coordinator  

  • Jessica Medina, Peppermint Stick Children's Center Teacher 

  • Joan Battley, North Chicago Public Library, Children's Librarian 

  • Jon Ashworth, Lake County Health Department, Community Systems Development 

  • Judy Armstrong, Round Lake Kindergarten Readiness Committee, Committee Member  

  • Kerry Stokes, Child and Family Connections & Lake County Health Department, Social Emotional Specialist & LIC Coordinator  

  • Lauren McArdle, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District #95, Asst. Superintendent Student Services 

  • Lupe Rodriguez, Rosalind Franklin, Director of Community Health Engagement & Family Nurse Practitioner  

  • Maria Colunga, Round Lake Area School District #116, Community Outreach and Engagement Specialist  

  • Martina Rocha, Together for Childhood Network & CBP Consultants, Founder & President 

  • Mellissa Ferguson, Early Childhood Community Coalition (ECCC) of Lake County, Committee Chair 

  • Dr. Michael Karner, Regional Office of Education #34, Superintendent 

  • Natalie Udstuen, Fox Lake District #114, Assistant Principal  

  • Nicole Johnson, North Chicago School District #187, Director of Student Achievement 

¡Conozca a tu equipo regional!

Dane Cruz

Dane Cruz (él) es el gerente regional del comité para la Región 34. Dane nació y se crió en el condado de Lake y le apasiona interceder por sus residentes. Sirvió a familias y jóvenes del condado de Lake durante más de 12 años mientras trabajaba para Community Youth Network, Waukegan Township, A Safe Place, y recientemente como director de programa para Lake County Head Start. Otras funciones anteriores incluyen mediador designado por el tribunal, mediador familiar, miembro del programa de mediación de delincuentes y víctimas del fiscal estatal del condado de Lake y defensor especial de niños designado por el tribunal. 

Dane obtuvo su licenciatura en Administración de Empresas de la Universidad de Doane en Creta, Nebraska, y una maestría en Resolución de Conflictos de la Universidad Dominicana en River Forest, Illinois. Dane cree que tomar medidas para prevenir conflictos mediante la identificación, implementación y gestión del cambio puede ayudar a fomentar impactos que mejoren la calidad de vida en nuestra sociedad.

 

Maria Pizano

María Pizano (ella/la) es la Especialista en Participación Familiar y Comunitaria de la Región 34. María tiene más de 14 años de experiencia en Educación de la Primera Infancia. Trabajó para el programa Head Start como maestra durante 10 años. A María le apasiona trabajar con la comunidad y abogar por las necesidades de las poblaciones diversas.

María ha trabajado con una amplia gama de familias y socios comunitarios en el área del condado de Lake. Cree que los recursos familiares y comunitarios son piezas integrales del desarrollo óptimo de la primera infancia y le apasiona apoyar a las familias con niños pequeños. En su tiempo libre, a María le gusta ser voluntaria, y les enseña a sus propios hijos sobre la importancia de ayudar a la comunidad.

 

Pankti Jani

Pankti Jani (ella) es el Asistente Administrativo de la Región 34. Pankti tiene una amplia trayectoria laboral en administración, investigación y desarrollo, finanzas, gestión de datos y servicio al cliente. Se especializa en liderar proyectos contables y financieros, y presentar reclamos gubernamentales. Nacida y criada en la India, Pankti tiene una perspectiva multicultural sobre la primera infancia. Habla varios idiomas con fluidez, lo que la ayuda a comunicarse con una amplia variedad de personas. Pankti trabaja como voluntaria en la escuela de su hija y apoya regularmente a los niños de la comunidad.

Pankti tiene una licenciatura en Contabilidad y Finanzas. Vive en Mundelein, Illinois con su esposo y dos hermosas hijas. Cuando no está trabajando, a Pankti le gusta explorar nuevos lugares, escuchar música, cocinar y pasar tiempo de calidad con familiares y amigos.

Contacta a Dane Cruz

Por favor, complete el siguiente formulario para ponerse en contacto con Dane. Su mensaje irá directamente a su buzón de correo electrónico. También puede comunicarse con él al (309) 270-5572.