Carolyn Dellutri has been appointed as the first full-time executive director of Evmark, the downtown Evanston management and marketing organization.
On July 28, Ms. Dellutri assumed her responsibilities, which include providing organizational leadership and managing operations, staff and programs. The new director said she understands the need for both day-to-day and strategic leadership.
Ms. Dellutri said her main goal has been to introduce herself to Evanston’s more than 300 merchants and learn about their day-to-day operations, such as hours of operation and longevity in the downtown area. She carries a notebook with her, she said, and jots down significant information.
Knowing the stakeholders in Evanston – City staff, the Mayor, City Council members, business owners, office workers, brokers and downtown residents – said Ms. Dellutri, is most important. She said she plans to attend a September City Council meeting.
Since Evmark is funded in part by a special tax on downtown property owners, the board of directors recently added seats for residents of downtown condos, she said.
One of Ms. Dellutri’s more visible tasks will be the oversight of the downtown area – power-washing of the sidewalks, trash removal (a job shared with the City), landscaping and the Evmark Banner program.
Ms. Dellutri’s previous experience includes the positions of downtown development coordinator for the city of Geneva, Ill., and executive director of MainStreet in Libertyville.
At present, Evmark is updating the map directory for the downtown area, the maps in the public parking garages, and the Downtown Evanston brochure. The brochure will be available at all downtown businesses; high-traffic Evanston areas such as recreation facilities, the train stations and Northwestern University; and at Chicago tourist sights. The brochure can also be downloaded from Evmark’s website, www.evmark.org; upon request (847-866-6319) Evmark will mail a copy.
Housing Options for the Mentally Ill in Evanston will host its annual meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 18 at the King Home, 1555 Oak Ave. An array of speakers will provide unique and diverse perspectives on the topic, “Caring for the Whole Person: Life Enrichment and Its Link to Recovery.”
The agency will also introduce Evanston resident Laura Sabino, who has been selected as the new executive director for Housing Options. Ms. Sabino previously served as the executive director of Porchlight Counseling Services in Evanston, which supports victims of sexual assault in colleges throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Before that she served as the executive director of Lake County Haven in Libertyville, an agency that provided shelter, professional services and transitional housing for homeless women.
Housing Options provides affordable housing to more than 74 adults recovering from chronic mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression. Since its founding in 1988, the agency has supported the recoveries of more than 150 individuals.
Housing Options recently received the highest level of accreditation from CARF, the international organization Accreditation Commission for Rehabilitation Facilities. In its accreditation letter CARF recognized that “services, personnel and documentation clearly indicate an established pattern of practice excellence.”