Liza Ann Acosta
This Boricua migrated to study Literature, History and Chemistry in the South. After completing her Master’s in Literature, she read a thousand and one plays to earn her PhD in Comparative Literature at Penn State. Her dissertation explored the use of ritual in women’s drama, focusing on the work of individual artists and collectives. She teaches courses in Race, Gender, and Postcolonial Literature as well as Writing Creative Nonfiction at North Park University where she is also University Dean. She became an Ensemble Member of Teatro Luna, Chicago’s All Latina Theater Company in 2010. She loves coffee, chocolate, monks and the Three Kings.
Charlie Billups
Board President
Charlie Billups was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and moved to Chicago in the early 90’s. Since then he has been working as a healthcare services executive, community activist and a published photojournalist, documenting the cultural aspects of the Puerto Rican and Latin American diaspora in Chicago. He loves living with his family [Lorena (wife), Sarah and Pachi (kids)] in Humboldt Park. Charlie Billups has been serving as president of the board since 2016.
Edoardo Ortiz
Edoardo Ortiz was born in San Juan, raised in Bayamón and moved to Chicago in 2017 to pursue graduate studies at the University of Chicago. He is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy degree at the Harris School of Public Policy. With experience in both the private and public spheres, Edoardo, through his studies and community work, seeks to bridge the gap between community needs and evidence-based policy initiatives. He has 1 year left in his master’s program and is currently working on publishing Puerto Rico focused research and helping bring young Puerto Ricans together through his work in the leadership of the National Puerto Rican Student Coalition.
Additional Board Members:
James Ramos
Brenda Delgado