Meet Our Crew

Darlene Baptiste

Mrs. Darlene A. Carty Baptiste, MA Ed., R.T.T., E.M.T. was born in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. She graduated from Howard University in Washington, DC with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1992; Radiologic Medicine with a minor in Business Administration, as a Board of Trustees Scholarship Recipient.  Mrs. Baptiste obtained a Masters of Arts in Education with a concentration in guidance and counseling from the University of the Virgin Islands in 1998. Read more...

Michele Diaz

Michele Diaz brings over 25-years of experience working in the non-profit sector to Utopia Connect Foundation. She specializes in program quality assurance, evaluation, and training. Her work has included the development of quality non-profit programming for “at-risk” youth within the City of Chicago in collaboration with Chicago Public High Schools with a focus on instructor development and external and internal consumer relations.  Her position prior to joining UCF was contracted work as a consultant with Urban Policy Development Consulting (UPD)  Read more...

Sterling Goodrich

Sterling has worked in the non-profit arena for the last 18-years as a youth worker and as a manager. He has become a trainer for the Youth Program Quality Assessment Tools to help support youth workers improve their program quality.  He further became an External Assessor in the Youth Program Quality modules to strengthen his understanding of quality youth program and support direct-service providers with attaining their program goals.

Sterling has also worked as an administrator to select grants and provided support to community-based organizations to enhance the quality of their programs.He spearheads projects with local businesses, Aldermen, and corporations to expand the resources for the youth programs he manages.  

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Fernando Mojica

Mr. Mojica is currently in his fifth year as Principal of Roberto Clemente Community Academy. He is a firm believer that all students can learn given the right supports. Inspired by the words of the late Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.", he is committed to working with families and community members to develop and sustain a rigorous academically challenging instruction that incorporates targeted socio-emotional supports for all Clemente students. 

Mr. Mojica has taught kindergarten through tenth grade, and a multitude of subjects including reading, mathematics, science, Spanish, and computer science to name a few. Read more...

Dominique Rowland

Coming Soon!

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Muriel Baptiste

Muriel brings over 20-years of dedicated work to communities across Chicago with a strong aptitude for building partnerships and leveraging resources.  A great team player, she is known for her leadership and coaching skills; and for her project direction, design, and management. She has a keen eye for finding innovative measures that we have no doubt will unfold in her mission for Utopia Connect Foundation. Read more...

Olandrian Glasper

Olandrian Glasper has long worked to support Chicago schools and communities as a champion for our most precious gifts – youth and children, education and opportunity.  Whether serving in an indirect or in-person capacity, she has facilitated and delivered integrated planning and services for young people and their families. 

Olandrian brings strong team management skills, sustained partnership development, and a clear understanding of the building blocks of organizational integrity. She joins the Foundation with a vision to leverage connections that not only raises the bar and effect real change, but those which also lift human beings and inspire. Read more...

Randiss Hopkins

Randiss Hopkins is a creative visionary from the Westside of Chicago. His work spans across many disciplines including creative programs and design, music, film and production, community investment, and civic engagement.

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Laura Rice

Laura Rice has worked as an art and university administrator for over 20 years. She has been employed by several highly-regarded arts organizations and educational institutions in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles throughout this time. 

As the associate director of New York University’s Institute of African-American Affairs, Laura produced numerous conferences, lectures, concerts, film screenings, and festivals, and art exhibitions, including Yari Yari  Pamberi: Black Women Writers Dissecting Globalization. This international conference featured over 250 of the world’s leading writers, scholars, and artists, including Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler, Maryse Condé, Nawal El Saadawi, Read more...

Sheena Shukla

Sheena Shukla has worked with Chicago Public School students for over nine years.  She is interested in the intersections between the social services, social innovation and education.  Her professional experiences involve after-school programming, mental health counseling, post-secondary counseling, and health education.  Sheena brings a keen sense of balance and reasoning to the team and her professional experience lends itself to the holistic endeavors we hope to deliver for our communities. In her spare time, Sheena researches unlikely animal friendships. Read more...