Associate Board of Directors
Jasmina Basic
Jasmina Basic joined SOAR in September 2022 after she and her husband stopped by SOAR’s booth at the Barktober event beside their building. She has lived in Streeterville for almost two years and is excited to give back to the community she’s grown so fond of since moving downtown. In her free time, she enjoys walking along Lake Shore Drive with her husband and dog, and she’s also an avid baker and reader.
During her tenure on the Associate Board, she hopes to increase awareness of SOAR in the community to attract more members, particularly young professionals. Jasmina also hopes to organize community networking, charity, educational, and recreational events to strengthen the community further. As a first-generation Bosnian immigrant, she’s inspired by her family. “My family’s sacrifices and hard work set me up for the wonderful life I have now, and I hope to give back to marginalized groups, especially women and immigrants, to help them access all the opportunities they need to succeed in life and later serve as mentors themselves,” she told SOAR.
Agnes Ptasznik
Agnes Ptasznik has lived in Streeterville for almost 10 years, initially attracted to SOAR through the Young Professionals group and the farmer’s market. She is the mother of two young children and loves spending time with her family along the lakefront and riverfront. She also enjoys the local museum and restaurant scenes, as well as reading and playing the piano when not working as an attorney.
As part of the Associate Board, Agnes hopes to organize events where children are entertained and able to make new friends, parents can connect and develop new or better relationships, and local vendors can speak with the public in order to foster a stronger community. When asked what she’s inspired by, she replied: “I am inspired by people and experiences such as: a smile or a wave from someone in the neighborhood; children’s giggles and squeals of joy at a park; an uplifting theatre performance; and a fresh-piping-hot-brick-oven-baked pizza or a run along the lakefront.”
Andréa Vasilo
Andréa first attended the Young Professionals Monthly Mingle in September 2023 and became a SOAR member shortly thereafter in January 2024. She is a newer resident of Streeterville who feels privileged to call this vibrant neighborhood in a world-class city home. Building a network and sense of community in the neighborhood is important to Andréa and she is happy to have found a group of like-minded individuals who want to keep the Streeterville area safe and fulfilling for all who live, work and visit. When she’s not working from home, Andréa enjoys taking her dog to the parks, trying new restaurants and bars, visiting museums, going to the theater and traveling.