Skill and Expertise of Layton Blvd. West Neighbors’ Staff

To learn more about LBWN's program initiatives, please contact the appropriate staff lsited below.

Charlotte John-Gomez, Executive Director

Charlotte John-Gomez has 10 years of community development experience.  As a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer for two years, Charlotte gained valuable experience working with residents, businesses and cooperatives at the grassroots level.  She implemented five community development projects during her time abroad, including establishing a business and a cooperative, the construction of a school annex, and the rehabilitation of an old warehouse into a rural health clinic. 

After Charlotte’s Peace Corps experience she worked as a Sr. Fiscal Analyst for Milwaukee’s Common Council.  Here she assisted policy makers in developing new community initiatives and evaluating the outcomes of existing programs.  Charlotte analyzed and evaluated City departments’ programs and budget proposals containing more than $50 million in funding.  She conducted research and policy analysis on various issues affecting delivery and costs of services.

In an effort to return to community development at the grassroots level, Charlotte became the director of LBWN in 1999.  In just two years, she tripled the organization’s budget by adding three new initiatives and staff to manage them. Charlotte has cultivated numerous partnerships with other agencies conducting community development in Milwaukee.  Under Charlotte’s direction, LBWN has evolved into a community development organization that has grown significantly in size and impact.

Charlotte has a Master Degree in Public Administration, a BA in Spanish, and a Certificate of Latin American Studies from UW-Milwaukee.

Kathleen Chisholm, Office Mgr./Management of Information Systems (MIS)

Kathleen and her family have lived in the Layton Blvd. West Neighbors’ neighborhood for 19 years.  Their children, including foster children, have enjoyed what the area offers in terms of quality schools, recreation activities and neighborhood stability.  Kathleen started giving back to the neighborhood in 1990 by volunteering in various Parent Involvement components of MPS schools.  In 1995 she was asked to become the Parent-Teacher-Organization (PTO) President at Grant Elementary School.

She began her association with LBWN by volunteering in the summer playground program.   In July 1997, she was hired by LBWN as part-time Office Assistant.   In 1998 and 1999 she filled the Summer Playground Coordinator position, negotiating programming with MPS-Recreation department by seeking outside funding resources for specialized positions, and assisted parents to become leaders in the neighborhood.   She envisioned a unique partnership venture joining neighborhood youth and seniors in an intergenerational summer activity. She also served as a member of the LBWN Steering Committee, 1999-2002, which was responsible for planning numerous yearly family activities in the LBWN organization.

In the summer of 1999 Kathleen began pursuing educational interests by taking classes to help in her new capacity as LBWN Office Manager.  She has earned two certificates from Milwaukee Area Technical College—one in Microcomputer Skills and the other in Internet/Web Skills.   She graduated, with Honors, in May 2003 from MATC with an Individualized Technical Studies--A.A.S. degree in Business.

Ever meeting LBWN's challenges, by combining abilities and learning new skills, led to expanding Kathleen's Office Manager title  to include Management of Information Systems (MIS) in 2001. Her responsibilities include: maintaining computer equipment, staff training, database upkeep, troubleshooting computer problems, and developing a Computer Policies and Procedures Manual. 

Kathleen has been a member of the LBWN Newsletter team since 1998, applying her graphic design talent to the newsletter.  She has written articles and participates on the editing team.  She is using her web design skills to craft the layout, development, and mechanics of Layton Boulevard West Neighbor's  web site.  

Lisa Mecha, Financial Manager

Lisa joined Layton Blvd. West Neighbors in May 2003 as the part-time bookkeeper.  Lisa spent the previous nine years as a stay at home mom and just recently decided to rejoin the workforce. During those nine years she kept her accounting and computer skills current by taking courses at MATC and Volunteering her time to handle the treasurer's duties for the PTO Board at her child's school.

Lisa has an Associate Degree in Accounting as well as over ten years experience in the field of accounting.  Lisa is excited to be once again out in the working world and to be a part of Layton Blvd. West Neighbors.

