Board of Directors

Back Row L to R: Tom Koulentes, Eric Ephraim, Peter Flanzer, Jon Levey, Robyn Schuster, Debby Finn
Front Row L to R: Betsy Brint, Taryn Kessel, Laurie Levin, Alyssa Knobel, Jean Meadows, Julie Kraff, Karen Reisin, Cookie Kohn, Nancy Mills, David Reich, Terri Olian, Amy Small, Sofia Alvarez, Bobbie Hinden, Jamie Strait Muller, Don Stewart
Board Members Missing from Photo: Craig Leva, Wally Nathan, Joe Reinstein

Officers

Betsy Brint -
Chairman

executive committee

Betsy Brint was born and raised, and still lives in Highland Park, IL. She loves her community and believes in giving back. Betsy served on the Highland Park Human Relations Commission for six years, two of them as its chairman. An avid proponent for teen sex education and women’s health, Betsy volunteered at Angels (Links) as an itinerant health educator in north shore schools, and also at their teen sexual health clinic.

As a graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Betsy worked in the hospitality industry with Hyatt Hotels and TCA. In 1990, she married her husband David, and together they raised three children, Karly, Zachary, and Alan. Betsy and David founded the Foundation for Retinal Research in 1997, the year they found out their youngest child was born blind. Betsy served as a national member of the board of NAPVI, the National Association of Parents of Visually Impaired and is still a member of the Associate Board of the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Between 2004 and 2011, Betsy and her sister Sally co-hosted a nationally syndicated radio show called “Walking on Air with Betsy and Sal.” Betsy currently works as an active broker with @properties in Highland Park. Betsy, her husband and their perfect golden doodle live most of the time in Highland Park, and leisure time in Park City, Utah. While Betsy is not busy selling real estate or raising money for the HPCF and the other causes she cares deeply about, she is bugging her daughter and son-in-law to consider making her a grandma. If they should read this, they should consider it a not-so-subtle hint.

Officers

Laurie Levin –
Vice-Chairman

Executive Committee

Laurie Levin is a member of Highland Park Community Foundation’s Executive Committee and has been on the Board since 2013. She previously served on the Highland Park Traffic Commission and held Board positions at Music of the Baroque and Urban Gateways.

Laurie is a founding partner of the law firm of Fox Swibel Levin & Carroll, LLP in Chicago, specializing in real estate, finance and corporate transactions. She graduated from Fordham University School of Law, where she was Senior Articles Editor of the Law Review, and worked at Milbank Tweed and Patterson Belknap in New York before moving to Chicago in 1986. In Chicago, she spent ten years as an associate and then a partner at Hopkins & Sutter before forming Fox Swibel.

Prior to practicing law, Laurie was a concert pianist, having graduated from The Juilliard School with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Laurie resides with her husband, Robert, and has two children, Daniel and Rachel.

Officers

David Israel -
Treasurer

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

David Israel has lived in Highland Park almost his entire life. Along with his wife Amy, he is raising his family of three children in Highland Park. He works as a Wealth Advisor with Mesirow Financial, also in Highland Park, for the past 24 years. At Mesirow, he helps individuals, families and small businesses achieve their financial goals.

David earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also received a Certified Financial Planning designation for the College of Financial Planning.

David is excited to give back to a community that has given so much to him as a member of the Highland Park Community Foundation Board of Directors.

Officers

Eric Ephraim -
Secretary

Executive Committee

Eric has lived most of his life in Highland Park. He is the President/Chief Operating Officer of First Bank of Highland Park. Eric was President of the NSSD112 Board of Education. He is also a board member of several local nonprofits. Eric had previously served many seasons as a coach of youth football, baseball, and soccer. Eric says he is “proud to be part of the HPCF, which believes so deeply in the worth and potential of all of our residents.”

Directors

Sofia Alvarez

Sofia Alvarez is a relationship management specialist fueled by genuine interest, compassion and providing excellent service. She is a Chicago-native and a graduate from Millikin University (B.S.) and the Illinois Institute of Technology (M.S.).

Sofia has worked in higher education for nearly 15 years as an admission and advising professional at North Central College and DePaul University. Building and developing trusting relationships with students and their parents was the key to her success. She used her technical and creative skills to design several marketing pieces as well as managed open house programs for prospective families. The combination of using her technical abilities, eye for design and event planning skills led her to enjoy running a home-based business in stationery design for a couple of years.

