about us
Quad County Urban League helps secure equal opportunities for all disadvantaged persons and people of color, including African Americans, women and persons with disabilities in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois. Quad County Urban League was founded in 1975 by a diverse group of local leaders responding to the absence of a community based organization to address the needs for academic achievement, job placement and training, equal access to employment, housing and cultural enrichment for low-income and displaced citizens. The continuous mission of the Urban League is to help secure equal opportunities for all disadvantaged persons and people of color, including African Americans, women and disabled persons.
Our Mission
The Quad County Urban League (QCUL) supports racial justice, civil rights and economic empowerment for African Americans and others within the Quad Counties (DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will) of Illinois. As an advocate for educational excellence and economic self-reliance; we develop programs and services to empower children, youth and adults.
Sharing the commitment of the 112 year old community-based Urban League movement,
QCUL joins 90 other dedicated affiliates in their charge to create sustainable economic and civil community models with global impact.
Our History
Quad County Urban League was founded in 1975 by a diverse group of local leaders responding to the absence of a community-based organization to address the needs for academic achievement, job placement and training, equal access to employment, housing and cultural enrichment for low-income and displaced citizens. The Urban League sets policies and directions that are implemented by a highly trained professional staff and a network of hardworking concerned volunteers who work on problems and pursue opportunities in the fields of economic development and employment, education and youth incentives, housing, community planning, and health and welfare. The mission of the Urban League is to help secure equal opportunities for all disadvantaged persons and people of color, including African Americans, women and disabled persons.
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically under- urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research served and advocacy. Today, the National Urban League has 90 affiliates serving 300 communities, in 37 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.
Our BOARD MEMBERS
Theodia B. Gillespie is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Quad County Urban League. She has dedicated more than four decades to the mission of the Urban League.
Nina Hunter is a retired Energy industry senior leader with nearly 37 years in finance, operations and leadership.
Dianne M. Engram has been on the Board for more than twenty years. She has served as Chair of the Tomorrow's Scientists, Technicians and Managers Enrichment Program run by the QCUL, and has led its scholarship selection process.
Aaron Anderson is the fund manager for the Painters District Council No. 30, a union construction trade organization representing painters, drywall finishers, and glaziers since 1926. PDC 30 is made up of nine Local Unions, spanning 29 counties in North-Central Illinois and 3 counties in southern Wisconsin.
Matthew Turk has been with INTREN for more than 31 years, starting as the company's first Safety Coordinator, Operations Director and lead INTREN's Business Development department.
Greg Bush Jr. is the owner, president, and CEO of the technology firm KFA, Inc. (www.kfa inc.com) located in the heart of the Chicago Loop. For over twenty years he has successfully implemented technologies that manage over 76 billion dollars in design and construction capital improvement programs throughout the United States.
Carla Dennis is the External Affairs Manager for ComEd. She is responsible for developing and maintaining partnerships with municipal agencies, professional associations, and community organizations.
Billy comes to Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC with a background in insurance defense after working in litigation for a prominent Illinois defense firm.
Tremese is leading the safety, compliance, emergency response, workforce management.
Our Partners
