City Colleges of Chicago Board of Trustees
Katya Nuques, Chair
Nuques brings over two decades of experience in the philanthropic, government, non-profit, and community development sectors.
Nuques currently serves as the Director of the Little Village Portfolio for the Robert R. McCormick Foundation where she is responsible for designing and leading grantmaking initiatives and strategic partnerships in the Little Village community.
Prior to that, Nuques served as the Executive Director for Enlace Chicago where she led the organization and provided guidance in the areas of organizing, advocacy, program implementation, service delivery, community planning, research, and resource allocation.
Nuques has been recognized for her work with a number of awards and distinctions including the Campeon de la Communidad Latina award in 2020 and the Cook County 7th District Women Leadership award in 2016.
Nuques holds degrees from the University of Guayaquil and the National Conservatory of Music in Ecuador, as well as a Master of Science in Administration, International and Community Development from Andrews University.
Elizabeth Swanson, Vice Chair
Swanson is an accomplished public, nonprofit, and philanthropic leader who has spent her career leading transformative efforts to improve the lives of young people.
She is currently CEO of A Better Chicago, changing how Chicago fights poverty by investing in organizations and leaders that are creating opportunity for Chicago’s youth. A Better Chicago has invested over $65M in high impact non-profits and reaches over 49,000 youth annually.
Previously, Swanson was Vice President of Strategy and Programs at The Joyce Foundation guiding an annual portfolio of $50 million, providing strategic direction across six program areas, and working on foundation-wide innovation initiatives.
Prior to Joyce, Swanson served as Deputy for Education for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, working with education, non-profit, business and community leaders to define the city’s education policy agenda.
Her portfolio included Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges of Chicago, Department of Family Support Services, Chicago Park District and Chicago Libraries.
Swanson previously served as Executive Director of the Pritzker Traubert Family Foundation and worked for Chicago Public Schools with then CEO Arne Duncan, serving as Director of the Office of Extended Learning Opportunities and leading the Office of Management and Budget.
Swanson holds a B.A. in English and American studies from Amherst College, as well as a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago. Currently, Beth is Vice Chair of the City Colleges of Chicago’s Board of Trustees, a board member of The Partnership for College Completion and Thrive Chicago, and serves on the Illinois P-20 Council.
Peggy A. Davis, Secretary
Davis is vice president of community impact for The Chicago Community Trust, responsible for programmatic leadership and grant making that reflect the organization’s commitment to service. In this role, she provides leadership integrating services to better connect donors with expertise and local knowledge to power more meaningful philanthropy.
Davis joined the Trust as a talented leader and a legal professional with a range of experience across the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Most recently she served as executive director for the Chicago Committee, a membership organization advancing racial and ethnic diversity in the legal profession.
Prior roles include general counsel for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority in Chicago, vice president for diversity and staffing at Exelon Corporation, trustee of the CPS Board of Education and chief of staff to former Chicago Public Schools CEO and current U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Davis is also a former partner at Winston & Strawn LLP.
Rev. Dr. Marshall Elijah Hatch, Sr, Trustee
Dr. Hatch is from the West Side of Chicago and has been the pastor of the New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in the heart of Chicago’s West Garfield community since 1993.
Dr. Hatch has been involved in a number of community development initiatives, including the Westside Isaiah Plan, Ezra Homes, and Pilgrim Village Homes-Washington Boulevard.
Dr. Hatch has also initiated several service programs such as "Passports to the World," a biennial overseas African mission trip for his church’s youth as well as a correspondence ministry for incarcerated individuals in the Illinois Department of Corrections and Cook County Jail.
Dr. Hatch has had extensive experience in public service, serving on numerous boards including the Board of Trustees of Chicago State University where he was elected Board chairman in 2016.
Dr. Hatch holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in ministry and theological studies from McCormick Theological Seminary. He also holds a master’s degree in government from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Western Illinois University.
Laritza Lopez, Trustee
Laritza Lopez is the founder and CEO of Purple Group, assumed name for Lopez Martin & Associates, a full-service, award-winning strategic marketing communications and advertising firm that provides Hispanic marketing, multicultural marketing and total market expertise.
Laritza has over 25 years of marketing communications, advertising, management and operations experience having served in a range of marketing, management, advertising and COO/CMO positions at large Fortune 500 firms. She has an extensive general management and marketing background in nonprofit and education sectors.
Her experience extends both domestically and internationally, with an excellent track-record of building brands, developing new markets, rebuilding business sectors, growing business units and developing systems, operations and marketing infrastructures. Laritza has established and managed successful businesses in Canada, Europe, Latin America and the United States.
Laritza received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and Management and a minor in communications from Loyola University Chicago. Additionally, she completed the Harvard School of Business, Summer Venture in Management Program, and continues her education as part of the Google Engage Program, conferences, industry participation and self-learning.
Laritza lives in Chicago with husband Ruben, their two children Faro and Lila, and the family dog, Blu.
Darlene Oliver Hightower, J.D., Trustee
Oliver Hightower has held the role as President & CEO of Metropolit an Planning Council (MPC), an independent planning and policy organization working to addressing built environment issues through the lens of racial and economic justice. Darlene led MPC’s strategic vision, shaping ambitious goals that will strengthen the impact of the organization’s work across the Chicago region.
Previously, Darlene served as VP of Community Health Equity at Rush University Medical Center, where she was recognized as a U.S. News and World Report Health Care Hero for her leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic. Darlene also led the development of West Side United, a cross-sector, collaborative effort to improve health and economic vitality on Chicago’s West Side.
She is a Leadership Greater Chicago Daniel Burnham Fellow, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fellow, and a Civic Leadership Academy Fellow. She also serves as a board member for the ACLU of Illinois, Allies for Community Business, and the Illinois Public Health Institute. Darlene’s leadership and tireless advocacy for equity have led to inclusion in both Marquis and Crain’s Who Who.
Oscar Sanchez, Trustee
Sanchez is a community organizer with extensive experience in projects related to environmental justice, anti-violence programs, youth empowerment, and community planning.
Sanchez currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force where he oversees strategic initiatives, fundraising, and policy priorities.
Before becoming Co-Executive Director, Sanchez served as the Community Planning Manager where he oversaw the planning for revitalizing post-industrial communities in the Southeast Side, alongside a number of other policy initiatives and programs related to environmental justice and equity.
Prior to his time at the Task Force, Sanchez founded and ran a small business specializing in branding, design, and web development for nonprofit and social justice organizations.
Sanchez also served as the Director of Youth and Restorative Justice Programming at the Alliance of the Southeast where he co-led the effort to create alternative safety models for Chicago Public Schools by funding restorative justice programming. Sanchez holds an Associate in Science from Harold Washington College.
