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One Hope United Welcomes Nicole Dunham as CPO

One Hope United is thrilled to welcome Nicole Dunham as its new Chief People Officer. With over 23 years of experience in human resources across both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, Nicole brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to OHU.

Nicole’s impressive career has seen her excel in a range of human resources functions, from recruitment and retention to performance management, training and development, and employee relations. She has also led successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, while ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Most recently, Nicole served as Chief Human Resources and Compliance Officer for PrimeCare Health, a federally qualified community health center in Chicago. Her leadership helped the organization deliver quality, affordable care to medically underserved populations in the city’s West and Northwest sides.

Nicole has also served as Vice President of Human Resources at Illinois Action for Children, where she provided leadership and support for early education and other family and community support services. She holds a BA in Organizational Communications/Marketing and an MS in Human Resource Development from Indiana State University. Nicole has also earned an MA in Organizational Leadership at Lewis University, a Graduate Certification in Training and Development at Roosevelt University, and is a SHRM Certified Professional.

At OHU, Nicole will be responsible for developing and executing the organization’s human resources strategy, which includes recruiting, retaining, and developing top talent. Her focus on creating a positive organizational culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion will ensure that OHU is well-positioned to continue its mission of supporting children and families.

Hope Members share the excitement in having Nicole join the organization and look forward to the positive impact she will have on our organization and the communities we serve. Her extensive experience in human resources, coupled with her commitment to social justice and equity, make her an ideal fit for our organization. Welcome to OHU, Nicole!

Black Excellence in Leadership: A Conversation with ELCD Executive Director, Kenny Shackelford

As we celebrate Black History Month, we are reminded of the significant contributions of Black leaders throughout history and the contributions that Black leaders continue to make today to better our society and communities. Today we recognize the accomplishments of Kenny Shackelford, a Black leader at OHU, whose work impacts not only the organization but also the communities we serve.

Holding many roles in the early childhood education field including Teacher, Educational Coordinator, and Assistant Director, Kenny Shackelford has continued to grow his career and currently oversees OHU’s entire Early Learning & Childhood Development division as the Executive Director. Kenny is continuously recognized among staff, peers, and other leaders as an inspiring leader with a remarkable ability to motivate and guide his team to success.

Kenny Shackelford, Executive Director of ELCD

While working here at OHU, what effort or achievement are you most proud of?

At the moment, I would have to say I am most proud of having the opportunity to work alongside my Early Learning & Child Development teams (ELCD), really the administration and the entire teaching personnel. They have weathered day in and day out, through the pandemic woes and they continue to push through a critical staffing shortage within ELCD.  Every day they come to work putting forth their very best and that is all I can ask for from my teams!

What issues surrounding race or equality have you tackled during your career?

When I first started to answer this question, I didn’t think that I have had to directly tackle any issues in my professional career when it comes to race and equality, but as I really think about it and consider my experiences, I recognize I’ve tackled race issues more than I realized before. I have learned to navigate the inevitable encounters as a professional black man over my tenure. I have learned to master the art of code-switching, when this skill must be exercised, and how to pick up on unconscious bias to those who may not even be aware of what they are saying.

In your opinion, what is the importance of recognizing and celebrating Black History Month?

Black History Month is paying homage to those who paved the way for a better future life for this generation of African Americans today. It’s about giving respect to those who fought for the rights we deserve and for us to reflect back on lessons that can be learned to help us continue to work collectively today to make inequality a thing of the past!

Kenny Shackelford (far right) with his Bridgeport Early Learning Center team.

Is there anything you’d like to say to the young Black girl or boy that looks up to you as a leader in our community?

Be true to yourself. Be your authentic self. Trust your instincts. And what I feel is most important, do not let anyone make you feel bad for speaking up about something you believe in. That does not mean it is okay to “pop off at the mouth” (as the young people would say… I think) whenever you feel like it, but instead, find a way to convey your message in such a manner that allows what you’re trying to say to be truly heard. As we continue to become a more inclusive world, it’s important to recognize that as a society, we still have work to do.

Meet Shari, Infant Teacher at Joliet Early Learning Center

Meet Shari, an Infant Teacher at our Joliet Early Learning Center in Joliet, Illinois. She became a Hope Member in 2019 and teaches infants alongside her two Assistant Teachers, Rocio and Ariana. Since she shares a name with another Hope Member at the Joliet Early Learning Center, the students have lovingly dubbed her with the name “Ms. Baby Shari.”

At home, Shari also goes by the name “Mom” to her three adult children and you can probably find her chasing after her sweet dog, Gunner. Her positive and loving energy is infectious and warms up every space she walks into. We talked with Shari about what inspired her to join OHU, the best part about being an Early Learning Center Teacher, and more.

OHU Teacher, Shari smiles at one of her students playing.
Shari and Assistant Teacher, Ariana, playing with two of their students. 

What did you do before coming to One Hope United?

I did work at another daycare center, but then I had a 15 year hiatus where I was working at a cabinet shop as a Cabinet Finisher. I stained and lacquered cabinets. I did enjoy that, but then the housing market crashed and I thought: Let’s go back to what I know.

What do you love about working here?

We are such an inclusive organization, we don’t turn anybody away. Everybody is welcome. Working here, I feel like family. I’ve never felt so appreciated working in a place before. They really take care of you here, listen to your concerns and act on them. It’s just amazing! And it’s really easy to make it amazing when the people you work with are amazing.

Teacher, Shari, and Assistant Teacher, Rocio, take a walk outside with students at the Joliet Early Learning Center.
Taking a walk around the block with her students and Assistant Teacher, Rocio.

What is your day-to-day like as a Teacher at OHU?

Every day is a little different. I work with babies, and you kind of just have to go off their mood. Whatever they’re feeling is what we go with. In the morning when they come, they usually play and I get breakfast ready. My Assistant Teachers come in at 8 am. The babies play, we read stories, we do projects, and a lot of hugs. A lot of hugs… that’s the best part. I get paid to love, it doesn’t get any better than that! Whatever the babies need, that’s what they get.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming an Early Learning Center Teacher?

Be able to go with the flow. #1 you need to love it and #2 you just need to be able to go with the flow. We help each other out, sometimes you’ll help in another room and you get to learn other rooms and ages.

One Hope United Teacher, Shari, feeds a baby at lunch.
Lunchtime! Helping one of the littlest eaters in the class enjoy his lunch!

What are you most proud of since becoming a Hope Member?

The relationships I’ve been able to build with the families. I’ve always told the parents, “Your babies are our babies and we’re a team.” We take care of their babies all day long and try to be like a second set of “parents” while mom and dad are at work.

 

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