After moving to Highland Park 10 years ago, she found a position once again assisting parents find the best school for their child. However, this time it wasn’t for an institution of higher education, but rather for an early childhood education center. Sofia is currently the Family Development Manager at HP Community, a local not-for-profit preschool. She oversees enrollment and retention, including organizing family events and fundraisers.

Sofia is a resident of Highland Park along with her husband, Pablo, and their two daughters.

Directors

Peter Flanzer

past chairman

Peter has been in the investment industry for over 30 years and currently serves as a Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at Bartlett Wealth Management. Prior to that he was a Managing Director at Lodestar Investment Counsel, LLC and a Principal with the investment management firm of Cedar Hill Associates.

Peter earned his undergraduate degree from Kenyon College and his law degree from the John Marshall Law School. Peter has served on the Highland Park Community Foundation Board for ten years where he has led the Investment Committee and is a past Chairman. He is also a Trustee of the Charles M.R. Shapiro Foundation.

Directors

Bobbie
Hinden

Bobbie is the Director of Family Focus Highland Park. As a resident of Highland Park, she has been an active volunteer for many local schools and community organizations and has served on a number of other boards. Bobbie says she “joined the HPCF Board in order to continue the work that the HPCF does to support the agencies that fill needs in our community and to provide a point of view from the nonprofit perspective.”

Directors

Taryn Kessel

Taryn was raised in Highland Park and is currently raising her two children in the area. She is passionate about the Highland Park/Highwood area and feels it’s more important now than ever to give back to the community she loves.

Directors

Alyssa Knobel

Alyssa Knobel is a communications consultant. She provides marketing and communications services to business, government, political campaigns, and not-for-profit agencies. She serves as the Director of Communications and Government Relations for the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic. Alyssa began her career in advertising at McCann-Erickson – NY.

Alyssa is a former two term Highland Park City Councilwoman. She is a co-founder of the Highland Park Career Exploration Program for high school students and the Art at City Hall Program. Alyssa worked in support of the community as City Council liaison to various business groups, human service groups, and School District 112. Prior to her election to the City Council, she served as Chair of the City of Highland Park Business & Economic Development Commission.
Alyssa volunteers for numerous civic and charitable organizations and has chaired several political campaigns. She is an elected Moraine Township Precinct Committee person, Personal PAC Vice Chairperson, and Highland Park Community Foundation Board Member.

The Highland Park Community Foundation honored Alyssa in 2018 with the Jack Blane Community Service Award and Jewish Council Youth Services (JCYS) named Alyssa as a Director for Life in May 2014.

She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL), Board of Directors of the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Highland Park Alliance, and State of Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (ICHIP) Board.

Alyssa holds a BS in Communication from Boston University and is a 2012 graduate of the IWILTA Program. She and her husband Jeremy and two children reside in Highland Park.

Directors

Cookie Kohn

executive committee

Cookie Anspach Kohn is pleased to be a member of the Highland Park Community Foundation as it seeks to address so many of the goals of what is most important to her and to work with a wonderful board and organizations to ameliorate the unmet needs of Highland Park and Highwood.

She attended Highland Park schools before attending Duke University (AB) and receiving an MA from Northwestern University. She taught school in Arlington Heights.

Board memberships have included Highland Park Community Nursery School and Day Care Center, Tri-Con Child Care Center (founding member and secretary), School District 107 and 113 (board member and president), Chicago Planned Parenthood, various Highland Park ad hoc committees, various boards of Duke University including the Executive Committee of the Duke Annual Fund (chairman), the Duke University Board of Trustees, the Duke Board of Trustees (executive committee), Board Liaison to the Athletic Council, and Chairman of the H. R. Committee of the Board of Trustees. Cookie is a current member of the Duke University Library Advisory Board and serves on the Advisory Board of Northwestern University School of Education and Socal Policy.

Cookie is co-director with her husband, Henry, of Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc., Highland Park.

Her family of two sons, two daughters-in-law and four grandchildren are great reasons, she believes, for doing whatever she can to make this a better world.

