Our Volunteers | Next Generation Play

Meet our Volunteers

Nate Meinen

Kids Klub Volunteer

Nate holds a bachelor's degree in Business and has built his career around a passion for investing in the next generation. He currently serves as the Co-Director of Next Gen Ministry at a local church, where he leads with purpose and dedication in shaping meaningful experiences for young people and their families.

Beyond his professional work, Nate has become an integral part of the Next Generation Playground team, serving as a key supporter of Kids Klub events. Though he operates largely behind the scenes, his contributions are felt in every detail — ensuring each event runs smoothly and leaves a lasting impact on the families we serve.

A former college athlete, Nate competed in football for four years at Carroll University, bringing the same teamwork and determination from the field into everything he does. Outside of work, he is an avid Chicago Bears fan and can always be counted on to represent the blue and orange with pride.

Rachel Feit

Creative Marketing & Events Coordinator

Rachel holds both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in music performance; for the early years of her career, she was an instrumentalist performing in orchestras, operas, and chamber groups. Throughout her time as a musician, Rachel also served as an educator in both private instruction and group outreach settings.

Rachel has now transitioned from performance into new creative outlets, including website maintenance, social media direction, and marketing work for the organization Courage and Covenant. Having held various work-study roles in box offices and theaters throughout her studies, she is looking forward to furthering her skills in event planning and management, and is very excited to do so within the meaningful context and goals of Next Generation Playground.

Nickki Weber

Salesforce Admin

Nickki brings over 12 years of specialized technical expertise in the Salesforce ecosystem to the Next Generation Playground team. With a passion for learning new technology tools and a focus on optimizing complex business processes, she ensures the organization's systems run efficiently to maximize community impact. Her drive has always been rooted in making a positive impact for children. When she steps away from her computer, she is a proud mom of two littles, living in the beautiful PNW and enjoys spending her off time exploring new places and the great outdoors with her family.

Michelle Arias

People Operations Coordinator

Bio coming soon

Ivy Ottolino

Marketing and Event Coordinator

Ivy is a passionate advocate for autism awareness and inclusive community spaces. As a mother of two children with autism, she brings personal insight and a strong commitment to supporting environments where all children feel valued and included.

Over the years, Ivy has volunteered with several nonprofit organizations throughout the Chicagoland area. Ivy enjoys contributing her creativity through event décor and helping friends and families bring their celebrations to life.

Outside of her involvement, she enjoys cooking new recipes, fitness, and working on DIY home projects.