Meet our staff!
Rev. Shawna Bowman, Executive Director and Pastor
Rev. Shawna Bowman (they/them/theirs) is an artist and pastor. They are the first called and installed pastor of Friendship Presbyterian Church and have been doing ministry with the creative and justice-seeking folks there since 2011. In 2019 Friendship launched a not for profit called Friendship Community Place to create a neighborhood hub as a collaborative and resource rich space on the NWSide of Chicago, Shawna serves as the Executive Director. Shawna is a trained educator and artist that graduated with a studio art and education degree from Iowa Wesleyan College and completed a M.Div. at McCormick Theological Seminary where they have also served as Affiliate Faculty. Shawna and their wife Jennie are doing intergenerational life with their three young adult children and their good dog Bentley in the Portage Park Neighborhood in Chicago where Shawna’s love to garden, make art and cook all the good things to eat. Shawna would love to conspire with you over a cup of coffee or have you over for dinner if you’re hungry for some good food and good chaos. (Picture credit: Rich Copeland)
Al Grippe, Development Director
Al (they/them/theirs) is passionate about raising dollars to create change. After earning their B.A. in Sociology, Al started their career as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Vermont serving at a nonprofit creating and implementing youth-centric programs. After earning their Masters in Management they moved to Chicago in 2008. It was in Chicago that they began their 16 year tenure working in development in the higher education sector, researching funding opportunities and securing millions of dollars for the institution-primarily in grant funding. During this same period, they achieved a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) candidacy with a completion date that is just around the corner. They are now excited to return to non-profit work and serve as the Director of Development with Friendship. They have a long history of community involvement and love to find creative and collaborative solutions to help make change. Al’s hobbies include spending time with their wife, Dina, and three children, watching women’s sports (especially USWNT, Chicago Stars, and Chicago Sky!), traveling, and playing with their rescue pitbull, Felicia.
Kasey Trouba, Operations Manager
Kasey (she/her/hers) is a Chicago based jack of all trades. After graduating from Loyola University Chicago in 2017, she came onboard at Friendship as their administrative assistant. In preparation for our move into 5150, her role grew into its current iteration as Operations Manager. She is beyond grateful to be a member of Friendship’s community, and delights in supporting this group carry out their mission. When she isn’t serving the fine folks at Friendship, she can be found producing shows for local storytelling and burlesque groups. Outside of work, Kasey has many hobbies, including: gardening, film photography, metalsmithing/jewelry making, camping, hiking, and general carpentry projects (just to name a few!) She lives in Portage Park with her wife, Allison, and their two cats, Mac and Cheese, as well as one sweet pup, Mimolette. (Picture credit: Hannah Terwin)
Andrew Shen, Kitchen Assistant
Hi, I’m Andrew (he/him/his)! I’m from Belize, Central America. I’ve been a part of Friendship since 2023. My Wife and I were dating when she introduced me and immediately I took a liking to Friendship. I found a community that was welcoming, open to the experience and views of others, and focused on social justice. I started volunteering at Friendship kitchen helping out occasionally with meal service and dish washing. Eventually, when there was a call for a Kitchen Assistant, after some reflection I realized that this was a huge calling. And it has been one that I am so joyful to have answered. Being Kitchen Assistant for Friendship has tapped into my three favorite hobbies: 1) Finding discounts 2) Cooking 3) Cooking a lot of food! I’m very optimistic about my future with Friendship Presbyterian Church. I found a community and a home filled with friends, chosen family and great food! Welcome and feel free to drop by have a snack or meal with us!
Josh Lava, Musician
Josh Lava (he/him/his) is a musical chameleon who has amassed an impressive and eclectic body of work as a multi-instrumentalist, producer/engineer, composer, and songwriter across the genre spectrum. Whether he's composing for full orchestra, performing live with a jazz trio, or producing an electronic dance track, Josh is musically at home pretty much anywhere.
Meet our leaders!
Friendship’s Board Members are elected to serve as the leaders of our community and they guide us from one chapter to the next with compassionate care. They are responsible for the fiduciary oversight, visioning, strategic planning, and the mission of Friendship. Members of Friendship Presbyterian Church’s Session also serve as Board Members of Friendship Community Place.
Members of the Board and Session chair the five teams that collaborate with one another to coordinate the work of the church and Friendship Community Place. Those teams are:
Mission & Partnerships Team
The Mission & Partnerships Team coordinates with current partner organizations and cultivates new relationships in our community. They are responsible for our kitchen programming and curate faith and community based programming that speaks to Friendship’s commitments.
Personnel & Nominating Team
The Personnel & Nominating Team is responsible for HR related tasks, leadership development for both staff and Friendship leaders, Session and Board recruitment, and annual personnel evaluations.
Finance & Investments Team
The Finance & Investments Team is responsible for the drafting of and oversight of annual budgets, regular accounting, our investment portfolio, financial planning, and stewardship and fundraising campaigns. This team also includes a Grant-writing subteam that works in collaboration with staff.
Space Utilization Team
The Space Utilization Team is responsible for maintaining our space, planning creatively and strategically for the use of our space and implementing processes and policies for use of our space. This team manages the renting and usage of Friendship’s spaces.