People
It takes a lot of people to make all of the programs at The Conservation Foundation work. We have several full-time and part-time staff members working with a host of community leaders and conservation partners through our Board of Trustees, Advisory Council and Leadership Board along with volunteers from throughout the communities we serve.
Our Staff
Brook McDonald
President/CEO
630-428-4500
Ext. 112
Since 1996, Brook McDonald has been the President and Chief Executive Officer for The Conservation Foundation, a private not-for-profit land and watershed conservation group based in Naperville, Illinois. The Conservation Foundation focuses on land preservation and watershed protection in the outlying Chicago counties of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will.
In 1997, The Conservation Foundation launched a series of campaigns throughout our region to promote the public acquisition of open space. These campaigns helped raise public funds for open space preservation in DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Will and DeKalb Counties through the passage of bond referenda. To date, The Conservation Foundation has organized 13 successful referenda campaigns that have raised more than $750 million, preserving 30,000 of land in these counties. Mr. McDonald organized and managed all 13 campaigns.
Mr. McDonald has also been involved in protecting the DuPage River since 1989. He chaired the DuPage River Coalition from 1989 to 1995, and is the past chairman of the DuPage River Watershed Ecosystem Partnership. Mr. McDonald is the principal author of Illinois’ first citizens stream monitoring manual published in 1990.
Mr. McDonald served on the Warrenville Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals from 1993-1996, and sat on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Interpretation from 1994 to 1998. He also served on the board of the Illinois Environmental Council from 1998 to 2001, served as a member of the Kendall County Extension Unit’s Advisory Council, and is a past member of the board for the Campaign for Sensible Growth. He also served for more than 10 years as an appointed member of the DuPage Environmental Commission, served as chairman of the DuPage County Trails Maintenance Task Force, and as the chairman of the DuPage Green Government Council, appointed by the DuPage County Board Chairman. He also served as president of the Prairie State Conservation Coalition, a state-wide association of conservation land trusts.
In 2007, Mr. McDonald was named as one of the top ten most influential environmentalists in DuPage County by the Daily Herald newspaper, and in 2010 was named as a Lincolnland Legend by the Dollars for Scholars Program in Springfield for being a role model for youth.
Mr. McDonald received his M.S. from The Ohio State University in Natural Resources and his B.S. from Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio in Life Sciences, graduating with Distinction and a member of the Science Honorary.
Mr. McDonald has worked for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County (IL) as the Public Affairs Director, Wheaton Park District (IL) as the Manager of Interpretation and Natural Resources, Metro Parks of Columbus & Franklin County (OH) as a naturalist, and Ohio Department of Natural Resources as a Stream Monitoring Coordinator for the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program.
Brook McDonald
President/CEO
Steve Baldwin
Director of Advancement
630-428-4500
Ext. 135
Steve joined The Conservation Foundation in 2019 as Director of Advancement.
Steve brings a strong mix of non-profit and business management, educational and fundraising skills to the table. His experience as consultant to and leader in the non-profit sector spans more than fifteen years, and includes work with healthcare, educational, arts, social services and animal welfare organizations. As Regional Foundation and Marketing Director of the Petco Foundation, he created and implemented business and marketing strategies across the Midwest. He served as Chief Development Officer at Joliet Catholic Academy, where he was responsible for all corporate relations, financial, marketing, recruitment and fund development operations while leading a successful team in a major capital campaign and launching a five-year resource development plan. He also served as Chief Strategy and Development Officer for OMNI Youth Services where he championed a comprehensive brand equity campaign that realized double digit increases in market presence. As Senior Director, Major Gifts for Resurrection Health Care in Chicago, he provided leadership and hands-on participation in the ongoing giving programs, while working to monitor and modify income development and financial models. Steve has also served as President of the Marquette General Foundation in Michigan as well as the CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation in Gulfport, Mississippi both in a leadership, strategic planning and fund development capacity. Most recently, he served as the President of a Catholic Co-Educational high school in the near western suburbs. Steve oversaw all fund development and business management aspects of the school, including financial reporting, budgeting, account management, benefits, plants and grounds, maintenance and equipment. While providing administrative leadership, he was also responsible for the marketing and branding of the school while advancing the mission, values and overall strategic goals. Moreover, Steve represented the organization as an advocate and public voice in the community with key constituents, parents, alumni, and corporate and media information sources.
In his free time, Steve enjoys bicycle riding, snowmobiling, skydiving and hockey. He is the proud father of four children – 2 girls and 2 boys. He and his wife Natasha make their family’s home in South Barrington.
Steve Baldwin
Director of Advancement
Dan Lobbes
Director of Land Preservation/
Kane County Program Director
630-428-4500
Ext. 201
dlobbes@theconservationfoundation.org
Dan is the Director of Land Protection and Kane County Director for The Conservation Foundation. He has been with the Foundation in a variety of capacities since 2001. Dan has worked closely with public agencies and private landowners to preserve more than 3,500 acres of land, worth more than $87 million. Dan and others on staff use a variety of tools to protect land.
Prior to coming to The Conservation Foundation, Dan was the project manager of a new product development group. He spent 15 years with a global manufacturer, bringing projects in on time and on budget.
