Cherise Greski
Chicago, Illinois

Cherise

Director - Appointed December, 2008

Cherise is the CEO of Aspire Higher Communications, an organization dedicated to helping others aspire to their highest vision for living a life of spiritual joy and integrity.

Cherise began her career in higher education as a student worker in the College of Business at the University of Illinois – Chicago in 1979 and discovered how very frustrating it was to complete simple administrative tasks with only a typewriter. So, being industrious, she nightly used her private mainframe time to create various software programs for the College as well as develop more efficient manual processes to improve student services for the College.

Her career at UIC was ever changing and she has been an integral part of developing new programs and offices at the University. She helped create the UIC Honors College, the College of Medicine Development and Alumni Affairs Office and was a key facilitator, trainer and motivational speaker for thousands of internal staff.

Cherise’s contributions to UIC have been well recognized. She was the recipient of the Award of Merit and the Teamer award – both for outstanding contributions to the University. In 2005, she left UIC to pursue consulting work with SunGard Higher Education working at various institutions to help them manage change.

In February, 2008 after having spent 30 years training and motivating staff, implementing software applications and helping others manage the changes of such implementations, she and her husband decided to start their own business – Aspire Higher Consultants. Doing more with less with minimal stress has been an integral part of her career. 
The same week that she started the business, her beloved husband, Alan, crossed over. And, this is what brought her into the Casa de Santa Maria circle of friends.

While most people might struggle with moving forward with a new business after such a devastating loss, Cherise has picked herself up and continued to work with Colleges and University throughout the US and Canada.

After much soul searching, she has recently launched Aspire Higher Communications which will allow her to focus on her true love – metaphysical mentoring and life coaching. While Cherise has always been well known for her ability to take complex concepts and communicate them within the context of spiritual Truth, she can now allow her joy, love and humor to shine through when working with others.

Cherise shares: “Grieving is a unique journey but it can also be an empowering one depending on your beliefs and understanding. When someone passes so quickly and unexpectedly, it really makes you face what you REALLY believe. Susan and Milt’s love and compassion as I have traveled this road have been truly wonderful .I am tremendously grateful to Spirit for showing me how to attract such loving friends into my life.

It is with great joy that I support the Casa and Susan and Milt in their work. Mother Mary has always been a special devotion for me since I was a child and the Casa allows me to share my love and thanksgiving with the world. I prayed on how I could be of greater service and Spirit answered by Susan and Milt asking me to serve on the board. I do this with a humble joy and gratitude.”

Susan and I were connected to Cherise Greski through the recent passing of her beloved husband Alan. We were immediately attracted to her beautiful spirit and compassionate heart. We found our life goals are a mirror to each other – to assist folks on their spiritual journey and to help them negotiate both the joys and the pitfalls of the earth experience — and our lives have been better for the knowing.