Jackie Genova is President of the United Nations Association of Chicago and a policy specialist, collaborating with city leaders and intergovernmental organizations on improving urban mobility, public safety, and humanitarian aid operations.

For nearly 10 years, she has worked alongside policymakers and advocacy organizations to explore barriers and opportunities to creating equitable communities. Her work has focused extensively on issues related to racial justice, women’s safety, and sexual violence prevention in cities, including leading the successful grassroots effort to bring UN Women’s Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces initiative to Chicago. Her current research interests include how inclusive public transit infrastructure may support the safety needs of those with intersecting identities in new city developments and special economic zones.

She holds a Master of Public Administration in Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy from the University College of London, and dual degrees in Psychology and the study of Systemic Oppression and Social Mobility from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

As a leader with UNA, she is committed to fostering the development of strength-based, localized approaches to advancing the UN’s broader vision for sustainable development.

Being a good human is a passion for Saundretta. From the beginning of her child development she felt a pull toward helping others. Saundretta James was born in Chicago and raised in Hamilton, NJ; Rome, Georgia, and Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Moving a lot helped her meet new people quickly and adapt to various environments. She received her Master’s Degree in Education from UNC Greensboro in North Carolina. She returned to Chicagoland, Illinois in 2015 to attend Seminary at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL to study Mental Health Counseling. After two years of attendance she left in order to raise her first born son and second born daughter. After losing her first child, Sage Alexandra at eight months pregnant in 2012 to stillbirth, Saundretta became passionate about health and wellness. She started at UNA Chicago as a Global Goals Ambassador for UN Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being. As an ambassador, she created “Bloom Chicago” to promote healthy eating and green spaces in Chicago. Currently, she is the author of “Saundretta’s Traveling Life Blog,” where she shares her adventures in the outdoors. She is the podcast hostess of “Deeper,” a Spotify/Anchor/Apple podcast to promote “exploring the world!” Adventure and meeting new people help her shine. She loves to travel. She is currently the Director of Public Affairs for UN Women Chicago. She serves the Associate Board for the Chicago International Film Festival. Serving others is what she feels is her main purpose in life. Her favorite thing is homeschooling her two children. Through UNA Chicago, Saundretta wishes to connect more organizations in the Chicago/Chicagoland area in order to unite to do good in the world. She is the hostess for UNA Chicago’s new “UNA Chicago Amplified,” podcast to promote other humanitarian organizations in Chicago/Chicagoland. Moving forward, Saundretta wants to see an overall improvement in the area of Black women’s health. For her, being healthy is key to a good quality life.

Madeline is a corporate social responsibility professional with a passion for global citizenship, employee engagement, social innovation, and sustainability. She enjoys organizing social impact initiatives that bring people, planet, profit, and purpose together. She loves to travel and volunteer.

Madeline’s volunteer work means a lot to her, and she is currently involved with three organizations: the American Red Cross (disaster relief work), The Climate Reality Project (local climate action projects), and the United Nations Association (UNA-USA), both locally with the Chicago chapter, but also on a national level as a current Co-Chair of the Young Professionals Affinity Group.

Madeline’s passion for travel stems from many experiences with an organization called International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ). She recently completed her seventh trip with them in Peru, also marking her sixth continent in her travels to date. She believes that her experiences with IVHQ and UNA-USA help her become a better global citizen.