Margaret comes to Common Pantry after serving as development director of the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and Community Council. O’Conor has also served as a volunteer leader in several local organizations including the Chicago Park District, the Friends of Amundsen High School, and the Chase Park Advisory Council.

While at the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, O’Conor worked to grow the organization’s member base and acted as lead event organizer for its annual fundraiser, Taste of Ravenswood. Her achievements also included advocating, connecting, and growing small businesses in Ravenswood.

“Margaret O’Conor is an established community leader with a passion for social work and the nonprofit sector,” said Common Pantry board president Anne Zender. “She has a strong track record of fund-raising and working with volunteers to support the missions of the organizations she served. The Common Pantry board of directors sought an executive director to provide vision, creativity, and compassion in managing the organization, and we look forward to moving forward with Margaret as the face of Common Pantry in the community.”

She has a master’s degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, NM.

Abby started as the Common Community Program Manager in October 2019. She previously worked as a Pantry Coordinator at Lakeview Pantry and completed graduate level internships with the Cook County Circuit Court Social Service Department and Chicago Child Care Society. Abby has over five years of experience working in social services, focused on case management, workforce development, and food insecurity.

Abby holds a master’s degree in social work from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago with a focus on clinical services and a bachelor’s degree in education from Valparaiso University. Her social work interests include trauma-informed care, crisis intervention, values based therapies, and mindfulness practice.

Morgan joined Common Pantry as the Food Program Manager after relocating back to the Midwest from the DMV area. Prior to this role, she served as the Senior Program Manager for Food Resources at Manna Food Center in Montgomery County Maryland. Morgan obtained her registered dietitian credential in 2023, after completing a Masters of Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also holds a certificate in Food Systems, the Environment, and Public Health. 

Morgan is passionate about food justice, food system sustainability and resiliency, and championing community-led solutions to addressing food insecurity. She has worked at various Chicagoland farmers markets, within the restaurant industry and has been a certified personal trainer since 2015. When Morgan is not working you can find her in the gym, trying new restaurants, or thrift shopping.

Laine joins Common Pantry as the Development and Communications Coordinator. Prior to the Pantry, Laine worked for a Meals on Wheels Chapter in Northern Illinois, coordinating the delivery of daily meals for homebound seniors. She has always been passionate about helping others and doing more in her community but her motivation to fight food insecurity began in college. While at Northwestern University, where she received her bachelors in Learning and Organizational Change and obtained a Leadership Certificate, Laine was involved in Campus Kitchen, an organization dedicated to eliminating food waste and food insecurity in the local community.

Carlos started at Common Pantry in 2010 as our first Operations Assistant. Born and raised in Chicago, He loves two things with a passion…the Cubbies and cheeseburgers. He rarely misses a day of work and counts Common Pantry as a “second home”. He is one of the most thoughtful people and doesn’t miss a chance to celebrate a holiday by buying themed tshirts for staff or bringing in donuts for all! Carlos lives in Roscoe Village and enjoys spending time with his family (if he’s not at a Cubs game).

Prior to Common Pantry, they worked as a National Organizer with CODEPINK and supported volunteers and community groups advocating for peace and community investment. They have also been involved in food systems work, including helping run a bike-powered food rescue program, pushing for better institutional food purchasing policies, and working on several farms. Shea graduated from Smith College with a degree in Environmental Science & Policy and Gender Studies and sees their work towards food access, peace, and sustainability as fundamentally intertwined.

Pam joins Common Pantry as the Operations Coordinator. Pam graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Human Development in 2015. Previously, Pam has served in a Systems Operations role – supporting the Big Shoulders Fund Scholarship Team in providing financial support to families and schools across Chicago’s South and West Sides. She joins Common Pantry excited to contribute to the fight against food insecurity. When not at the Pantry, you can find Pam on a bike, in a boat, or on a run.

Juan joined Common Pantry at the end of April 2024.  Previously he worked as an Associate with the National Equity Project, an organization based in Oakland, California which pioneers restructuring and redesign efforts for racial and economic justice. Prior to that work Juan led an organization providing interim supportive housing and job readiness in Pilsen and Little Village. Juan was also a program manager with Youth Guidance for nearly twenty years in the areas of school reform, community schools and youth violence prevention. Additionally, Juan brings experience in the areas of immigration legalization, AIDS prevention and education, pastoral care and health and public policy. He joined Common Pantry because he wanted to make a difference closer to home and contribute to the fight against food insecurity and resource maldistribution.

Juan holds a master’s degree from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago, a Master of Divinity from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary and a B.A. in psychology and philosophy from Ottawa University.

