Leadership
ROBERT TORRES
CO-FOUNDER
&
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Robert Torres is a proud Puerto Rican, born and raised in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. After spending most of his career in the stock market, he decided he wanted a more meaningful career that helped to improve the city and neighborhoods he grew up in. He founded his own drug testing company called AccuQuest Drug Test in 2009 and has been successful since. In 2012, he met Elizabeth Ramirez. Elizabeth Ramirez lost her only son to gun violence and was struggling with the pain of losing a child. Robert was touched by her story and passion to create change. Together, they formed Parents for Peace and Justice. Parents for Peace and Justice is comprised of volunteers who fight for peace and justice to ensure a better and safe future for all youth of Chicago. Most recently, he was elected to join the board of the Illinois Commission on Diversity and Human Relations, an organization dedicated to ensuring equity and opportunities to impact communities throughout Illinois. His mission in life is to decrease street violence by uplifting communities through prayer and by increasing access to youth programs and employment resources. Robert is married to Lisette Torres and is raising his two daughters on the Northwest side of Chicago.
Elizabeth Ramirez
CO-FOUNDER
Elizabeth's motivation for starting Parents for Peace and Justice comes from her own personal story. In October, 2011, her 23 year old son, Harry "Deejay" Rodriguez, was at his own birthday party on Chicago's Northwest side when a masked gunman walked in and started shooting. He lost his life that night and years later the case remains unsolved. Elizabeth wants peace on our streets so children can play outside in safety. Her goal for the organization is to have a private investigator help with the unsolved cases of other parents she supports who have also lost children to gun violence.
Coach Angel Lopez was born and raised in Chicago. He started his coaching career at Weber High School and has worked for various universities as a college football coach. He then transitioned to a NFL minority coaching program becoming the first Puerto Rican in the program. Coach Lopez is currently the Latino Community Liaison for the NFL Alumni Chicago working closely with Desmond Clark, the former All-Pro Tight End of the Chicago Bears who is president of the Chicago NFL Alumni. Coach Lopez is working hard to bring more youth flag football camps to communities in need of programming in order to keep youth off the streets.
Angel Lopez
Sports Youth Program Director
Ashwin Basana is an Associate at the Boston Consulting Group who advises leading companies across a variety of industries spanning the public, private, and non-profit sectors on management decisions.
Ashwin knows that financial planning and governance is crucial to the success of an organization, especially in a period of high-growth. He brings his previous experience as managing director of a non-profit subsidiary, and in program development with the YMCA to the treasurer role at Parents for Peace and Justice. Ashwin holds a BS in Industrial Engineering and Economics from Northwestern University.
ASHWIN BASANA
Treasurer
KATIE PRENTISS ONSAGER
Secretary
Katie Prentiss Onsager is a Chicago-based documentary filmmaker and video journalist. She has produced and directed more than 40 documentary shorts about grassroots activists and organizations across the country. In her role as Executive Producer of Small Forces, Katie works daily with nonprofit leaders from a diverse range of causes and organization types. She has been the president of the Danny Did Foundation's Associate Board for 4 years. She also serves on the Associate Board of Chicago Media Project.
Katie leads the creation of PPJ's record-keeping infrastructure. She tracks donors, recipients of PPJ programming, organization progress, and board discussions.
Eileen Robertson Hamra is an author, speaker, philanthropist, yogi, and impact investor.
As CEO of Fit Together, LLC, Eileen provides lifestyle and business coaching to individuals and companies looking to explore and expand what is possible for themselves, their businesses, and the future of the planet.
Eileen lives in Chicago with her four children, husband, and big dog.
Eileen Robertson Hamra
Board Member