Barbara Mc Killop, Community Outreach  Coordinator

Barbara  has worked in Community Development since receiving a Masters degree in Applied Anthropology from Brigham Young University in 1986.  As a Peace Corps volunteer in South America, Barbara worked with local leaders to identify and resolve health issues in rural communities.  Later, Barbara continued to work with the Peace Corps as a technical trainer, helping new volunteers apply skills in a third-world environment with very limited resources.  While raising her family, Barbara also taught social/cultural anthropology, an International Baccalaureate course at the bilingual high school.

Since returning to Milwaukee in 2000, Barbara has worked with south side residents to identify issues and problems in their neighborhoods.  Barbara is bilingual in English and Spanish and even speaks Guarani, an indigenous language of South America.  As the Community Outreach Coordinator at LBWN, Barbara hopes to work with local residents to improve the quality of life in Milwaukee neighborhoods.

Justin Lessard, Volunteer Manager

Jeremy Soika, Housing/Special Projects

Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography.  Jeremy has taken Urban Planning courses from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. 

Jeremy has used his GIS skills at the Waukesha Water Utility Company, Shepherd Systems in Birmingham Alabama, the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, and the Carolina’s Land Conservation Network (CLCN) in Charlotte North Carolina.  He has been able to gain experience in urban planning from his work with CLCN, along with the 30^th St. Industrial Corridor Corp. and the Milwaukee Alliance both in located in Milwaukee. 

Jeremy’s broad working experience has allowed him to cultivate many skills and participant in or manage numerous activities.  Some of the activities include helping facilitate a conference to develop an open space and Smart Growth plan for the Greater Metropolitan Region of Charlotte North Carolina, creating and facilitating a monthly meeting for near south side business owners, and regularly managing AmeriCorps volunteers that made improvements to near south side neighborhoods when coming to Milwaukee. 

His public and communication skills allow him to cultivate a relationship with residents, stakeholders and volunteers as well as work with other city departments, organizations, schools, and churches to accomplish tasks and projects for revitalizing and stabilizing the neighborhood. Jeremy provides technical assistance to homeowners considering housing rehab projects.

Christine Walker, Housing Liaison

Sara Puls, Commerical District Specialist

Sara Puls has lived in the Milwaukee area all of her life except for the five years she attended UW-River Falls to obtain her B.A. in Psychology and Sociology.  She has always had an interest in Milwaukee’s oldest urban neighborhoods and in 2001, after working several years in local retail store management, went back to school to pursue a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning at UW-Milwaukee.

While in graduate school, Sara produced a redevelopment proposal for Martin Luther King Drive and a housing redevelopment proposal for the Harambee Neighborhood, did policy research on MPS truancy for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, did a “wheel park” location project for the Village of Menomonee Falls, and worked as a Planning Technician at the City of New Berlin’s Department of City Development.

In 2004 Sara joined the LBWN team to work with business owners on Lincoln Avenue & Burnham Street and recruit businesses for the LBWN area.  Because of her retail management experience she understands the every-day challenges of the small business owners she works with.  

When not working, Sara keeps busy with outdoor photography, creative writing, spending time with her daughter and husband, fish keeping and spending time with her pets.

Helen Hermus, Silver City Main Street Manager

Helen Hermus, is a Fellow from UWM's Consortium for Economic Opportunity.  Her primary focus is commercial district revitalization on Lincoln Avenue, with a secondary focus on Burnham Street.

Helen received Bachelor of Science degrees in English and Communication from the University of WI-Stevens Point.  She is currently a student at UWM, earning a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies. Helen has diverse background, having worked in the printing and airline industries, and having served in the U.S. Peace Corps.

While in the Peace Corps, Helen served in Poland from 1992-1994, teaching English as a foreign language in a high school.  Her idealism and belief in the power of community brought her to LBWN  because  of the organizations commitment to respond to community development needs at the grassroots level.

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