Favorite quote: ‘In A World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind’

Tracey Wands is a native of Scotland who has called the USA home since 2013. She is passionate about creating community & fostering inclusion and is inspired by resilience, infinite possibilities and people with good hearts & big dreams who make things happen.

A career of over twenty years in sales, trade marketing, capability building and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has given her a deep understanding of how to craft strategies and drive them to action through creating & engaging communities and influencing stakeholders. Leading Corporate Partnerships & Volunteer Coordination on our board of directors, she applies these skills to help to deliver the C4C mission.

“The concept that together, we are greater than the sum of our parts, powers the C4C mission. It is also a steadfast, deeply held personal belief for me, which drew me to joining the team here. As an immigrant and an advocate for human rights and collective impact, C4C feels like where I belong”

Favorite Quote: “It’s my life, I do it my way”

Elmedina spent time traveling the world as a refugee after the Bosnian war, finally landed in Chicago, which she has now called home for 24 years. Inspired by the commonality of humanity we all share and her personal experience of surviving and growing in a new country, she is passionate about refugee resettlement and is the brainchild behind C4C and our founding President.

The dedication to helping others that she brings to her role at C4C is a common theme in all her endeavors, including her day job of bringing resources for healthy, independent lives to our elderly population in underserved communities and her own business as a mindfulness coach, helping parents understand their own roots to help build stronger family connections.

She is driven by a mission to be a connector of people to help transfer resources from those who have plenty, to those who have none.

“We need equality for all, to have our basic needs met and the means to thrive & build towards our wants – that’s what I want for everybody. Communities can help each other - it all starts with each and every one of us – that was the inspiration for C4C”

From the cornfields and cows of Iowa to the skyscrapers of Illinois, Teresa Swanson’s journey is rooted in her two life philosophies: Community and Balance. Raised by a village of neighbors and nurtured by the strength of collective care, Teresa now dedicates her life to giving back to the communities that shaped her.

As the owner of Sway Dance Chicago, Teresa has created a studio where the focus isn’t just on movement but on connection. Through dance, she fosters an inclusive, vibrant space for people to find joy, build relationships, and dance together. 

As a board member of Community 4 Communities and a longtime advocate for refugee families, she channels her energy into projects that transform lives—like securing a moving truck to deliver essential furniture to families in need. Her volunteer work with the Refugee Community Connection and other organizations demonstrates her unwavering commitment to amplifying the voices and needs of others.

Teresa is as likely to quote a Steve Martin movie as she is to pull off a spontaneous flash mob at a chamber of commerce event. “Some people have a way with words, and other people...not have way.” With ADHD as her superpower and optimism as her compass, Teresa juggles her many roles with the finesse of a circus performer—one who occasionally trips over nothing but always bounces back with a laugh.