2364 Essington Rd. #105Joliet, IL 60435
ABOUT US
Ezio Community Development Services, Inc. is a 501©3 nonprofit organization compelled to leave a positive impact on every neighborhood we touch. We are focused on community development, economic development and community engagement.
We are a diverse team with a common goal, develop community centric, thriving neighborhoods!
Our Core Values include:
Building or renovating homes in areas that have been divested
Building a sense of community, connectedness, and valued relationships while promoting safe neighborhoods for all neighbors.
Incorporating green practices that help sustain a healthier environment
Collaborating with local businesses, trades, and entrepreneurs to encourage workforce development, and boost job creation
Focusing on Housing, Revitalization, and Community Engagement
Services: Our team is working hard to offer services that align with the needs of the community. Please check back soon for updated information.
Board of Directors:
Boise Walker
PRESIDENT/ FOUNDER
Ms. Walker has designed interior spaces for more than 20 years. Boise’s love for interior design was ignited in high school when she redesigned her family home. Realizing her innate gift, she received a BS degree in Interior Design at Colorado State University. She led the design efforts of more than 1,000 projects for several large Fortune 500 retailers in the US and International markets. After uncompromised success in the corporate world with retail and commercial design and project management, she desired to expand her business acumen and received an MBA from the University of Nebraska Omaha. Boise is the Owner/Designer of Ezio Design Solutions, a full-service interior design firm that allows her to design beautiful spaces in Chicago, Joliet and surrounding areas. With a heart for helping people, Boise established the non-profit, Ezio Community Development Services, Inc. to ensure marginalized communities have room to thrive. Not only is she committed to creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces, she also does not shy away from the challenge of revitalizing areas that have been forgotten and blighted for decades. Boise’s love for design and helping others have finally merged to benefit a greater cause.
Donna Walker
SECRETARY
Donna is the Senior Business Coordinator of Fifth Third’s Commercial Real Estate Department and was a former team member of the Community Development Department. She has a solid background working with senior management and 11 years of Risk Management and Loss Control experience. She resides in Gary, Indiana and knows firsthand how blighted neighborhoods impact the essence of a city. Donna lived in Joliet for 20 years and is familiar with this city and looks forward to leaving a positive mark on the community through the efforts of this board.
Victoria King
TREASURER
Ms. King was formerly Managing Director for The Corvus Group where she was responsible for the supervision and quality control of deliverables for various banks with over 47 billion in assets for 67 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Loss Share Agreements. She managed on-site compliance audits conducted across the United States and Puerto Rico, designed and implemented internal processes, portfolio and performance management metrics, standard report formats, site visit work programs and communication protocols. As a manager at Grant Thornton, Ms. King performed buy and sell-side due diligence engagements for middle-market clients ($50MM – 500MM) where she analyzed working capital, carve-outs, quality of earnings and financial modeling for private equity and strategic acquirers in the professional services and manufacturing industries. Ms. King has a passion for helping those in underserved communities navigate their financial future by obtaining and maintaining control of their finances. In an effort to achieve this goal, she has conducted several financial literacy classes at various churches within the Joliet and Bolingbrook communities as well as individual one-on-one sessions.
Hilda Olivero
BOARD MEMBER
Hilda has a passion for helping others and joined Ezio Community Development Services in June 2020 as one of the first board members. Before joining Ezio's Board of Directors, she served on the board for the Northwest Side Housing Center from 2008 - 2018. Hilda is the Regional Office Coordinator at Starbucks Corporate Office, has an extended career of working with senior leadership and has managed 3 major office moves ranging from 1,500 sf to 3,500 sf. Hilda loves spending time with her family and when the weather permits, she enjoys bike riding with her husband.
Advisory
Committee:
Nicole Jacupovic
SPIRITUAL ADVISOR
Nichole Jakupovic is a compassionate and driven Family Nurse Practitioner who has dedicated her life to healing and uplifting others. Graduating with her bachelors of science in nursing in 2011 followed by her masters of science in nursing in 2016, she has since channeled her expertise into founding and running a thriving men’s health clinic, where she blends her passion for holistic medicine with a commitment to comprehensive care. Nichole believes in treating the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—empowering her patients to live healthier, fuller lives through natural and integrative approaches.
Living each day side by side with God, Nichole’s faith is the cornerstone of her journey. Anointed with the extraordinary gifts of prophecy, dreams, and visions, she sees her work as a divine calling, guided by a deep spiritual connection that inspires both her practice and her personal life. Her mission goes beyond medicine; she strives to be a beacon of hope and support, helping people navigate their challenges with grace and resilience
.
Nichole balances her professional endeavors with a steadfast devotion to her community and loved ones. Known for her empathetic heart and unwavering dedication, she continues to make a profound impact, one patient and one prayer at a time. In moments of rest, she finds joy in reflecting on her visions, nurturing her faith, and connecting with those she holds dear, always seeking to align her life with her purpose. Nichole Jakupovic is a true healer, blending science, spirit, and service in a way
that transforms lives.
Dawn Bates
COMMITTEE ASSOCIATE
Dawn Bates is a 2nd grade teacher at Woodland Elementary School in Joliet IL. Dawn was recognized as a Joliet Area Great Teacher in 2017. She became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2019 and is the only certified teacher in her district. She was a Teach Plus Fellow for the 2020/2021 school year and is currently serving as a Teach Plus Science Fellow for the 2024/2025 school year. She is an expert teacher mentor on the app Uppercase Teach where she mentors and answers questions from new teachers. She graduated from Illinois State University with a BS in Housing and Environmental Design in 1994 and received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Olivet Nazarene University in 2008. Dawn loves to spend time with her family and enjoys gardening, cooking and traveling.
Hudson Hollister
COMMITTEE ASSOCIATE
Hudson Hollister was born and raised in Joliet and graduated from the University of St. Francis. He is the co-founder and CEO of HData, a tech startup which uses analytics and AI to help the U.S. energy industry file, explore, analyze, and make decisions using
regulatory information. HData raised its $10 million Series A funding round from venture capital investors, led by Buoyant Ventures, in January 2024. HData's team is based in 20 U.S. states, India, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan. HData's customers
include 20 electric utility companies, 10 pipeline companies, consulting firms such as KPMG and Deloitte, and the governments of 7 states. HData had its beginnings at the University of St. Francis Business Incubator in downtown Joliet in 2019. In Joliet,
Hudson co-founded the Courthouse Preservation Partnership, which campaigned for the 1969 Will County Courthouse building to be redeveloped, rather than demolished, and ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2021. Prior to founding HData, Hudson founded the Data Coalition and the Data Foundation, two nonprofits based in
Washington, DC, which advocate for digital transparency in government; served as counsel to the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives; and worked as an attorney at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Latham & Watkins LLP. Hudson holds a law degree from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago and is licensed (inactive) to practice law in Illinois.