Chico Tillmon
Thought Leader in violence prevention and trauma-informed care
Chico Tillmon is the executive director of the YMCA of Metro Chicago's Youth Safety and Violence Prevention (YSVP) programs. Before joining the Y in July 2017, Chico Tillmon served as a senior program manager at Ceasefire Chicago. Growing up in the Austin community on the west side of Chicago, Chico was exposed to violence and the many issues that plague urban communities. A believer in the power of education, Chico earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies and an M.A. in Inner City Studies from Northeastern Illinois University. He is currently earning a Ph.D. in Criminology, Law, & Justice Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mr. Tillmon is the recipient of the 2017 Ford Men of Courage Award and the 2018 Congressional Veterans Braintrust Award for his work in Chicago’s most vulnerable communities.
