Staff - Direct Service

Direct Service Staff

Beverly Allen
Margo Bristow
Lonnie Chambers
Damien Dodd
Rebecca Fallert
Stephanie Faulkner
Nancy Fidler
Christopher Fox
Ivette Franco
Roberto Frutos
Carol Fuller
Steve Garoza
Katherine Goldberg
Bill Kavanagh
Charles Lerner

Mike Lewis
Gertrude Mack
Veronica Muncy
Lori Nelson
Kristen Nicolosi
Veronica Palacios
Jerry Parker
Angela Potaczek
Emily Ruse
Patricia Rynn
Debbie Schwab
Adrienne Shea-Michiels
Diane Shelton
Kyu Yup Kim


Beverly Allen, MA, LCPC, CADC

Bev received her Masters in Counseling from Northeastern, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Certified Addictions Counselor. She provides therapy, education, support, referrals, consultation and supervision in the agency. She works with adults with serious or complicated mental and emotional issues. Her specializations are depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, medication issues, grief and loss, multiple life problems, family trauma/sexual abuse, aging issues, victims of chronic illnesses and addictions. She has been at Family Service since 1987.


Margo Bristow, MA, CADC
Substance Abuse Counselor and Safe School Coordinator

As our Substance Abuse Counselor and Safe School Coordinator, Ms. Bristow provides substance abuse assessment, prevention, and intervention services for youth at OPRF High School.  She has extensive experience addressing substance abuse issues, as well as process addictions, including gambling.  Margo is also co-owner of the Arhat Group, a psychological practice, as well as a private practitioner.  She earned her Master of Arts at Lewis University.


Lonnie Chambers, M. Ed.
Youth Therapist

As a Youth Therapist, Mr. Chambers provides individual and family counseling for youth.  Mr. Chambers comes to Family Service from Chicago Public Schools, where he acted as counselor and facilitated innovative reading and technology programs.  He also has significant experience as a guidance counselor/mentor and related roles.  Lonnie earned his Master of Arts in Education at Olivet-Nazarene University.

 


Damien Dodd, BA

As Client Care Advocate, Mr. Dodd ensures that basic needs of community members are met, and serves as a link to essential resources. Mr. Dodd has experience as a crisis worker and coordinator of admissions, both at Family Service. Mr. Dodd received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Illinois State University.


Rebecca Fallert, MSW, LCSW

Rebecca received her Masters in Social Work from Loyola University and attended the Family Institute of Chicago and the Gestalt Institute of Chicago. Her specialities are depression, anxiety, grief, and lingering issues from childhood with individuals, couples and families. She has been with Family Service since June, 1977.


Stephanie Faulkner, MSW

As a Youth Therapist, Ms. Faulkner serves youth and their families both at Oak Park River Forest High School and in the community. She received her Masters in Social Work from Dominican University. My previous experience includes ten years of working with children with communication disorders in Chicago Public Schools.


Christopher Fox, MSW, LCSW

Christopher works as part-time psychotherapist and part-time neighborhood interventionist. As psychotherapist, he assists his clients in making healthy choices. In his role as neighborhood interventionist, Christopher works closely with the Village of Oak Park’s Neighborhood Programs Manager to assist residents exhibiting problem behavior, mediate in community conflicts, and act as a linkage to all public and private community resources for residents. Christopher served as an intern at Family Service in 2001 while working on his Master of Social Work degree at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Chicago.


Ivette Franco, BA

As Bilingual Prevention Specialist with Family Service’s Four Community Prevention Program, Ivette facilitates comprehensive substance abuse prevention education and conflict resolution training for parents, teachers, students, and other interested groups in the communities of Oak Park, River Forest, Berwyn, and Cicero. She is also part of the Berwyn Cicero Youth Coalition and Berwyn Project Success. Mrs. Franco holds a B. A. degree in Liberal Arts with a major in Spanish from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL.


Roberto Frutos

Roberto Frutos is a part time program facilitator who works with the students in school district 99 in Cicero. He holds a B.A. in Economics from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. He has had experience volunteering with youth in the past, and also currently works as a literacy facilitator in the Cicero Public Schools.


Carol Fuller

E.Carol Fuller is the Home Base Facilitator for the Home Base Services Program. She wears dual hats as well, as Linkage Case Manager for the Madden Hospital out reach linkage services program. And last but not least, Client Care Advocate for the Agency's clientele. Ms Fuller previously worked for Catholic Charities Dupage Emergency Shelter as a Relief Residential Crisis Counselor. She received a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Chicago State University.


Steve Garoza

Steve Garoza is a part time program facilitator who implements the All Stars Program at Unity East Jr. High School in Cicero.   He holds a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from the International Academy of Design and Technology.  He has also had experience volunteering with youth running church groups.