Lynn joined the Common Pantry team in the fall of 2025 as a part-time administrative assistant. She first got involved with Common Pantry as a volunteer after retiring from a 26-year career as a strategic account manager in the data and analytics sector for the construction industry. Lynn has always had a passion for supporting her community—whether through hyper-local volunteering, attending neighborhood events, or supporting local businesses and artists.

Keith is brand new to food pantries because, these days, there is an acute need. Years ago, he co-ran an after-school program with a hot lunch program and saw firsthand how transformative an added meal could be. The experience never left him and he’s eager to resume the work as Common Pantry’s Procurement Specialist. Helping others has always been a priority for Keith and is a major reason he attained a Bachelor’s in Psychology from DePaul. His focus was human development, which, as foci go, is quite broad. As such, his interests span a variety of fields, e.g. anthropology, biology, history, philosophy. He also plays a mean guitar.

Chris has lived in Lincoln Square and North Center for over 20 years. He is a partner at Bartlit Beck and has served on the boards of Rogers Park Montessori School and About Face Theatre. He is a full-fledged music fan and a fair-weather sports fan.

Amy is a Presbyterian Minister — as “Free Range Pastor”, she serves a variety of churches and organizations as retreat leader, leader of “spiritual parenting” gatherings, preacher, and consultant. Amy is a co-founder/moderator of “Common Kids,” which provides opportunities for parents and children to volunteer together at the Pantry, as children grow in compassion and their understanding of food insecurity. She has two sons who attend Rogers Park Montessori School, where Amy enjoys leading children to make and serve lunch at the pantry each month.

Andrew was introduced to Common Pantry in 2016 while serving as Vice President of the Rotary Club of Chicago – Lakeview, where he began volunteering in food distribution. His commitment to addressing food insecurity started during his undergraduate years at Indiana University, where he worked at Bloomingfoods, a local food co-op. He later earned an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, completing coursework in nonprofit board governance. Andrew’s professional background is in the financial services industry, specializing in marketing. He and his wife, Tess, live in Logan Square with their puppy, Romy.

Charles began working with Common Pantry in Summer of 2017 volunteering in evening food distribution, providing translation service, and working with clients. He has over 10 years of experience in food manufacturing, first managing operations at Good Foods Group based out of Chicago and currently manages fruit procurement for Zentis North America. Charles has a BS and MS in accounting from Northeastern Illinois University. In addition to his work at Common Pantry he is a member of the Emerging Leaders Auxiliary Board at Casa Central.

Laura has worked as a psychologist in the Chicago area for most of her life. When looking for a local volunteer opportunity about which she felt passionate, Common Pantry fit the bill. She is a person who loves eating, sharing and preparing food with others. Providing meals with thoughtfulness and love has always been Laura’s instinctive way of taking care of those around her. She began volunteering at Common Pantry in 2015 by stocking, shopping and working produce days. She is very excited to contribute more time and energy as a Common Pantry board member.

Amy was first introduced to Common Pantry as a volunteer distributing food to clients. She currently chairs Common Pantry’s Communications Committee and has a background in communications, advocacy and government relations. Amy is the Director of Government and External Affairs for the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA/Chicago) and lives with her husband Chris and their son in the North Center neighborhood.

Cathy Chambliss is a retired professional with an active commitment to building community.  She volunteers weekly with Common Pantry’s Hot Lunch Program, helping to prepare and serve nutritious and delicious meals to those in need. Beyond her direct service, Cathy is the chair of I Am Your Neighbor, Common Pantry’s largest annual fundraiser, which plays a vital role in supporting our mission. Her dedication to serving the community through both direct service and strategic fundraising makes her a valuable asset to the board.

Originally from New Jersey, Al moved to the Chicago area to attend Northwestern University to study journalism. He now resides in the city with his wife and two sons. He brings nearly 25 years of experience in the media and marketing industries, having worked with leading brands such as Samsung and Kellanova, and held roles at media companies including The Onion, Tastemade, and currently, Front Office Sports.

Al recently joined the board of Chicago Brothers, an organization committed to fostering community and creating opportunities for Black and Brown men in Chicago’s marketing industry. Outside of work and family life, he enjoys playing football (soccer) with fellow dads, all trying to relive their glory days on the pitch.

David has called Chicago home for over a decade and currently resides in the Ravenswood Manor community. He is originally from Michigan where he attended Western Michigan University majoring in finance. David has spent the last 15 years working in banking and is currently a loan officer with CrossCountry Mortgage.

David has always been passionate about being active in the community and has focused his volunteer efforts on housing and food insecurity, financial education and the environment. David is the past Chair of the Lincoln Park Community Services Associate Board, past President of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and past Vice-Chair of Math at No Cost. He also volunteers with Inspiring Connections Outdoors (Sierra Club), Junior Achievement and the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce.