Meet the peoplebehind the mission.

President & Co-Founder · Camp Director

Nicholas Tassone

Nicholas graduated from DePaul University (2017) where he studied Chemistry and Non-Profit Management, and Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health (2020) where he studied Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Since 2013, he has worked with over a dozen non profit organizations throughout Chicago in both fundraising and leadership capacities. Nicholas spent time as a Research Associate for Dr. Edward M. Gong at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Previously, Nicholas was an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at DePaul University. Currently, he works as a chemist for the Department of the Treasury at the U.S. Mint in San Francisco. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys playing piano, hiking, and seeing concerts. Fun fact: fluent in German.

Chief Administrative Officer · Assistant Director

Emma Melendez-Scherer

Emma was born in Venezuela, and has lived in the United States since she was 7 years old. She graduated from DePaul University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences; she also graduated from Rush University in 2023 with a master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences. Currently, she works at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. Emma has worked with CAMP since 2019 and has never looked back.

In her free time, Emma enjoys playing with her cat, hanging out with friends, and singing karaoke.

Chief Technology Officer · Assistant Director

Yianni Mercer

Yianni was born and raised in Chicago, IL. Staying close to home, he earned his bachelor’s degree from DePaul University in Mathematical Sciences (Statistics). Additionally, Yianni earned his Master of Science in Applied Statistics & Data Science. Yianni has volunteered for CAMP since 2019 and has served on the board as Chief Technology Officer since 2021. At the same time, Yianni also works full time as a Data Scientist for INSIGHT2PROFIT.

When he has some leisure time, Yianni enjoys working out at the gym, catching up on all Marvel films, or socializing with his close friends.

Chief Medical Officer

Todd J. Ochs, MD, FAAP

Dr. Ochs has been a general pediatrician in Chicago since 1984. He is an advisory board member of Illinois National Affiliate Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS), and has spoken at several conference and hospital seminars on FASD. He is the founding member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Section of Adoption and Foster Care, and served on its executive committee for six years. He has advocated for adopted and fostered children around adoption health and mental health issues, including FASD.

Director of Behavioral Health

Sydney Finkenbine

Born in Illinois and now a proud resident of Michigan, Sydney brings a wealth of expertise and compassion to CAMP. With nearly ten years of experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Sydney currently serves as the Clinical Director at Illuminate ABA Therapy. Her clinical experience has given her a wealth of knowledge on how to best support youth across populations. Outside of work, Sydney is a dedicated foster parent to adolescents tackling the transition to adulthood.

Sydney holds a master's degree in special education from Bowling Green State University and a graduate certificate in Behavior Analysis from the University of Cincinnati. Having attended CAMP since 2018, Sydney brings both a personal connection and professional insight to the board and director team, ensuring that CAMP continues to be a supportive and transformative space for all participants.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Andrew Gould

Andrew is originally from the UK and has lived in America since he was 11 years old. He graduated from DePaul University in 2018 with a BS in Biosciences and a minor in English Literature. He is currently a second year medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and plans to pursue a career in surgery. His experiences with camp and its impact on the lives of its campers deeply influenced his decision to pursue a career as a physician.

Since joining camp in 2019, he has worked as a counselor, medical assistant, and currently as the Chief Human Resources Officer.

Director of Fundraising & Social Media

Kristina Dominguez

Kristina was born and raised in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago. In 2020, she graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Marketing. Currently Kristina works for Google as an Account Manager where she manages several sales accounts. She joined the Board of Directors as our Director of Fundraising & Social Media 2023. In her free time she loves to walk, try new restaurants and travel with her family and friends.