Directors

Tom Koulentes

Tom has been working as a high school teacher and administrator for over 25 years. Tom began his career teaching Social Studies and ESL at Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois. After teaching for several years Tom spent a year in Costa Rica where he taught English and created an adventure-based travel study course for high school students that integrated Latin American history and culture, environmental science, Spanish and physical education. Upon returning to the United States, Tom was the Director of Bilingual Education and an Assistant Principal at Highland Park High School.

In 2014 Tom became the Principal of Highland Park High School and coordinated the school’s rollout of 1-1 technology for students, oversaw a three-year referendum construction project and led the design and implementation of the school’s dual language program which stands today as one of the few high school dual language programs in the State of Illinois. As a public school administrator, Tom faces the challenge of meeting the ever-increasing needs of students with constantly diminishing resources. To tackle this challenge Tom connects his schools to community partners– including corporate, small-businesses and nonprofit organizations–who share a passion and commitment for serving the community’s youth. The school-community partnerships Tom has helped create have provided a wide variety of high-quality education, athletic and artistic enrichment programs to hundreds of children in the Highland Park/Highwood communities.

Tom is currently the Principal of Libertyville High School in Libertyville, Illinois.

Directors

Julie Kraff

Julie holds a BS Degree in Management from Tulane University, an MBA with a concentration in Finance from The University of Chicago, and received her Certified Public Accountant License. Her prior work experience includes managing assets for family offices as well as numerous years of experience in all aspects of Real Estate as a consultant to home builders, developers, and investors. Julie and her husband, Coby, have three grown children who were raised in Highland Park.

Directors

Craig Leva

Craig is the president and owner of Arway Confections (Chicago, IL) and Long Grove Confectionery (Buffalo Grove & Long Grove, IL) and is a twenty-year resident of Highland Park. A graduate of University of Wisconsin (1990), Craig has been married to Monette since 1993, and together they have four kids (Ellee, Alex, Rachel, & Eli). The Highland Park Community Foundation’s message “Give Where You Live” resonated with Craig, and he joined as a board member in 2018 in an effort to make additional impact for those in need within our own community. Craig is also a current board member for The Peanut Tree Nut Processors Association (PTNPA) and The Chicago Candy Production Club. Craig serves as a mentor for Buffalo Grove High School’s Entrepreneurship Program, and is active with a number of local and national charities. Craig also manages his own family foundation.

Directors

Jon A.
Levey

Executive Committee

Jon Levey is a Financial Business Executive with expertise in the integration of entrepreneurial vision with financial and human capital management to achieve winning results. A resident of Highland Park, Levey is the President of Highland Park Bank & Trust (HPBT), a member of the Wintrust community banking system, where his responsibilities include guiding the growth of the bank and representing the bank within the Highland Park community.

Levey is a sought-after thought leader within the business community and has spoken on the topics of green/sustainable business, social enterprise, green building/valuation, entrepreneurship, and small business finance at the Social Enterprise Alliance’s annual summit, Green America’s Green Festival, the Good Food Family Farmed Financing & Innovation Conference, GreenTown Oak Park, Chicago Association of Realtors, the Appraisal Institute, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy’s Energy Efficiency Finance Forum, to various colleges, universities and high schools including often at Highland Park High School within the business and entrepreneurship classes.

Jon holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management where he was a recipient of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Entrepreneurial Fellowship Internship and also received his BA, from Northwestern University. He is also a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) and an Illinois Managing Broker.

A strong proponent of community service, Levey is active in many HP/HW community groups and organizations and has been a frequent guest lecturer at HPHS for various business and entrepreneurship classes. He is a past recipient of the Humanitarian of the Year award from RE/MAX Northern Illinois. He is a long-time member of the Board of Directors of The Standard Club and a former President of the Club. Levey is also member of the board of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for the Greater Chicago/Upper Midwest region, a member of the board & chair of the Investment Committee for the Highland Park Community Foundation, an Advisory Board member for Community Partners for Affordable Housing, a member and past-chair of the Charities Committee and past-Treasurer for the Highland Park/Highwood Rotary, a member of the Community Advisory Board for the Highland Park Highwood Legal Aid Clinic, and an active member of the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce. He was also asked by the Mayor of Highland Park to serve on the city’s 150thAnniversary steering committee and has previously served as a board member of the Illinois Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, Advisory Board member for the Posse Foundation – Chicago, board member for the North Shore Center for Performing Arts Foundation, board member and past President of Jewish Council for Youth Services, Board member for the Friends of Morton Foundation, board member and chair of the development committee for Delta Institute, and a past member of the Advisory Council for both GreenTown Highland Park and GreenTown Chicago, as well as the Good Food Family Farmed Financing & Innovation Conference. He further volunteered his lending expertise to serve on a loan committee tasked with distributing federal funds to businesses seeking to relocate to Chicago’s Green Exchange while hiring economically challenged work forces.

