Yvonne Afable, Vice President of Governance, was born in her grandfather's house in the province of Isabela, Philippines, during a typhoon. She came to Chicago when she was six years old and started school knowing only a handful of English words. The oldest of four, her two sisters and brother were all born in Chicago. Yvonne´s firsthand experience as a newcomer to the United Stated led to her interest in Changing Worlds.
Yvonne graduated from DePaul University's College of Commerce with a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance. She has two years of public accounting and 14 years of nonprofit accounting experience. With her husband, Jose, she owns a business offering accounting and computer services to nonprofits and small businesses. Married for 15 years, she has three children, Nicole, Gabrielle, and Justin.
Lucy Ascoli, President, is a product of public schools in New York City and New Jersey and, as such, believes the strength and effectiveness of our nation reflects the investment we make and the commitment we have to our public schools. She also believes that the diversity of the United States contributes to its vitality and richness and so is happy to be part of the efforts to strengthen the work of Changing Worlds.
She has a BA in political science from the University of Chicago and an MSW from the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in community organization. She has taught social work at Utah State University and worked in city planning in New York and in Chicago.
She developed her interest and experience in philanthropy and fundraising by helping found the Crossroads Fund in Chicago and being on its board for seven years, and by working for the Donors Forum of Chicago to help people start family foundations.
More recently she has been the director of development for two not-for-profit developers of low-income housing and for two refugee assistance organizations, the Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago and the Cambodian Association of Illinois.
Currently she is a member of the Board of Directors of Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, the Neighborhood Writing Alliance and the Advisory Board of the Cambodian American Heritage Museum. She also serves on the Chicago Board of Directors of Human Rights Watch.
