The Children’s Place International team based in Chicago brings together extensive expertise and tireless dedication to advance our mission.

Cinaiya Stubbs

President and CEO

Cinaiya is the President and CEO of Children’s Place Association, of which Children’s Place International is a subsidiary 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Cinaiya has worked in the nonprofit sector since 2003 when she began designing and implementing before and after school programs at a Chicago Public School in the city’s West Garfield Park neighborhood. The past 20 years have provided a wealth of experience that includes staff development, organizational culture building, strategic planning, board and community relations, and fundraising. Cinaiya believes that each child, no matter their zip code, deserves the opportunity to live outside of poverty and believes that serving the whole child is the most promising route to get them there.

John Sweeney, MBA

Executive Director

John has over 30 years of international management experience, including living and working in Africa and Southeast Asia. He has managed all Children’s Place International efforts since its inception. He served as Executive Director of AID Village Clinics, an organization providing rural Kenyans with primary and HIV/AIDS clinical services. John worked with Baxter Healthcare’s International Group and with Chemonics International in support of USAID-financed projects. He served in the Peace Corps in Gabon. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University in international management and speaks French fluently.

Micol Werner, MBA

Director of Programs and Operations

Micol has over 15 years of international management experience including living and working in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Europe. She has responsibility for all of Children’s Place International’s programs and operations, including overall leadership of partnerships between healthcare companies and NGO partners, as well as ensuring program excellence in support of children and families in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean. Prior to joining, she worked for Technoserve, a non-profit providing business solutions to poverty in Mozambique and Madagascar. She also worked for six years with Abbott and subsequently AbbVie in sales and marketing and as a consultant for McKinsey & Company. Micol holds a Master’s in biochemical engineering, and an MBA from Stanford University. She speaks French, Portuguese, and Spanish fluently.

Jennifer Torres, MPH

Program Manager

Jennifer has over 20 years of international experience including living and working in Ghana, Niger, and Guyana. Jennifer is currently managing a diversity of partnerships to support children and families in Haiti and previously managed partnerships in Guyana. Prior to joining Children’s Place International, she worked directly for the Minister of Health in Guyana developing and implementing health interventions. Jennifer served in the Peace Corps and holds an MPH in international health and development from Tulane University. She volunteers advocating and supporting refugees and immigrants, both in her Chicago community and in the U.S., through direct resettlement support, mutual aid, and acting as a child advocate for unaccompanied detained minors. Jennifer speaks Haitian Kreyol, French, and Spanish.

Katherine Hapeman, MA

Associate Director for Development and Communications

Katherine has over 10 years of development and international programmatic experience among non-profits and universities with a social justice mission. At Children’s Place International, she helps generate resources for the identified needs of frontline partners to ensure that children and families can thrive. Prior to this new role, she worked at DePaul University doing campaign management and principal gifts work. Katherine holds a master’s degree in international human rights from the University of Denver and executive credentials in non-profit management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She is working to regain fluency in Spanish.

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