Directors

Caroline Mead

Caroline Mead is a renewable & sustainability energy professional having over 14-year’s experience in the industry. As Director of Power Marketing for ENGIE North America, Caroline is responsible for marketing, negotiating, and contracting utility-scale renewable projects including wind energy, solar energy and battery storage facilities across the U.S. and the Canadian provinces. Caroline is passionate about mitigating climate change impacts and is focused on supporting utilities and Fortune 500 companies to source renewable energy purchases to decrease reliance on fossil fuels and create a better more sustainable future for future generations.
Caroline and her wife, Piper, moved to Highwood 10 years ago where they raise their two boys who attend Oak Terrace Elementary School. Caroline is also a member of the Highwood Planning & Zoning Commission, helping shape the future of the town development. Born and raised in suburban Kansas City, Caroline earned her undergraduate degree from William Jewell College where she was a scholar athlete in softball.
Caroline is passionate about the Highwood & Highland Park community and thrilled to be a part of the Board to have a local impact on the organizations that make our community so special.

Directors

Jean Meadows

Hard to believe, but I have been a resident of Highland Park for 45 years! My husband Stanley and I have raised our 3 children, Matthew, Judy and Peter in Highland Park. They have attended the schools in District 108, 112, and High School District 113.

Additionally, I have been a teacher for 50 years, in various capacities, grade levels, systems.

My background is in the field of Learning Disabilities, beginning in the primary grades, then nursery school for Mom and Me classes, on to private tutoring, building my learning and skills in areas of cognitive development, organization, and higher level problem solving as a partner with Dr. Donalee Markus, PhD. Add in teaching Sunday School at Am Shalom. During those years I was an an active volunteer in the Jewish Community through the Young Women’s Board, the Women’s Division, Jewish Children and Family Services and the Response Center as well as PTA committees in HP.

And once our last child reached junior high, I returned to full time work as a Special Education Resource teacher and Advocate at Highland Park High School. As my extra curricular responsibility I had the wonderful opportunity be a sponsor for Key Club and immerse myself with a group of outstanding students to reach out to the community with a full slate of service projects. Continuing my teaching career after retirement from HPHS, I spent 5 years at Rochelle Zell Jewish High School, mentoring, advocating, and supporting students with Special Needs.

Along the way, I connected with United Way of Highland Park to continue my community involvement, learning first-hand about the wide range of needs and many social service agencies in HP/Highwood. So, it’s no accident that I finally found the Highland Park Community Foundation in 2013!

Directors

Nancy Mills

Past Chairman

Nancy joined the HPCF in 2009 out of a desire to assist local families and support educational equity. As immediate past chairman, she led the Foundation through a transformational period during which both grant dollars awarded and fundraising revenue more than doubled. She currently serves as an executive board member of the HPCF, a board member for the Noble Network of Charter Schools, and a member of JUF’s Health and Human Services Commission. She is also a founder and leader of Baker College Prep charter school, a volunteer court advocate for victims of domestic violence through A Safe Place, a member of the Investors Council for the University of Chicago Crime Lab, and a Career Coach for first-generation college graduates through Braven. In addition to her philanthropic involvement, Nancy is a longtime advisor on Corporate Strategy and Branding for Medline Industries, focused on enhancing employee experience and customer communications. Nancy holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She and her husband Andy live in Highland Park and have raised three wonderful sons here.

Directors

Cristina Mota

Cristina is the Director of Regulatory Policy and Intelligence, Japan, Emerging Markets, and Australia. As such, she represents AbbVie on trade association working groups and meetings, developing and maintaining effective relationships with AbbVie SMEs and trade association staff involved in influencing regulatory policy for the regions. She has lived in Highland Park since 2016, loves our community, and is passionate about giving back to it.

