Professional Development Opportunities

Sara has been with ISAC since 2011 and has over a decade of experience in college access and adult education. Before joining the professional development team, Sara was a part of the ISACorps and served as a near-peer mentor for two years on the south side of Chicago, assisting students and families with the college and financial aid processes. Sara graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and minors in Informatics and Latina/Latino Studies and obtained a Master of Science in Education in Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University.

Ana is a first-generation college graduate and is passionate about supporting first-generation students and Spanish-speaking families. She joined the Illinois Student Assistance Commission as an ISACorps member for the Triton Community College District, where she found her passion for working with first-generation college students and Spanish-speaking parents. Before joining the Training and Development staff at ISAC, Ana served as an ISACorps Regional Coordinator for the South and West suburbs. She currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminology from Dominican University.

Olivia is a first-generation college graduate and is focused on higher education leadership, particularly within Chicago’s Latinx communities. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from National-Louis University and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership in Higher Education through the ENLACE program at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). Olivia began her journey with ISAC in December 2019 as a Parent Outreach Coordinator and has since moved to the Training and Development team. Olivia has a diverse professional background, with experience in nonprofit, healthcare, and workforce development sectors, focusing on predominantly monolingual Spanish speaking communities in the Chicago area and collar counties. Originally from Mexico and raised in Little Village, Chicago, she is a mother of two. In her free time, Olivia enjoys spending time with her kids, reading, and playing with her Black Mouth Cur/Boxer mix rescue dog, Riley.

Salma is a first-generation college graduate dedicated to empowering youth to transition from surviving to thriving. She has a bachelor’s in social work from Concordia University Chicago and an Masters in Education Policy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In 2023, she joined the ISACorps and started working with the Triton Community College district, helping students figure out how to succeed in college. She joined the Training and Development Team in the Fall of 2024. Before ISAC, Salma worked with youth and adults experiencing homelessness. This was a rewarding experience since it gave her the opportunity to assist a lot of people through tough times. “But I wanted to do more—something that could help people not just survive but thrive. I wanted to see people succeed, and that’s what drives me in my work now.”

Nicole has a passion for communications, having graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) with a bachelor’s in Applied Communication Studies with a concentration in public relations and minors in Spanish, psychology, and pre-law. She expects to receive her masters in Public Administration from SIUE in 2026. Nicole joined ISAC as a Spanish-speaking ISACorps member for the Southwestern Illinois College district, working with both students in the St. Louis Metro East and in rural parts of the state before joining the Professional Development team. She currently resides in Collinsville, Illinois, where she enjoys crocheting and spending time with family and friends.

Krystal graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2023, where she majored in Developmental Psychology and Spanish. She is currently in a master’s program at Eastern Illinois University for College Student Affairs. Her passion for education and community led her to begin her journey with ISAC that same year, serving as a Spanish-speaking ISACorps Member in the College of DuPage District. In the summer of 2025, Krystal joined ISAC’s Training and Development team, where she continues to support and inspire others.

Before joining ISAC, Krystal spent two years as a First Year Experience facilitator, eventually helping train future facilitators. It was during this time that she discovered her love for guiding students through their college journey—and empowering future professionals to show up as their best selves for the students they serve.

Krystal currently lives in the Schaumburg area, where she enjoys reading, coloring, and spending time with her fiancée and their beloved German Shepherd, Chibi.