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Meet the Staff

Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders

Amate House’s passionate staff work closely with fellows to provide meaningful programming while supporting each through their year of service and leadership development.

Executive Director

Jeannie Balanda, MBA, MNA

Jeannie Balanda joined Amate House in the fall of 2016. She has over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management most recently as executive director with MayaWorks, a nonprofit social enterprise, and The East Village Youth Program, a college readiness and support program for underserved minority youth. She started her career in the nonprofit sector as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. Jeannie has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and an MBA and Master of Nonprofit Administration from North Park University. When she’s not working, she loves to cook, follow politics, and spend time with her family and beloved dog, Grizzly.
Office Manager

Tiffany Carmah' Small

Tiffany Carmah’ is a born Chicagoan, where she earned her B.S. in Business Management & minored in Administration at National-Louis University downtown. Tiffany served in dual roles as an Administrative Assistant and as a Client Support Coordinator at a domestic violence shelter. She has also worked as a Client Service Representative at Catholic Charities within the 16 WIC Food & Nutrition Centers across the Chicagoland area. She has volunteered with Big Brother Big Sister and mentored young children across Cook county within CPS schools. Tiffany was given the name of smiley by her division teacher in H.S. because of her warm an inviting personality towards others. She enjoys cooking with her daughters, playing music and writing poetry.
Program Associate

Carrie Madden

Carrie (she/her/hers) graduated from Marquette University in 2019 with a bachelor's in finance where she also played on the soccer team. She then went on to play professionally in Spain for a year after graduation. Carrie is currently in graduate school at Loyola University Chicago earning a dual master's degree in Social Work and Social Justice. In her free time, Carrie enjoys reading fantasy books, playing board games, and spending time in nature by hiking and camping.
Associate Program Director

Alex Santos

Alex (she/her/hers) is passionate about empowering others and providing opportunities for them to develop their leadership skills. She has a wide range of experience working in secondary and higher education, ministry, non-profit, case management, and real-estate and hospitality. She graduated with a degree in Counseling and Social Services and hopes to further her education in Leadership and Mental Health. In her free time, you'll find her trying out new coffee shops, going to the gym, and being with her loved ones.

Connect with an Amate Recruiter

Our recruiters at Amate House are prepared to answer your questions and help you learn more about becoming a fellow.

Contact Amate