Highland Park Community Foundation (HPCF) is thrilled to welcome Tami Gilbert and Bonnie Mervis to our Board of Directors, along with Zach Harris, Ken Sabino, and Andrew Sigesmund to our Associate Leadership Council (ALC). Thanks to the dedication of community members like Tami, Bonnie, Zach, Ken, and Andrew, our mission to address unmet needs in Highland Park and Highwood continues to flourish. Their passion and commitment inspire us as we begin a year of impactful work, starting with Treats for the Streets, HPCF’s ALC-led project for the City of Highland Park’s annual MLK Day of Service event.

Bonnie Mervis

Bonnie Mervis is a lifelong Highland Park resident who grew up in the community and returned to stay in 1976. She worked as a social worker at Indian Trail Elementary School for 23 years––a role she cherished and one that gave her a deep understanding of the needs within our community. Now retired, Bonnie previously ran a private practice in Highland Park and has an extensive background in training school social workers. Her involvement with the HPCF began after volunteering at the Foundation’s 2024 Gather for Good fall fundraiser. “I was really moved by the experience,” she recalls. “I saw people from the schools I worked at and people that I grew up with; I just felt like this is where I belong, and this is what I want to do.” Reflecting on her decision to join the Board of Directors, Bonnie shared, “I am really proud of Highland Park and Highwood, I think this is an amazing community, and I believe the Board of the Foundation is a big part of that.”

Tami Gilbert

Tami Gilbert brings over three decades of experience in the healthcare sector as a Registered Nurse with an MBA in Nursing Administration. Her expertise provides a valuable perspective on fostering a healthier community and encouraging healthy habits–– something she is deeply passionate about. A Highland Park resident since 2009, Tami has raised her children in the community and is eager to channel her dedication to community development into her new role as an HPCF Board Member. Sharing what excites her most as a new Board member, Tami said “I am looking forward to the type of collaborative work that comes with this position. There are so many amazing organizations in the community working to improve the quality of life of the residents of Highland Park and Highwood, and I am excited to serve as a liaison between them and the Foundation.”

Zach Harris

The Foundation is also honored to welcome Zach Harris, Ken Sabino, and Andrew Sigesmund to the ALC, a group of dedicated future community leaders committed to advancing HPCF’s vision. Zach, a Highland Park native, returned to the community in 2020 after completing medical school and residency on the East Coast. Since then, he has established a psychiatry practice in Highland Park and dedicates his free time to giving back to the community where he was raised. Reflecting on his decision to join the ALC, Zach shared, “Coming back to Highland Park, I wanted to be more a part of the community, to connect with folks, to embrace some of the things that make this a really special place that maybe you don’t realize when you’re a teenager growing up here.” He added, “The ALC is a great chance to get to know some of the other members of the Foundation who are younger and trying to figure out what their relationship with philanthropy in the community looks like.”

Ken Sabino

In addition to Zach, we are thrilled to welcome Ken Sabino to the ALC. Ken, who has lived in the Highland Park and Highwood community since 2021 with his wife and four-year- old son, works as a Residential Real Estate Agent with Baird & Warner, helping individuals and families find homes in the Chicagoland area. His recent decision to join the ALC was driven by his desire to give where he lives, investing time and effort back into the community where he is raising his son. “I love Highland Park, and I have been meaning to get involved philanthropically for a while now because we are so grateful for everything this community offers. I finally got to a point in my life where I was able to dedicate time to giving back, and I wanted to take advantage of that,” Ken said. He added, reflecting on the importance of his role in the Foundation, “I have really enjoyed getting to know the grant recipient organizations that provide vital services to the community. It has been very rewarding to be a part of that process.”

Andrew Sigesmund

Joining Zach and Ken is Andrew Sigesmund, a longtime Highland Park resident and successful entrepreneur. After returning to the community in 2011 to raise his family and grow his business, AMS Staffing, Inc., Andrew sought a way to give back. “I wanted to join the ALC as a way to show my children the importance of community,” he said. “Being part of the Foundation allows me to give back to the amazing community that has given so much to my family. Over the past few years, I’ve witnessed incredible strength in the Highland Park and Highwood community, especially in difficult times, and I wanted to be directly involved in supporting the efforts that HPCF fosters.”

