Staff at Avance:
Jorge Argueta (Jorge Bryles), Director, and Counselor: Jorge has a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) from Argosy University-School of Business, with a concentration in Business Management and Business Research, he has a Master of Arts Degree (MA) in Psychology from National Louis University, with a concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (IO), and a Baccalaureate of Arts Degree (BA) in Psychology from Olivet Nazarene University; with minors in Criminal/Social Justice and Spanish. He completed 36 graduate credit courses on Industrial Organizational Psychology from the Chicago Adler University. He is also a certified substance abuse counselor (CADC) and has completed the 20- and 40-hour certificates for Domestic Violence.
Jorge has worked in the field of domestic violence and substance abuse since 1994. Jorge also provides PAIP workshops for the agencies that provide the 40-hour DV training. Jorge was the Chair of the Humanities, Behavioral, and Social Science Departments of St. Augustine College for 8 years and has taught Psychology, IO Psych, and Statistics for 19 years.
He currently teaches several courses of Psychology, Human Development, Social Work, Statistics, and Industrial Organizational Psychology at Harper College, College of DuPage, Quiroga College, and National Louis University.
Jorge participates in several local and state committees to advocate for victims and survivors of violent crimes and provides trainings and lectures to various training institutions.
He is currently the Treasurer of the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence (NWSADV).
Ashlee Stumpf, MA, LPC, NCC. Group Facilitator: Ashlee Stumpf has a MA in Community Mental Health Counseling. She has her 40-hour and 20-hour training certificates required for this program. Ashlee is a National Board-Certified Counselor, and she is also a Licensed Professional Counselor. Ashlee is a certified Yoga Instructor and has the training to provide Existential Therapy.
Ashlee is a Licensed Professional Counselor who strongly believes in the importance of a good client-counselor relationship.
For the past five years, Ashlee has worked with adolescents, adults, and seniors from diverse populations. Her clinical interests include substance abuse, behavioral addictions, trauma, domestic violence, depression, anxiety, anger management, and relationship issues. Currently Ashlee is providing individual and family therapy at Symmetry Counseling (https://www.symmetrycounseling.com/). She has worked in various settings including private practice, non-profit, and court-mandated settings providing both individual, family, and group therapy.
Eric Matul, MA, NCC, LPC. Eric has an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. He also holds the National Board Counselor Certification. Eric is bilingual English-Spanish therapist. Eric worked previously for DCFS prior to becoming a High School teacher. He taught religion, American History, and Spanish for 8 years at St. Joseph High School. Eric also worked for Pilsen Wellness Center, a community agency in the Latino Community.
Meg Von Glahn, LCPC, CPC, CCPS, ACC, EMDR, Group Facilitator: Meg Von Glahn has an MA in Community Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. Meg has her 40-hour DV training as well as the 20-hour PAIP Facilitator trainings. Meg has certificates to provide Parenting Classes, Sex Addiction Treatment, Criminogenic Risk Factors Assessments, Trauma-Informed Therapy, and other clinical certificates. Meg volunteers for Between Friends and a Victim Service Agency.
Meg is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, trained with Dr. Patrick Carnes, and is a Certified Clinical Partner Specialist. Meg draws from her extensive training with APSATS to support partners affected by problematic sexual behavior and betrayal trauma.
Daniel Ponder, BA, CADC. Danny has a BA in Journalism and has a certification as an addictions’ counselor, CADC. Danny is a Substance Abuse and DUI counselor and evaluator. He is also our Office Manager and Intake Coordinator. Danny assists in various aspects of record-keeping and compliance with intake files and records.
Alexandra Chwastek, BA. Alexandra is one of our counselors. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Loyola University. She is currently completing her requirements for her Master’s Degree in Social Work. She is a full-time student at the University of Chicago’s Master’s of Social Work Program. Alexandra completed her 40-hour and 20-hour Domestic Violence and Partner Abuse Intervention Certificates.
Travis Tran, BA. Travis recently completed his internship at Avance. He is a Case Manager, he provides crisis interventions. Travis has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Loyola University. He is in the process of pursuing his Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work.
Nate Reckker, BS. Nate is one of our group counselors. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and is currently completing a Masters Degree in Social Work at Loyola. Nate has completed trainings and has certificates for PAIP groups and facilitates groups for DUI, Substance Abuse, Anger Management, and Parenting programs. He also assists with case management work.
María Fernanda Perfumo, Group Facilitator: Fernanda Perfumo holds a Degree in human social services from Harper College, and she obtained her 40-hour and 20 hour domestic violence certificates. She just completed her requirements for the Addictions Counseling Degree at College of DuPage. Fernanda conducts the PAIP and DUI groups in Spanish and Parenting Classes. Fernanda is bilingual English-Spanish speaking, and she also assists with data entry.
Ivan Zdero, BA. Ivan Zdero is our part-time accountant and finance auditor. Ivan has over 15 years of experience in accounts receivable and auditing financial institutions. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Buenos Aires University in Argentina and worked as an auditor for the Argentinean national bank.
Sue Blomberg, LCPC, LLC. Sue is our contractual clinical consultant/supervisor. She provides individual therapy at Avance for her private clients.
Dr. Spomenka Jercinovic, MD is our contractual Medical Director for the Substance Abuse Program.