Beacon Place relies on dedicated and committed staff members and volunteers to help support all of the programs and experiences available at Beacon Place. What brings our staff to Beacon Place is their strong desire to support children and families as we work together to lift a community and build brighter futures.

Sharlett James, Volunteer Manager

Sharlett James, a native of Waukegan and a graduate of Waukegan East High School, joined Beacon Place as Volunteer Manager in 2023. She brings a wealth of experience in volunteer coordination, community outreach and youth engagement with the nonprofit sector.

Her primary objective is to foster and strengthen relationships with individuals, educational institutions and small and large businesses to ensure that our volunteer-led programs to gain momentum and grow.

Sharlett is not only a devoted professional but also a proud mother of two wonderful children. She cherishes the significance of family time, actively participating in vacation and weekends spent with her family, including weekly Sunday dinners.

Sharlett’s favorite quote is: “If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep pushing forward.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.) This quote resonates deeply with Sharlett, exemplifying her commitment to progress and community betterment.

Nina West Latusek, Marketing and Development Associate

Nina Latusek joined Beacon Place in 2022 as the Marketing and Development Associate after being introduced by a friend. With over 20 years of nonprofit experience at the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and the Foundation for Fighting Blindness, Nina brings a focus on community, the arts, higher education, and medical research and now she is ready to out her skills to work on communities closer to home.  Her broad experience has included roles development, fundraising, marketing, and database management. She received her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College where she majored in Art History and Art Restoration. She also has a marketing certification from Northwestern University and currently serves as the Board President for the Virginia A. Groot Foundation.

Nina resides in Lake Forest with her husband Adam and two children.

Avant’e London, Director of Programs

Avant’e London, a proud native of Waukegan, is a dedicated advocate for youth empowerment and community development. With a strong foundation rooted in his education from Waukegan High School being a part of the College Studies Program (CSP) and a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Southern Illinois University, Avant’e’s journey is one of passion and commitment.

His extensive experience shines through his work at the Boys & Girls Club of Lake County, YouthBuild Lake County, and the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the lives of young individuals. Beyond this, Avant’e’s philanthropic spirit extends far and wide, as he has generously volunteered and collaborated with numerous organizations across Lake County and the greater Chicago area.

With over a decade of expertise in nonprofit program delivery, program management, and program analysis, Avant’e is not just an advocate but a seasoned professional. He firmly believes that every young person deserves an equal opportunity in life, and he sees Beacon Place as a vital part of the solution in creating that level playing field.

Ninoshka Lopez, Family & Community Manager

Ninoshka “Nino” Lopez joins Beacon Place with her experience as a Project Manager and Social Media & Event Marketing Strategist with a demonstrated history of working closely in the events and fundraising industries. She graduated from Waukegan High School’s College Studies Program & has a Criminal Justice background from the College of Lake County. She also holds her Project Management Certification and is a strong force in community relations working in the Lake County community since 2012. She has many ranges of experience from creating and hosting events of 400+ in attendance to intimate events for many local businesses & nonprofits in the area. Ninoshka currently plans & collaborates with a wide array of community resources and relationships for fundraisers, grand openings, family events & more. Ninoshka also volunteers for Lake County Honor Flight, a nonprofit organization serving Veterans, since 2015 by donating her social media, hosting, and website development services. She has also created amazing events for favorites such as the Chicago Bears players such as Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, hosted family days for the WAGS (Wives & Girlfriends) of our other local Chicago Sports Teams, been invited by local news stations such as ABC and NBC to bring awareness to organizations, provided fundraising opportunities for Chicago Bulls players like Scottie Pippen and even had the pleasure of spending time with our Secretary of State Jessie White to further expand his mission in the state of Illinois. 

Being a proud Latina from Puerto Rico and speaking English, Spanish, and French, Ninoshka will be able to cross boundaries and create meaningful partnerships for Beacon Place and take the organization to the next level. As the Family & Community Manager for Beacon Place, Ninoshka will be using her methods and passion for finding and creating unique relationships and opportunities in the community to expand the vision and mission of Beacon Place. Ninoshka currently resides in the Lake County area with her two kids, Johani and Nairobim  and enjoys content creation for her Mom blog and food/recipe photography in her spare time.