Dan lives in Batavia with his wife Mary and has two college-age sons, Grant and Ben. In his off time, Dan enjoys running, bicycling and cooking and tries to keep up with home repairs on their 1870s-era house.
Dan Lobbes
Director of Land Preservation/ Kane County Program Director
Trish Beckjord
Fox River Initiative Program Manager
630-553-0687
Ext. 206
tbeckjord@theconservationfoundation.org
Trish Beckjord’s work has always had a focus on conservation, restoration and integration of native plants in designed landscapes, which makes her well-suited to head up our Fox River Education and Outreach Initiative.
Trish Beckjord
Fox River Initiative Program Manager
Nancy Cinatl
Conservation@Home Assistant
630-428-4500 Ext.120
ncinatl@theconservationfoundation.org
Nancy Cinatl
Conservation@Home Asst./Watershed Administrative Asst.
Deanna Doohaluk
Watershed Project Manager, DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup
630-428-4500 Ext. 133
ddoohaluk@theconservationfoundation.org
Deanna Doohaluk
Watershed Project Manager
Jennifer Hammer
Land Conservation & Restoration Specialist
630-428-4500 Ext. 114
jhammer@theconservationfoundation.org
Jennifer joined the foundation’s staff in 1998; she earned Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology from the University of Illinois in Chicago.
She has several years of experience at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency where she coordinated various watershed management programs.
She has worked with all federal, state and local government agencies involved in watershed management, as well as numerous citizen-based watershed efforts.
In particular, she has been strongly involved in the development of the Upper DuPage River Watershed Plan.
She has also been involved in the watershed planning processes of numerous other watershed groups including the Blackberry Creek Watershed Planning Committee, Nippersink Creek Watershed Planning Committee, the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership, the North Branch Chicago River Watershed Committee, the Salt Creek Watershed Network, the Waubonsie Creek Watershed Resource Planning Committee, and others.
As a result of her past experiences, Jennifer is very knowledgeable of granting opportunities available for watershed protection, the watershed planning process, and data collection techniques.
Jennifer is now part-time and works with Dan Lobbes on coordinating the implementation of the Upper DuPage River Watershed Plan. She is best reached through email at jhammer@theconservationfoundation.org.
Jennifer Hammer
Director of Watershed Programs/
Ecological Restoration
Jill Johnson
Communications Manager
630-553-0687 Ext. 202
jjohnson@theconservationfoundation.org
After serving as Office Manager and Development and Program Associate, Jill Johnson is now the Marketing Communications Manager at The Conservation Foundation. Jill is managing editor of The Heron magazine, manages our website and media outreach, and works very closely with other members of our Development team to plan major events, work on donor stewardship, and collaborate on organization communications.
She also assists program staff in promoting their programs and planning events and seminars.
Jill is a graduate of North Central College in Naperville with degrees in Sociology and Religious Studies and following graduation worked there as an Admission Counselor before joining the TCF staff. She grew up on a farm near Yorkville and is the daughter of Bonnie (Henne) Johnson, who is a member of The Conservation Foundation’s Advisory Council. A native of Kendall County, Jill lives with her husband Jeff and their young daughters Adelaide and Ferne in the small Kendall County town of Newark. Jill enjoys hiking, reading, gardening, antiquing and road trips, especially to the Rocky Mountains.
Jill Johnson
Marketing Communications Manager
Taylor Joray
Watershed Education & Outreach Manager
630-428-4500 Ext. 116
In addition to being our Land Stewardship Manager, Taylor Joray also works as a Wildlife Technician with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. Taylor received a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Biology & Ecological Studies from Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois and is currently working towards an M.S. in Conservation Biology from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. His thesis there is focusing on where the American Kestrels that winter in Illinois spend their summers.
“I was interested in joining the bunch at The Conservation Foundation because I really respect and appreciate our mission to preserve and restore open space and natural lands, protect rivers and watersheds, and promote stewardship of our environment through on the ground projects, partnerships, and education, and wanted to help in any way that I could!” said Taylor.
When he is not updating our conservation easement files or walking properties, Taylor really enjoys birding, hiking, camping, and doing pretty much anything outdoors. He also enjoys working on his 1979 CJ-7 Jeep. Never one to rest for long, Taylor also spends a lot of time over the spring & summer volunteering and coordinating a nest box program for American Kestrels in Kane County that he started as an undergraduate project in 2012. Another fun fact about Taylor, who lives in Aurora, is that he has a fraternal twin brother named Josh.
Taylor Joray
Land Stewardship Manager
Jim Kleinwachter
Conservation@Home Program Manager
630-428-4500 Ext.115
jkleinwachter@theconservationfoundation.org
Jim Kleinwachter
Conservation@Home Program Manager
Stephen McCracken
Director of Watershed Protection
630-428-4500 Ext. 118
smccracken@theconservationfoundation.org
Stephen McCracken is the Director of Watershed Protection for The Conservation Foundation. Stephen works primarily on our DuPage River and DuPage County watershed and water quality projects. This includes administering the DuPage River Coalition, the TMDL workgroup (a technical group assessing the health of the DuPage River and Salt Creek), dam modification efforts, thorium removal public education and the revision of the DuPage River Watershed Plan. Stephen also works with the Salt Creek Watershed Network and other watershed groups.