Zach, Ken, and Andrew will join other ALC members in spearheading this year’s MLK Day of Service project, which reflects the Foundation’s commitment to community support and gratitude. Led this year by the ALC, HPCF’s project brings together local children, members of its Boards, and community volunteers to assemble and deliver care packages to Highland Park and Highwood’s hardworking Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments.

Eric Zoberman

ALC Co-Chair Eric Zoberman explained, “Treats for the Streets is our way of recognizing and thanking first responders for all they do to support our community. During the event, children and adults create heartfelt notes for the recipients, expressing gratitude for keeping us safe. We include the notes in care packages filled with treats, designed to offer a quick pick-me-up during an emergency or on a cold, winter night. At the end of the event, we deliver the packages to the Departments as an additional way to express our gratitude.”

This annual project provides a fun and meaningful opportunity for the Foundation and the community to show their appreciation for the essential work these individuals do to keep Highland Park and Highwood safe, beautiful, and welcoming for all residents.

The City’s MLK Day of Service program will take place on Monday, February 17th at the Highland Park Recreation Center. The event will begin at 10 AM and end at 12:30 PM. For more information about the event, visit the City of Highland Park’s MLK Day page. To learn about the new members of HPCF’s Board of Directors and ALC, visit hpcfil.org.

This March, the Highland Park Community Foundation’s (HPCF) Associate Leadership Council (ALC) is bringing Bocce Night back after its successful debut in 2020. On Saturday, March 7, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., the ALC will host the event at the Highwood Bocce Club, offering residents of Highland Park and Highwood a fun, welcoming evening of friendly competition, connection, and an opportunity to learn more about HPCF’s mission of giving where you live.

Designed as an accessible and fun introduction to the Foundation’s work (HPCF), Bocce Night aims to connect new audiences with HPCF in a relaxed, social setting. For ALC member Ken Sabino, who is helping to lead the event, the evening is about visibility, outreach, and strengthening community ties. It also continues the tradition of bringing people together through fun community-focused gatherings.

“The goal of the event is to raise awareness about HPCF, especially the ALC, and the good work being done to support residents,” Ken shared. “A lot of it is also about bringing in people who may not know about us yet but want to give back to their community.”

That focus on expanding awareness is central to the ALC’s mission. As ALC Co-Chair and HPCF Governing Board member Taryn Kessel explained, the ALC plays a key role in broadening the Foundation’s reach.

“We’re really trying to expand our visibility and attract different demographics in the area,” Taryn said. “We want to reach more people who might want to get involved or become donors to support our mission.”

Beyond hosting events, the ALC serves as a bridge between the HPCF and the next generation of community leaders. “Our role is really about building future leaders,” Taryn shared. “Before the ALC started, I felt like the visibility of the Foundation skewed toward a demographic rooted in the original founders. But there are so many younger families and returning residents who were raised here and are now raising families of their own.”

Many of those residents, she noted, are searching for meaningful ways to give back, often without realizing that HPCF already exists and aligns with their values. “They may not know about the Foundation,” Taryn said, “but it’s exactly what they’re looking for. Our work touches so many lives in the community.”

From supporting cultural and creative arts, education, human services, senior services, and services for individuals with disabilities, HPCF’s reach is broad. “We really cast a wide net in strengthening this community,” Taryn explained. “The ALC helps make that work more visible to a younger cohort, so more people want to be involved.”

At its core, Bocce Night is meant to be joyful and inclusive. “This is just supposed to be a really fun night to come together,” Ken said. “It’ll be an inexpensive way for people to get out of the house, have fun, and help spread the word about HPCF and the ALC.” Taryn echoed that sentiment, adding, “I think it’s going to be an entertaining night that helps raise awareness about who we are and what we do.”

With friendly competition, shared purpose, and a commitment to connection, the ALC’s Bocce Night reflects the heart of HPCF — bringing people together to strengthen the community they call home.

For more information about Bocce Night, email info@hpcfil.org. To purchase tickets for the event please visit tinyurl.com/alcbocce