Katherine Goldberg

Katherine Goldberg brings with her twenty-five years of clinical experience, including that of senior therapist at Family Service from 1989 to 1992. Since leaving Family Service, she has served as a therapist at Anchor HMO, as Clinical Coordinator at the Chicago Center for Family Health, and as Assistant Director with "Refocus" Day Treatment Program, Department of Psychiatry at Evanston Hospital. She is the Co-Founder of "Parents as Partners" Services, which offers psycho-educational workshops and counseling for couples with youth children.

Ms. Goldberg holds a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from DePaul University and a post master Family Therapy Training Certification from the Center for Family Services/Family Institute of Chicago.


Nancy Fidler, MA, LCPC
Coordinator Transitional Learning Program
in the Scully Education Center


Nancy received an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan. She has a Masters degree in Counseling, specializing in Disabilities and Hearing Impairment. Nancy is skilled in American Sign Language and has special training in working with female victims of sexual and physical abuse. She has experience working in the field of substance abuse. Nancy was previously employed at Chicago Reed Mental Health Center as a therapist and treatment coordinator. She has been employed with Family Service since May, 1990 as Coordinator of the Transitional Learning program which is a psycho-social rehabilitation program for adults with severe and persistent mental illness.


Bill Kavanagh, MSW, LCSW, CADC

Bill received his Masters of Social Work from Loyola University and specializes in addictions, youth, and Internal Family Systems Therapy. He works with youth and their families, adults, couples, the severely mentally ill and DUI offenders. He co-chairs the Substance Abuse Advisory Council of Oak Park and is a part of the Substance Abuse Assessment and Referral Program. He first interned at Family Service as a Substance Abuse Counselor in 1994, was a staff member in the substance abuse program in 1995-96 and returned to us in 1999.


Charles Lerner, MA, LCPC,
Coordinator of Crisis Services


Charley attended Roosevelt University and specializes in individuals, couples and groups dealing with depression, anxiety, assertiveness, self-esteem, relationship issues, substance abuse, and anger/stress management. He has been with Family Service since October, 1999. Charley volunteered in New York following the September 11 crisis providing debriefing and volunteer assistance.


Gertrude Mack, MSW, LCSW

Gertrude Mack began her social work career at the Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society in the 1940s. In 1946, she received her MSW from Loyola University. She also holds certification in the Rubenfeld Synergy Method, a body-centered approach that aids talk therapy. Along with her work at Family Service, Trudy maintains a private practice. She specializes in the treatment of adults experiencing mental illness. Gertrude "Trudy" Mack, LCSW, DCSW, has been named by the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to receive the Statewide Lifetime Achievement Award for 2001. She has also recently been similarly honored by the Chicago District of NASW.


Veronica Palacios, BA
Crisis Team Member

Veronica, who joined Family Service in the fall of 2006, works with the agency's Crisis Team to assess and stabilize personal crisis situations.  Previously, she interned at the Office of Professional Standards and volunteered on Native American reservations.  Veronica earned her BA in sociology and criminology from Dominican University.


Angela Potaczek, MA, LCPC, ATR

Angie has a Master of Arts in Art Therapy from University of Illinois at Chicago. She specializes in Art Therapy with groups and individual along with group and individual verbal therapy. She also works as an activity therapist in the Transitional Learning Program in the Scully Education Center.


Patricia Rynn

Patricia Rynn provides part time assistance in the agency's Transitional Learning Center. She provide help to community residents who have been hospitalized as a result of mental or emotional stress.


Adrienne Shea-Michiels, MSW, LCSW

Adrienne received her degree from Loyola and currently sees individuals, couples and families on-site and also does home-based counseling with older adults. Adrienne was with the agency from 1979-1989 and returned to us in 1996.



Diane Shelton, MA, LCPC

Diane has worked as an off-hours crisis worker for Family Service for four years. She received her Masters degree in Professional Counseling from Illinois School of Professional Psychology (Argosy) in Chicago. Her background includes 20 years of corporate experience in various industries. She also has had a private practice as a career consultant for ten years, as well as extensive psychiatric hospital and psychotherapy experience.


Kyu Yup Kim, BSW
WIN/WCHIP Case Manager

In his role as WIN/WCHIP case manager, Kyu provides mental health advocacy, outreach, and case management for individuals who are homeless.  Mr. Kim has acted as a caseworker at Korean American Community Services, and has experience as an English language instructor.  He has extensive volunteer experience with a variety of organizations, including St. Thomas of Canterbury Church, Jane Adams Hull House Senior Services, and Rogers Park Community Action Network.  Kyu earned his BSW at Loyola University.

Family Service & Mental Health Center of Oak Park and River Forest
120 South Marion Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302
Tel: (708) 383-7500 Fax: (708) 383-7780