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.
Founder and CEO
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT
Executive Assistant and Board Coordinator
THE CAFE GROUP
Senior Strategic Impact Consultant
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT
Program Manager
THE CAFE GROUP
Assistant Operations Manager
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT
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CFO
THE CAFE GROUP
Director of Strategy
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT
Impact Assistant
THE CAFE GROUP & THE 1954 PROJECT
Strategic HR Consultant
THE CAFE GROUP
Now Hiring!
Program Director
Chief Development Officer
Chief Communications Officer
Board Members
Liz Thompson
Founder & CEO
The CAFE Group
Leslie Anderson
US Chief Technology Resiliency
and Experience Operations Officer, BMO
Mara Botman
Executive Director
Vivo Foundation
Joseph McCoy
Chief Strategist, Cleveland Avenue;
Partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila
Shayne Evans
Founder and President
The Academy Group
Daniel Anello
CEO
Kids First Chicago