OUR team

Jessica Housley is a creative, small business entrepreneur whose work has been guided by her dedication to creating people-focused betterment. Her viewpoint that environment directly affects our experiences combined with her leadership, insights and passion for intentionally shaping it, inspired the inception of both With Love Chicago and her business, Bloomjoy Home Organizing. She is a born and raised Chicagoan, whose love for the city and desire to affect change led her to receive her degree at UIC's College of Urban Planning & Public Affairs. 

Jessica's passion for With Love Chicago is founded in the beliefs that: love and kindness are powerful catalysts for a better world, small kindness have expansive ripple effects, and that nurturing connection and community support empowering environments in which people flourish. 

Outside of her professional roles, Jessica enjoys connecting with friends and nature, staying active through yoga, running, hiking and biking, exploring anything new in the city, community gardening and hanging with her two tiny dogs by the lake.   

Timothy Watson is a service-oriented professional with over 20 years of  experience working with people-centered and nonprofit organizations. He  is currently the Client Services Manager at Best Therapies, Inc., a talk  therapy practice here in Chicago. Prior to that, Timothy spent most of  his career in various fundraising and development roles at both local  and national nonprofit membership organizations.

“I have a passion for healing and liberation. I believe collective shifts start  with individuals, and With Love Chicago is affecting change at the  individual level. These acts of kindness have ripple effects, and I’m  proud to be a part of an organization that is doing that for people in  the city of Chicago. I started out as a volunteer (aka Love Ninja), and I  am happy to now serve as Board Secretary.”

Timothy lives in the  Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago with his pup, Parker. When it’s nice out, you’ll catch Timothy outside as much as possible for lake time and bike rides. He also loves seeing films at the Music Box Theatre and taking advantage of the various performing arts the city has to offer. 

Throughout  her career, Michelle Calcagni’s work has been shaped by her passion for engaging stakeholders. She combines wide-ranging experience and proven  talents to provide insights and  strategies that help them fully mobilize stakeholders to implement  change, launch programs/products and improve execution. In 2016,  Michelle created PhoneBox Group, a woman-owned, multi-discipline  consultancy to support this work.  

One  of Michelle’s biggest strengths is understanding and resolving  engagement challenges by looking at them from diverse perspectives and leveraging strong analytics to support recommendations.  Beyond her commitment to a “customer-back” mindset, she actively seeks  ways to ensure the voices of all stakeholders are embedded in solutions.

Michelle  has served as board member, instructor, mentor, panelist and/or panel moderator for organizations including the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago,  Founding Moms, Cultivate Chicago, the Good Food Accelerator and Pass the Torch for Women. She is also  actively involved with Indiana University, having received her MBA from  IU’s Kelley School of Business. Under her leadership, PhoneBox gives at least 10% of its time/resources to supporting organizations  that are women- and/or minority-owned/led, including her role as Board  Treasurer for With Love, Chicago. 

Ian Hunter is the Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America.  In this role, Ian is responsible for cultivating and engaging new  corporate partners to support the mission of ending domestic hunger.  Over his 14 years at Feeding America, corporate  fundraising has grown from $43 million to $164 million. Since joining Feeding America in  2010, Ian has connected numerous Fortune 500 companies with the  organization's mission. Notable partnerships include Google, Subaru,  Jersey Mike’s, Coca-Cola, Omni Hotels, Darden,  and Raytheon.

Ian attended West Point for his  undergraduate studies and began his career as a lieutenant in the Army,  serving tours in Greece and Germany. After earning his MBA from the  University of Michigan, he worked in  brand management for companies like SC Johnson, McCormick &  Company, and Pepperidge Farm, specializing in revitalizing struggling  brands and businesses.

Ian is passionate about With Love  Chicago because it encourages empathy, demonstrates the power of love, and affirms the unique interconnectedness of the Chicago community.

In his free time, Ian enjoys  hiking, biking, skiing, swimming, and traveling. He considers himself an  authority on the best burger in Chicago and recently completed a  Rim-to-Rim hike of the Grand Canyon in a  single day, enduring temperatures of 120 degrees.

Beth Cook is an accomplished, results-driven leader with over 25 years of experience across a broad range of industries. Her career has spanned both domestic and global organizations, working in both the private and public sectors, including private equity-backed ventures. Specializing in leadership development, Beth excels at collaborating with CEOs and C-Suite teams where she provides strategic guidance and impactful solutions to drive organizational success.  

Beth’s extensive experience in human resources and leadership makes her a trusted advisor for companies looking to elevate their people strategies. Her expertise allows her to help businesses navigate complex challenges and achieve long-term growth.

In addition to her professional achievements, Beth is passionate about community-building and giving back. She is excited to be part of With Love Chicago, a mission-driven initiative that reflects her belief in the power of kindness. By supporting simple acts of love and generosity, With Love Chicago helps foster stronger, more connected communities. Beth is deeply committed to the initiative’s mission and views it as a beautiful reminder of the impact small gestures can have on others.

With a master’s degree in Nonprofit management and over 15 years of  experience in the nonprofit sector, Danielle brings a unique blend of  skills and enthusiasm to With Love Chicago. Her career has spanned roles  in program design, project management, content strategy, and executive  leadership. From managing donor relations at a community foundation to serving as Vice President of Product Development at an international  nonprofit, Danielle has been dedicated to finding solutions that help  empower people and create a better world.

Danielle’s  excitement about With Love Chicago stems from her love of the city and  her belief in the generative power of creativity and kindness. She has  been involved with the organization since the early days and is thrilled  to help further its impact. 

Outside of her role as a board member,  Danielle is a certified transformational coach and currently manages a  small summer resort with her husband. Her three children are very  enthusiastic “Love Ninjas.”