Maria McGuire, MOMs Program Manager

After working as a women’s sportswear buyer and vendor’s representative for different organizations in Atlanta and Columbus, Ohio, Maria McGuire and her family moved to the northern suburbs in Illinois, where she volunteered in many civic and community activities which led her in 2013 to join Beacon Place.

Fluent in Spanish, Maria employed her bilingual skills within a variety of the Beacon Place programs including the Summer Lunch and Homework Club, before finding her passion as Program Manager for the MOMS group. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management and a minor in American literature from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Maria lives with her husband Jeff in Lake Bluff near their grown children Libby and Nick who reside in Chicago.

Robert Pasinato, Manager of Operations and Facilities

Robert joined Beacon Place in May 2022, and brings extensive experience in financial and organizational operations.

Following a long and successful career as a financial executive with a background as a trader and partner in a proprietary financial derivatives firm, Robert is ready to use his experience to create impact in a different way. With a Bachelor of Arts double major Finance and Economics from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Robert and his family have made their home in the northern suburbs of Chicago, not far from the Beacon Place community. They have seen and supported the growth of Beacon Place over the years and he is excited be a part of shaping the future.

As an outdoorsman, Robert believes in being active for a healthy lifestyle and is an avid skier, golfer, and loves to hike and walk with his dogs and family. His wife Julie is a Special Education/Learning Behavior Specialist at a nearby school district and so the importance of education is strong in their family. Robert, Julie, and their three sons live in Lake Forest, Illinois.

Ernie Sadera, Healthy Lifestyles Programs and Finance Manager

As the Program Manager for the Beacon Place Healthy Lifestyles Programs, and Finance Manager for Beacon Place, Ernie brings a combination of personal experience and passion to his role.

Before joining Beacon Place, Ernie Sadera spent more than 25 years as a derivatives trader and partner in a proprietary firm headquartered in Chicago. He also served on several nonprofit boards including serving on the Board of Directors for Chicago Voyagers, which is a partner to Beacon Place providing outdoor experiences for low income youth that helps to inspire self confidence and courage to move toward new experiences. At Beacon Place he leads the outdoor LIFT OFF adventures in the LAUNCH program, and during COVID created an on-line cooking program for teens.

Ernie graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business and doubled majored in Finance and Management at Virginia Tech University. Ernie and his wife Tara live in Northfield where they raised their three children, Meg, Katie, and Jack.

Viviana Vasquez, Education & Enrichment Program Coordinator

Viviana grew up in Waukegan and joined Beacon Place in 2021. She attended local Waukegan schools during her childhood and graduated from Cristo Rey St.Martin College Prep. Viviana graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a background in Elementary Education from Wheeling University and is certified as a substitute teacher and licensed paraprofessional.

Viviana is excited to be in her home community working with children and families and is excited to see the impact of the Beacon Place programs.

Viviana lives with her family in Waukegan, IL.

Angelina (Lina) Vargas, Education and Enrichment Coordinator

Angelina (Lina) Vargas first came to Beacon Place as a high school volunteer from Grayslake North on the recommendation of a teacher back in 2014. Since that time she has continued as a volunteer and intern assisting with the full array of Beacon Place programs including Garden, Teens and Tweens, LAUNCH, and Education and Enrichment. She has developed strong ties to the community and the children and families enrolled in Beacon Place programs.

Lina recently completed her Associate’s Degree in Elementary Education from the College of Lake County and has plans to continue working towards her Bachelor’s degree this fall. As Lina shared in the video that was made for our 5-year anniversary, it has always been her dream to return as a full-time employee at Beacon Place. We are excited that her dream has come true.

Lina grew up in nearby Round Lake Beach as the middle of five siblings and currently resides in Grayslake, Illinois.