About Us
Join a community that is ready to get to work
About CTC
The Career Transitions Center (CTC) empowers professionals to find meaningful employment. It provides career coaching and employment programming to mid-career professionals and first-generation college students and graduates across the U.S. It also provides affordable and effective outplacement and customized training for small businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations. CTC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. We are work with clients across the U.S.
Leadership
Experienced Leadership Committed to Serving Our Members.
Our work is made possible by an engaged board, a small committed staff, and a dedicated team of more than 40 volunteer career coaches, whose commitment of talent and time make the CTC experience positive and effective. Our volunteer career coaches meet with members one-on-one, facilitate peer groups, conduct workshops, and assist in every phase of a client’s self-directed job search including skills and talent assessment, development of marketing tools (resumes, letters, etc.), plans of action, company and industry research, job interviewing, compensation negotiations and networking.
CTC Staff

Anita Jenke
Anita is the Executive Director of the Career Transitions Center of Chicago. She was hired by the board of directors and started at CTC in January 2009. She is a former CTC client, volunteer coach. Anita is responsible for the fundraising, strategic direction and management of the organization. Prior to CTC, Anita was the first development director at The Women’s Treatment Center. She has a BA in Russian History from Murray State University. She has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management with a focus on fundraising and workforce development. An avid volunteer for arts and community service organizations, Anita has worked with and served on several nonprofit boards. She serves on the board of The Chicago Jobs Council and is the chair of the board of the DePaul Institute for Business and Professional Ethics. She is the past president of the board of Woman Made Gallery and has volunteered with Acts of Kindness Cabaret. Anita was the 2013 recipient of the Illinois Career Development Association’s Advocacy Award.
Nadia Whiteside
Nadia currently serves as the interim Program and Coaching Director, following her tenure with CTC from 2015-2019. Nadia is the principal of Your Next Chapter Coaching, where she works with a wide range of clients, from high school graduates through late career professionals to identify and articulate their unique strengths and present a compelling story that will set them apart from other professionals. With over twenty years of career services experience, Nadia has worked for a variety of nonprofits and higher education institutions in Chicago. She completed entrepreneurship training at the Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago and holds a Certified Master of Career Services (CMCS) credential through the National Career Development Association. Nadia has a BA and MA from DePaul University’s School for New Learning.


Nadia Whiteside
Nadia currently serves as the interim Program and Coaching Director, following her tenure with CTC from 2015-2019. Nadia is the principal of Your Next Chapter Coaching, where she works with a wide range of clients, from high school graduates through late career professionals to identify and articulate their unique strengths and present a compelling story that will set them apart from other professionals. With over twenty years of career services experience, Nadia has worked for a variety of nonprofits and higher education institutions in Chicago. She completed entrepreneurship training at the Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago and holds a Certified Master of Career Services (CMCS) credential through the National Career Development Association. Nadia has a BA and MA from DePaul University’s School for New Learning.

Deb Wilson
Deb is the Finance and Operations Director for The Career Transitions Center responsible for the financial management of the organization and assists with strategy development and execution. Deb is passionate about provide leading edge ideation focused on improving financial outcomes, operational efficiency, client marketing, and supporting the center’s fundraising and grant writing efforts. Deb teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction client workshops, Boot Camp Financial Literacy workshops and is a team leader for the “Finding Work without Losing Heart” Retreat. Deb spent 33 years in the Financial Services industry with Senior Financial Management and Strategy positions at Comerica Bank, as a Senior Manager FVP in the Audit Consulting Division and Senior Account Manager FVP for the Treasury Management Technology Services Divisions of ABN AMRO/LaSalle Bank and Bank of America. Deb held the position of Principal in the Financial Services Consulting Division of Ernst & Young/Cap Gemini and for 11 years managed multimillion dollar projects at major Financial Institutions throughout the US, Asia and Europe. Deb transitioned to the Non-Profit sector with the desire to use her experience to help Non-Profits. Over the last 13 years she has work for CTC and is also the owner of Campbell-Wilson LLC where she has assisted a variety of Non-Profit organizations with financial management, fundraising and grant acquisition and currently provides financial support to a Technology Start-Up. Deb is and avid volunteer and serves on Gift of Adoption Foundation’s finance committee and as a member of Make-A-Wish Foundation’s fundraising and event management women’s board. Deb also offers meditation retreats for various groups in Chicago. Deb holds an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the University of Detroit Mercy and a BBA in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
Jamie McInerney
Jamie joined CTC in December 2022 as the Communications Coordinator at CTC. She boasts an impressive background in content writing, outreach marketing, and communications from a variety of companies in the Chicagoland area, including Angi Solutions (formerly Angi’s List), the Latin School of Chicago, and Hubbard Radio.
Jamie has a B.A. in Communications & Media from DePaul University, where she also served as the VP of the DePaul Women’s Basketball Club and participated in the Women’s Soccer Club, and DePaul’s Improv and Sketch Comedy Troupe.


Jamie McInerney
Jamie joined CTC in December 2022 as the Communications Coordinator at CTC. She boasts an impressive background in content writing, outreach marketing, and communications from a variety of companies in the Chicagoland area, including Angi Solutions (formerly Angi’s List), the Latin School of Chicago, and Hubbard Radio.
Jamie has a B.A. in Communications & Media from DePaul University, where she also served as the VP of the DePaul Women’s Basketball Club and participated in the Women’s Soccer Club, and DePaul’s Improv and Sketch Comedy Troupe.

Scot Mazur
Scot joined CTC in September 2022 as the new Partnerships Director, where he will focus on promoting the mission and expanding the reach and impact of the organization while driving the acquisition of new clients Scot is an award-winning enterprising business-to-business professional with a track record of cultivating new business across sales cycles. Through his work in multiple industries, including insurance, health care and tech industries, Scot has developed marketing campaigns, identified business opportunities, implemented recruiting strategies, and provided consulting for such companies as CareerBuilder, People Scout, and Volt Workforce Solutions and Consulting Group. Scot holds a BA in History. In his volunteer work, Scot has served as a career coach and mentor, Strengthsfinders Marketing Coordinator for the Ascension Church’s Living Your Strengths Ministry, and Co-Facilitator of the Loop Chapter of the Executive Network Group of Greater Chicago. Scot resides with his family in Oak Park, IL.
CTC Board of Directors
CTC’s Board of Directors provide strategic guidance and governance. Directors are selected for three-year terms.
- James Baldwin (Metropolitan Family Services)
- Ronaldo Borger (Underwriters Laboratories)
- Jack DeMeulenaere (Latham & Watkins, LLP)
- Lucien Derosena (5L2F Consulting)
- Tanya Earley (Jones Lang LaSalle)
- Anson Johnson (USG Corp.)
- Mike Kovas (USG Corp.)
- Larry Krema (ZRG Partners)
- Ben Lundberg (Yelp)
- Bernadette Patton (The Board Builders)
- Karen Pinks (Claro Healthcare LLC)
- Jay Schweiger (BMO Harris Bank)
- Myk Snider (Sphere PR Group)
- James A. Snyder (Sidley Austin LLP)
Board Officers
- Board Chair – Larry Krema
- Vice Chair – Ronaldo Borger
- Treasurer – Jay Schweiger
- Secretary – Anson Johnson