ISAC Student PortalMeet the Staff
Sara Espinosa
Manager, Professional Development
Education: B.A. in Communications with minors in Informatics and Latina/Latino Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.S.Ed. in Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University
Sara is the Manager for Professional Development at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Sara has been with ISAC since 2011. Before joining the professional development team, Sara was a part of the ISACorps and served as a near-peer mentor for two years on the south side of Chicago assisting students and families with the college and financial aid processes. Sara graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and minors in Informatics and Latina/Latino Studies and obtained a Master of Science in Education in Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University. Sara currently serves as a co-chair for the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling’s (IACAC) Inclusion, Access, and Success (IAS) Committee as well as the Sharing the Dream Conference planning committee. Sara currently resides in Bridgeview, IL and enjoys baking in her spare time.
Ana Moya
Professional Development Specialist
Education: B.A. in Sociology and Criminology from Dominican University
Ana is a first-generation college student and currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminology from Dominican University. She joined the Illinois Student Assistance Commission as an ISACorps member for the Triton Community College District, where she found her passion for working with first-generation college students and Spanish-speaking parents. Before joining the Professional Development staff at ISAC, Ana served as an ISACorps Regional Coordinator for the South and West suburbs. Ana currently resides in Elmwood Park, IL and enjoys the short commute to Chicago for the local coffee shops.
Manuel Talavera
Professional Development Specialist
Education: B.A. in International Relations from Roosevelt University and Master of Public Administration (MPA) from University of Illinois Springfield
Manuel was born and raised in the southwest side of Chicago to immigrant parents from Mexico. Manuel, a first-generation college student, graduated from Roosevelt University with a B.A. in International Relations and holds a MPA from the University of Illinois Springfield. Manuel has been working for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for over five years. Prior to joining the Professional Development team, Manuel was a GEAR UP Specialist where he oversaw the implementation of 6th – 8th grade college access programming in middle schools throughout Illinois. Manuel a father of two, enjoys walking, biking, and volunteering.
Lenore Smith
Capacity Development Specialist
Lenore is first generation, non-traditional student, and attended college at night. This experience impacted her ability to understand the difficulties that some students have in attending and paying for college. Lenore grew up in a small rural community in Central Illinois and entered the workforce after high school. Prior to joining ISAC, she served as the Director of Marketing and Community Relations for a large for-profit company. Lenore began her career at ISAC in 2007. In her current role, Lenore is responsible for assisting schools in adopting the ISAC Transcript Exchange. She continues to network with college and high school administrators across the state to promote ISAC programs and services. Working at ISAC has afforded her a great opportunity to bring together past career experiences and her passion for assisting others in making a better life for themselves. She currently resides in Pawnee with her husband. She enjoys baking, reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Olivia Sánchez
Career Pathways Initiatives Specialist
Education: B.S. in Business Management National-Louis University and M.A. in Leadership in Higher Education in the Engaging Latinx Communities for Education (ENLACE) program at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) (expected 2025)
Olivia is a first-generation college student with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from National-Louis University and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership in Higher Education through the ENLACE program at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU). She began her journey with ISAC in December 2019 as a Parent Outreach Coordinator and has since moved to the Professional Development team. Olivia has a diverse professional background, with experience in nonprofit, healthcare, and workforce development sectors, focusing on predominantly monolingual Spanish speaking communities in the Chicago area and collar counties. Originally from Mexico and raised in Little Village, Chicago, she is a mother of two. In her free time, Olivia enjoys spending time with her kids, reading, and playing with her Black Mouth Cur/Boxer mix rescue dog, Riley.
Salma Uribe
Professional Development Specialist
Education: B.A. in Social Work from Concordia University Chicago
Salma is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s in social work from Concordia University Chicago. In 2023, she joined the ISACorps and started working with the Triton Community College district, helping students figure out how to succeed in college. She joined the Professional Development Team in the Fall of 2024.
Before ISAC, Salma worked with youth and adults experiencing homelessness. This was a rewarding experience since it gave her the opportunity to assist a lot of people through tough times. “But I wanted to do more—something that could help people not just survive but thrive. I wanted to see people succeed, and that’s what drives me in my work now.”
She currently resides in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood of Chicago where she enjoys spending time with her cats and watching basketball.
