EFE Office Updates

EFE Welcomes New Staff Members

Abuse Investigation Unit Adds Investigator to Team

Leslie Banghart's title is Abuse and Neglect Investigator, which is exceedingly appropriate for someone with her background and expertise. She is the newest addition to Equip for Equality's recently established Abuse Investigation Unit funded by Congress as a national demonstration project and headed by Director Deborah M. Kennedy.

Since joining the Unit on May 28, having just received her master's degree from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Banghart has devoted herself to investigation of systemic issues of abuse and neglect pertaining to individuals with disabilities.

While pursuing her master's, Banghart provided counseling and advocacy services at the Chicago Women's Health Center and the Chicago House and Social Service Agency. She also served as the forensic program coordinator and case manager at the Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, an organization where she had been working with people with psychiatric disabilities since 1995. This and her earlier work as a developmental trainer at the Victor C. Neumann Association led her to her current position at EFE.

"Working in direct service you run into a lot of frustrations with the system, or the lack of a system, so working in something more advocacy related with the opportunity to make a difference in the system as a whole appealed to me," Banghart explains.

In addition to her master's degree, Banghart is certified in alcohol and substance abuse counseling (CADC) from Harold Washington College and holds a bachelor's degree in English from Michigan State University. =

Human Resources Manager is New Staff Position

As Equip for Equality's first Human Resources Manager, Brenda K. Lane contributes years of integrated management and not-for-profit experience to the new staff position. Lane has been working part-time since she started in July and is charged with the development and implementation of general practices, performance appraisals, benefit and salary administration programs, recruitment and employment activities, staff development and other special projects.

Photo of Brenda K. Lane "It is an exciting challenge to organize the department from scratch as a startup enterprise," she says, "and I hope to make a valuable contribution by assisting EFE in maximizing the great value of its programs and services on behalf of people with disabilities."

Lane, who holds a master of business administration degree in information systems and a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, honed her skills in human resources through employment at the Village of Bellwood and Ameritech Corp., and as the executive director of Agape Connection Inc. prior to joining EFE.

In her free time, Lane enjoys reading, sewing and spending time with her family. She currently resides in Naperville with her husband, Alvin; her daughter, Meredith, 22; and her son, Alvin, 13. =

Operations Hires New Accountant

Susie Ramos, who had been working as an intern in EFE's accounting department since March 2000, joined Equip for Equality full time beginning in May, when she graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Business. As a staff accountant under Controller Jossie Seelund, she works primarily on payroll, budget and grants.

Exposed to a variety of people and projects during her internship, Ramos says, "I really enjoyed working in a not-for-profit setting, which I would never have considered without this experience."

Born and raised in Little Village, a Chicago neighborhood, Ramos recently relocated within the suburbs, to Cicero. In her free time, Ramos volunteers at UIC as an alumna of Gamma Phi Omega, a social sorority. =

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