Directors

Jamie
Strait Muller

Executive Committee

Jamie joined the Highland Park Community Foundation in 2018 and brings deep experience in philanthropy and community outreach.

Jamie is the Executive Director of Schools and Programs for Alumni Relations and Development at Northwestern University. In this role, she leads the teams that fundraise for Northwestern’s non-degree conferring units, including Student Affairs, University Libraries, Financial Aid and the Block Museum of Art, as well as the Parent Giving program.

An alumna of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Jamie spent a decade as an award-winning broadcast journalist before joining Northwestern’s development team in 2009. She serves as the liaison to the board of Northwestern Hillel and is a member of the Youth and Family Community Committee at North Shore Congregation Israel. She lives in Highland Park with her husband, Mark Muller, and their three children.

Directors

Jonathan Plotkin

Jonathan is a nationally published editorial cartoonist and illustrator whose art can be found on the pages of the Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Reader, American
Bystander and other national and regional publications, as well as on his own website, www.spontoonist.com. Jonathan is also a real estate developer, investor and business consultant with multiple property holdings in the community.

Jonathan is married to his lifetime friend Robin (Kreiter) who he met on the day
she moved next door to the Plotkin family on South Deere Park Drive in Highland Park. They were both 3 years old. They are the proud parents of four extraordinary children including Noah, Oliver, Alexander, and Pearl. Three grandsons, Arlo, Jonah and Gabriel and their newest cousin, granddaughter Charlie, represent the 5th generation of family to live in Highland Park starting with their great-great grandparents Oscar and Pearl Plotkin who moved to Highland Park in the 1930’s.

In 2009 Jonathan was appointed by the Mayor of Highland Park to serve as Chairman of the Highland Park Roundtable Business Advisory Group. In 2015 he was awarded the Mayors Award for the Arts in Highland Park.

Jonathan completed two terms as Chairman of the Cultural Arts Commission of Highland Park before moving on to take a seat on the Board of The Art Center Highland Park where he served in multiple capacities for over 10 years including two terms as Board President. He is currently a Board Trustee of the Chicago High School for the Arts Foundation (ChiArts). He teaches creative writing and art as a volunteer with Chicago Help Initiative at their location in the Catholic Charities facility on LaSalle in the City. Jonathan holds degrees in political science from The George Washington University and an MBA in Strategic Planning from Northeastern University in Boston.

Instagram: @spontoonist

Web: www.spontoonist.com

The Drawing Board: www.cartoonists.com

Directors

David Reich

PAST CHAIRMAN, Executive Committee

David Reich brings nearly 10 years of previous Board experience to his role as Chairman of the Highland Park Community Foundation. Before becoming Chairman he served as Vice-Chairman for 2 years and Secretary of the Foundation for 3 years. He has been a valuable member of the Executive Committee and Grants Committee since 2015.

Born and raised in Highland Park, David is a partner at the law firm of Lawrence Kamin and works closely with family and small to midsize businesses to manage their corporate needs as well as assist business owners and individuals with their estate and succession planning.

Mr. Reich has also been an active community volunteer serving on the Board of Directors of the Modestus Bauer Foundation and the Israel Cancer Research Fund for more than 20 years. Deeply committed to the Highland Park/Highwood community, David is pleased to bring his experience and leadership skills to his role as Chairman of the Foundation.

Directors

Joe Reinstein

Joe Reinstein is a marketer who builds brands, online communities and high performing teams. He has been marketing products, brands, dreams, environmental awareness and social justice for 25 years. He has worked on some of the biggest and most iconic consumer brands in the advertising world.

He helped Pepsico’s Aquafina become the #1 brand of bottled water in the US. He helped Taco Bell revolutionize the fast food industry with creation of the value menu. When Joe was managing the US Wrigley business at BBDO, Wrigley sales and profits hit record highs, Orbit became the #1 selling gum brand in the world and the Doublemint Twins made a triumphant return. As VP Marketing at Medline Industries, Joe helped transform this $8 billion healthcare manufacturer and distributor into a total clinical solutions provider.

