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Don &
Liz Thompson

About Us

Cleveland Avenue is where it all began

for our founders, Don and Liz Thompson.

 

They grew up on the near north Chicago street of that name—Liz in the Cabrini

Green housing complex and Don just

four blocks north. The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group, our

full name, acknowledges the past while constantly looking ahead to an impactful and limitless future.

Meet The Team

Our team at The CAFE Group brings unique skills dedicated to optimizing our desired impact on students, leaders, and communities.

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Founder and CEO
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT

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Executive Assistant and Board Coordinator
THE CAFE GROUP

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Senior Strategic Impact Consultant
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT

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Program Manager
THE CAFE GROUP

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Assistant Operations Manager 
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT

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CFO
THE CAFE GROUP

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Director of Strategy
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT

Impact Assistant
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT

Strategic HR Consultant
THE CAFE GROUP

Career

Now Hiring!

Program Director

Chief Development Officer

Chief Communications Officer

Board Members

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Liz Thompson

Founder & CEO
The CAFE Group

Leslie Anderson

US Chief Technology Resiliency

and Experience Operations Officer, BMO

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Mara Botman

Executive Director
Vivo Foundation

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Joseph McCoy

Chief Strategist, Cleveland Avenue;

Partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila

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Shayne Evans

Founder and President
The Academy Group

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Daniel Anello

CEO
Kids First Chicago

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