The four will begin their two-year term with the LIFT-Chicago Region as Site Coordinators on July 26, supported by a generous grant from AmeriCorps*National Direct. They will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Chicago-area offices and managing the corps of college student volunteers providing services to low-income individuals and families. They will also help ensure that LIFT clients receive quality services for employment, housing, public benefits, and referrals, and work with a network of Chicago-area agencies to build a better safety net for those clients.
Forrest is a recent graduate of Miami University where he double-majored in International Studies, focusing on International Development, and Geography. During his undergraduate career, Forrest held various leadership positions with his Residence Hall Association including Programming Director and President. He also served in student government, held a role as Student Recruitment Coordinator for the Honors Program, and was a campus tour guide. Berkins is a recent graduate of Ursinus College in Collegeville, PA, where she earned a B.A. in Spanish and minors in Management and Psychology. During her undergraduate career, Berkins studied abroad in Peru and served in numerous roles as a campus tour guide, tutor, orientation leader, teacher’s aide, and ESL instructor.
Gietzen is a recent graduate of Loyola University Chicago where she earned a B.S. in Human Services and Rosen is a recent graduate of James Madison University in Virginia where she majored in Social Work and minored in Medical Spanish. Gietzen has been volunteering with LIFT-Chicago’s Uptown Office since 2007 and served as the office’s Volunteer Engagement Manager and as a full-time intern. Gietzen also worked as a Community Engagement Advocate for Loyola’s Center for Experiential Learning, and co-founded Labre Ministry for the Poor, which provides outreach and meals to homeless Chicago residents. Rosen led an alternative spring break trip to Jamaica to work with the Committee for the Upliftment of the Mentally Ill in Montego Bay and also completed HIV/AIDS-related work in South Africa. She also contributed to a research project titled Positive Practices of Student Focused Learning for Diversity and Inclusion.
"We are so happy to have Matt, Amber, Kristen, and Allison join the LIFT team. They have a wide range of expertise and experience that will be hugely beneficial for serving Chicago-area clients," said Ben Reuler, Executive Director of the LIFT-Chicago Region.