Joe has a deep love of country and the democratic process and was a senior strategist in the Obama administration serving as Deputy Social Secretary in the White House and Director of Surrogates at Obama for America. At the White House, Joe created events to support the President’s and First Lady’s initiatives and provide content for the administration’s digital platforms. As Director of Surrogates at Obama for America, Joe recruited and prepared highly influential people to campaign for the President. By combining powerful analytics and data with influencer content, Joe helped create the largest grassroots online community in history. Prior to joining Performics, Joe was Chief Marketing Officer of the Chicago Blues Experience, a new museum and entertainment complex.

Joe’s passion for social justice has included work to change perceptions of the United Way by redefining its brand from charity clearinghouse to community impact organization. Joe is a founding board member of Cool Globes, a non-profit organization established to raise awareness of global warming. Launched in Chicago, Cool Globes’ public art exhibit has travelled to 16 cities, 7 countries, 4 continents, and has been translated into 9 languages reaching over 10 million people.

Joe is an avid snowboarder, tennis player and political junkie who married his college sweetheart and is a devoted father to their two beautiful, talented and brilliant daughters.

Directors

Karen Reisin

Karen joined the Highland Park Community Foundation in 2016, as she believes strongly in giving back to her community.

In the past, Karen helped students to improve their reading and comprehension skills at Oakton Elementary School in Evanston. She then followed her passion for nutrition and became a Nurture instructor, teaching Nurture’s nutrition and wellness curriculum designed for children, in the District 112 elementary schools. Karen served twice as a Co-Chair of the Art Night Committee for Highland Park High School Focus on the Arts. She currently coordinates fresh grocery bags for Oak Terrace School’s monthly food delivery program on behalf of Moraine Township.

Karen and her husband Richard have lived in Highland Park for the last 23 years where they have raised their two children Michelle and Matthew and their dog Lily.

Directors

Amy Small

Amy was born and raised in New York and is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Loyola University School of Law. She and her husband, Andy, have lived in Highland Park since 1996. After practicing law for 8 years, Amy retired to raise her 4 children. She became active in their school PTOs and was, most recently, President of the Highland Park High School PTO. She was also a member of the PTO’s Discretionary Committee that grants funds to various school organizations. Amy is currently a mentor for College Bound Opportunities and is a member of the Human Rights Advisory Board for the City of Highland Park. Amy is very excited to be a part of the Foundation and help fulfill its mission to help those in need in the Highland Park and Highwood. community!

Directors

Donald
Stewart

Don is married to Linda (nee) Seessel of Memphis, TN and has lived in Highland Park since 1951. Don attended Highland High School and the University of Illinois.

Don is President of Stewart-Miller Inc., a cash meat broker based in Deerfield, IL.

He has two children, a son Greg who is married to Debora Hecht and lives in Chicago and a daughter Missy Feldman, married to Chad Feldman who lives in Highland Park. Don has two granddaughters.

Don was the past Chairman of Meat Imports Council Organization of America and a past member of the Cattleman’s Beef Board. In addition Don was on the board of JCYS for many years and have stayed active with them as an alumni. He was on the traffic commission of the City of Highland Park.

Liaisons

Jennifer Aiello

City of Highland Park

Jennifer Aiello, LPC, is the Social Services Coordinator for the City of Highland Park Senior Center. She began her work with the City in 1995, as a part-time Youth Worker at the former Firehouse Youth Center and at the Senior Center, while pursuing her Master’s degree in Human Services: Counseling. During her work with the City, Jennifer’s involvements include participating on the Character Counts! Steering Committee, mentoring for the police department’s Peer Jury program, and co-leading the Highland Park Dementia Friendly advisory group.
Jennifer resides in Glenview with her husband and three active and talented children. She volunteers with the Women’s Guild through her church and has a passion for mindfulness, yoga and the Golden Girls.

Liaisons

Jim Hospodarsky

Jim is an alderman with the City of Highwood. He earned a Computer Science degree from Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His career has focused in the areas of information technology and change management consulting, and he currently works in the property and casualty insurance industry.
Jim and his wife Lucy have lived in Highwood for over 20 years, raising three children who participated in the District 112 Dual Language program at Oak Terrace Elementary School, Northwood Middle School, and Highland Park High School.
Jim was first elected to the Highwood City Council in 2005 and served a four-year term. Jim rejoined the Council in 2017. He also represents the City of Highwood as a member of the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association Board of Directors.

