Meet the 2026-2027 Amate House Fellows
This year’s fellow cohort comes to us from 7 different states and 4 different universities. They join a network of over 960 Amate House alumni who have, for 42 years, answered the call to lead and serve here in Chicago.
This year’s fellows serve at nonprofits and ministries across Chicago, including Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Chicago Family Health Center, Sarah’s Inn, Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, Taller de José, and Our Lady of Tepeyac High School, tackling everything from legal advocacy and healthcare to domestic violence prevention, immigrant accompaniment, senior services, and education.
Annie Chen
Family Law Attorney Assistant, Greater Chicago Legal Clinic
Annie Chen is a recent graduate from the University of Notre Dame, where she studied political science, economics, and Chinese. She serves at the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic’s Family Law Department. Annie has goals of pursuing environmental law, with a particular focus on water and tribal rights.
Kyndal Christy
Intake Coordinator, Cabrini Green Legal Aid
Kyndal Christy is from St. Louis, Missouri. She recently graduated from Saint Mary’s College where she studied political science. As an Amate House Fellow she serves as the legal intake coordinator for Cabrini Green Legal Aid. Kyndal is excited for a year full of community, service, and new experiences!
Kristin Chun
Criminal Records Fellow, Greater Chicago Legal Clinic
With a degree in Political Science and International Relations from Creighton University, Kristin is deeply committed to learning and understanding communities. She has traveled across the country learning about the rich community-forward solutions she hopes to share with her hometown in Hawaii. This year, she serves as the Criminal Records Fellow at the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic.
Ivy Clark
Crisis Intervention and Advocacy intern, Sarah’s Inn
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Ivy majored in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Global Health. In her position as a Crisis Intervention and Advocacy intern at Sarah's Inn this fellowship year, Ivy is excited to continue rooting her convictions of accompaniment in lived experience. Ivy is passionate about health equity and Liberation Theology, and enjoys running, reading, yoga, and journaling. She is currently applying to medical school.
Stephanie Hernández
Immigration Attorney Assistant, Greater Chicago Legal Clinic
Stephanie is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a B.A. in History and Political Science with a minor in Latino Studies. She brings her passion for service, advocacy, and immigrant communities to her role as an Immigration Attorney Assistant at the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic. Through her year with Amate House, Stephanie is excited to deepen her commitment to service while gaining hands-on experience supporting individuals and families navigating the immigration system.
Grace Lynch
Prevention Educator, Sarah’s Inn
Grace is a Political Science graduate from the University of Notre Dame. She serves with Sarah's Inn in their Domestic Violence Prevention Education program. Outside of work with Sarah's Inn, Grace enjoys getting to know Amate House's neighbors in McKinley Park and the Greater Chicago area while trying new sports.
Jonathan Mendez
Behavioral Health Fellow, Chicago Family Health Center
Originally from Miami, Florida, Jonny attended the University of Notre Dame, where he studied Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Theology. On campus, he served as a Resident Assistant in Stanford Hall and as a Teaching Assistant at the Early Childhood Development Center. He is interested in studying masculinity and familial relationships, and serves as the Behavioral Health fellow this year at the Chicago Family Health Center.
Olivia Nystrom
Volunteer Program Assistant, Big Brothers Friends of the Elderly
With a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Business Administration from Creighton University, Olivia pairs a deep understanding of human development with strong analytical skills and a passion for social justice. Olivia serves at Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly as a Volunteer Program Assistant and senior companion. Following her service year, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), specializing in supporting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Nneka Obonna
Population Health and Quality Fellow, Chicago Family Health Center
Nneka is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior. With volunteer experience in oncology, including patient care and radiation oncology, Nneka has developed a passion for compassionate care and a strong interest in global health equity. She is serving at the Chicago Family Health Center as a Population Health Quality Fellow, where she brings her background in health and commitment to addressing disparities in care.
Monica Schleg
Volunteer Compañera, Taller de José
Monica recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish. Monica brings to Amate House a passion for international human rights, disability advocacy, and community service. This year, she serves as a Compañera at Taller de José, where she accompanies clients as they navigate legal and social services, combining her passion for advocacy and service with her interest in the law.
Madelin Sitton
Campus Minister, Our Lady of Tepeyac
Maddie is a graduate of Creighton University, where she earned a B.A. in Communication Studies with a minor in Business Administration. During her time at Creighton, Maddie was deeply involved in service and justice initiatives, including leading service and justice trips that strengthened her passion for accompanying others and working toward a more just world. Maddie serves as the Campus Minister at Our Lady of Tepeyac High School.
Mehreen Shahid
Healthcare Marketing Fellow, Chicago Family Health Center
Mehreen graduated from Carleton College where she majored in Biology and minored in Arabic. She enjoys traveling and learning languages. During her year at Amate House, Mehreen serves as a Healthcare Marketing Fellow at Chicago Family Health Center. She is passionate about equitable access to healthcare and hopes to pursue a career in health law.
More “Becoming a Fellow” Information
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