Rick Velasquez, Executive Director

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773.777.7112, ext. 7225

Since 1975, Rick Velasquez has served youth and families on behalf of Youth Outreach Services, helping establish the agency as one of Chicago’s premier youth-focused organizations. As executive director, Velasquez leads the organization in its mission to provide services that promote the strengths and abilities of youth, while preparing them to face the future with competence, competence and dignity. Trained as a social worker, he has focused his career in the areas of juvenile justice, adolescent substance abuse treatment, child welfare services and public policy. Velasquez is a gubernatorial appointee to the Illinois Children and Family Services Advisory Council and co-chair of the “Foster Kids are Our Kids” statewide social-marketing campaign. He is a founding member of the Latino Child and Family Consortium, dedicated to delivering culturally responsive child welfare services. He has also served multiple terms on the Board of Directors to the Child Care Association of Illinois. Velasquez holds a Master of Social Work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jamie Noto, Director of Operations

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773.777.7112, ext. 7274

Jamie Noto has served youth and families on behalf of Youth Outreach Services for more than 18 years. Promoted to director of operations in July 2002, she oversees the planning, organizing and administering of all agency programs. Noto has extensive experience with direct service and administration of treatment and counseling, juvenile justice and child welfare programs. She is a graduate of Roosevelt University where she earned master’s degree in guidance and counseling, specializing in substance abuse intervention.

Ashley Voss, Director of Communications and Marketing

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773.777.7112, ext. 7242

Ashley Voss brings more than five years of experience to her position as director of communications and marketing for Youth Outreach Services. In this position, she is responsible for managing all marketing, branding, public relations, and grant-making efforts for the agency. Previously, Voss was an account manager for CWI Communications, a full-service marketing firm, where she implemented strategic marketing efforts for a variety of public and private organizations. Additionally, she served as a communications manager for Kids Hope United, a nonprofit human service agency serving more than 15,000 children and families nationwide. Voss is a graduate of Indiana University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and Spanish and helped initiate the university’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Birgetta Williams, Director of Human Resources

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773.777.7112, ext. 7227

Birgetta Williams joined Youth Outreach Services in 2003 as the director of human resources, bringing more than 15 years of nonprofit experience to her position. She is responsible for leading the company’s strategic plans in learning and development, talent management, benefits, compensation, and performance management. Previously, Williams served as director of human resources for Franciscan Communities-St. Joseph Village in Chicago, where she was a strategic partner responsible for recruitment, safety compliance, employee relations, compensation administration, and delivering training to managers and staff. Williams holds memberships in a variety of HR-related organizations, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), Human Resource Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC), and Chicagoland Human Resources Association (CHRA). Williams is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management.