Liaisons

Debby Finn

highland park high school

Debby joined Township High School District 113 in 1996. She served as the Math Lab Supervisor at Highland Park High School and a math teacher at Deerfield High School before serving as the Math Department Chair at HPHS in 2008. She assumed the role of Interim Principal in July 2018 and was selected to serve as Principal of Highland Park High School in the spring of 2019. Throughout her career, she has supported many programs that benefit District 113 students, staff and the community. Specifically, she has acted as the liaison for Working Together, one of the programs sponsored by the Highland Park Community Foundation, which provides families of Highwood and Highland Park with access to cultural and recreational activities.

Liaisons

Kevin Ryan

north shore school district 112

Kevin Ryan, EdD, is the assistant superintendent for teaching and learning at North Shore School District 112. In his role, he is responsible for overseeing curriculum, instruction, and assessment to improve student growth and success. His work focuses on implementing Illinois state learning standards. He works with teachers on the development of aligned standards and assessment practices to help them determine how to approach instruction. Dr. Ryan has been an instructional leader for many years, most recently serving as the director of 21st-century learning, curriculum, and instruction with Kildeer Countryside District 96. Dr. Ryan received his EdD from Illinois State University in educational leadership, his master’s degree in educational leadership from DePaul University, and a bachelor’s degree from Florida Southern College in business administration.

Board of Directors

Officers

Betsy Brint -Chairman

Laurie Levin – Vice-Chairman

David Israel - Treasurer

Eric Ephraim -Secretary

Officers

Betsy Brint -Chairman

Officers

Laurie Levin – Vice-Chairman

Officers

David Israel - Treasurer

Officers

Eric Ephraim -Secretary

Directors

Sofia Alvarez

Peter Flanzer

BobbieHinden

Taryn Kessel

Alyssa Knobel

Cookie Kohn

Tom Koulentes

Julie Kraff

Craig Leva

Jon A.Levey

Caroline Mead

Jean Meadows

Nancy Mills

Cristina Mota

JamieStrait Muller

Jonathan Plotkin

David Reich

Joe Reinstein

Karen Reisin

Amy Small

DonaldStewart

Directors

Sofia Alvarez

Directors

Peter Flanzer

Directors

BobbieHinden

Directors

Taryn Kessel

Directors

Alyssa Knobel

Directors

Cookie Kohn

Directors

Tom Koulentes

Directors

Julie Kraff

Directors

Craig Leva

Directors

Jon A.Levey

Directors

Caroline Mead

Directors

Jean Meadows

Directors

Nancy Mills

Directors

Cristina Mota

Directors

JamieStrait Muller

Directors

Jonathan Plotkin

Directors

David Reich

Directors

Joe Reinstein

Directors

Karen Reisin

Directors

Amy Small

Directors

DonaldStewart

Liaisons

Jennifer Aiello

Betsy Brint -
Chairman

Laurie Levin –
Vice-Chairman

David Israel -
Treasurer

Eric Ephraim -
Secretary

Betsy Brint -
Chairman

Laurie Levin –
Vice-Chairman

David Israel -
Treasurer

Eric Ephraim -
Secretary

Bobbie
Hinden

Jon A.
Levey

Jamie
Strait Muller

Donald
Stewart

Bobbie
Hinden

Jon A.
Levey

Jamie
Strait Muller

Donald
Stewart

Ali
Barnett

Joey
Bleiman

Erik
Gimbel

Ashley
Kelly

Simon
Leibovich

Emily
Nasatir

Heather
Sher

Ali
Barnett

Joey
Bleiman

Erik
Gimbel

Ashley
Kelly

Simon
Leibovich

Emily
Nasatir

Heather
Sher

Lawrence
Block

David
Blumberg

Deborah
Bleich Cogan

Richard
Cortesi

David
Hoffman

Patty
Pell

Ginny
Schulte

Bruce
Sperling

Sallyan
Windt

Lawrence
Block

David
Blumberg

Deborah
Bleich Cogan

Richard
Cortesi

David
Hoffman

Patty
Pell

Ginny
Schulte

Bruce
Sperling

Sallyan
Windt