That’s a lot, even for a person as talented as Stephen. He has a master’s degree in Applied Environmental Economics, a second master’s degree in Natural Resource Management (specializing in water resources), and a bachelor’s degree in Geoscience. He has worked for a land trust in Massachusetts, a consulting firm doing environmental and sustainability work in West Africa and other countries, and on his family farm in Ireland.
Stephen and his wife Jennifer live in Willow Springs with their son Henry and daughter Maeve.
Stephen McCracken
Director of Watershed Protection
Amy Phillips
Youth Programs Manager
aphillips@theconservationfoundation.org
Amy Phillips is the Youth Programs Manager for The Conservation Foundation. After working as an architect and sustainability consultant for many years, she made the leap to lend her talents toward nature interpretation and education, leveraging her background in design and sustainability toward inspiring the next generation. In addition to Masters degrees in Architecture and Business Administration, she holds a Master of Science in Biomimicry, an interpretive STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) field that educates and inspires designers to rethink the decisions they make by learning from nature. She is a NAI Certified Interpretive Guide, Network Co-Leader at Biomimicry Chicago, and recipient of the 2015 Green Mind Award for Educational Advocacy from the Urban Green Alliance. Amy is honored to collaborate with some of the best environmental educators in our area and looks forward to growing the educational offerings at the McDonald Farm and throughout the Chicago region. Amy and her husband David are raising their son and daughter in Naperville and keep busy with their activities, caring for their Conservation@Home-certified yard, their seven backyard chickens and two dogs.
Amy Phillips
Youth Programs Manager
Cassi Pollowy
Program Coordinator
CPollowy@theconservationfoundation.org
Cassi Pollowy
McDonald Farm CSA Coordinator
Lea Rodbarry
Watershed Education & Outreach Manager
Provides program and communications/education program support to the DuPage River Salt Creek Work Group, Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition, and Lower Des Plaines River Work Group. Also manages all TCF social media and video marketing.
Lea Rodbarry
Watershed communication Specialist
Jan Roehll
DuPage County Program Director
630-428-4500 Ext. 121
jroehll@theconservationfoundation.org
Jan graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Landscape Architecture. Before coming to The Conservation Foundation, she worked for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. She first developed the master plans for the preserves and she was responsible for the planning and development of the trail system in the preserves. She then transitioned into land acquisition where she directed the department until 2001. At that time, she left the Forest Preserve District to raise her two children.
In 2011, Jan started doing volunteer work at The Conservation Foundation and was then hired in 2012 as the DuPage County Program Director. Through two grants, she worked with government agencies to develop an open space plan for DuPage County. She has transitioned into working with DuPage County Stormwater Management on their many programs, workshops and seminars to improve water quality in the county.
She is now working to implement the open space plan, by contacting property owners to see if they have an interest in preserving their property. Jan loves to be outdoors working in her gardens or hiking and biking in the preserves and parks.
Jan Roehll
DuPage County Program Director
Ellen Soukup
Director of Finance
630-428-4500 Ext. 124
esoukup@theconservationfoundation.org
Ellen Soukup
Director of Finance
Carrie Thompson
Development Associate
630-428-4500 Ext. 110
cthompson@theconservationfoundation.org
Carrie Thompson has been with The Conservation Foundation for 8 years. She works part time as our Development Associate where she manages our membership database and assists with donor stewardship activities as well as the management of many aspects of our special events. Carrie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Northern Illinois University. Prior to joining The Conservation Foundation, she worked as the Office Manager for Planning Resources Inc. in Wheaton.
On any given day in the office you might hear Carrie whistling the theme to the “A-Team” or singing whatever tune pops into her head (and there are a LOT of them). She is a lifelong resident of Warrenville and lives with her husband Alasdair and two kids on the banks of the beautiful DuPage River. She loves sharing the endless parade of wildlife in her yard with her family….though she could really do without the dog getting skunked.
Carrie Thompson
Membership Services Manager
Carolyn Wagner
Youth Education Coordinator
630-428-4500 Ext. 111
cwagner@theconservationfoundation.org
Carolyn Wagner
Mighty Acorns® Program Coordinator
Jamie Viebach
Youth Programs Manager/
Will County Program Coordinator
630-428-4500
Ext. 128
jviebach@theconservationfoundation.org
Jamie Viebach joins our staff as Youth Programs Manager. Jamie began her conservation career as a naturalist with Irons Oaks and the Will County Forest Preserve District. In her quest for more knowledge about the natural world, she left to pursue a Master’s Degree in Environmental Biology from Governors State University. Finally, degree in hand, she joined the Land Conservancy of Will County as its Executive Director.
Jamie lives in New Lenox with her husband, 8-year-old son, dog, and three turtles. In the summer, the menagerie is joined by dozens of monarch caterpillars she raises as part of a conservation program. Jamie’s office is in the Clow Education Center at our McDonald Farm headquarters in Naperville.
Jamie can be reached at 630-428-4500, Ext. 128 and jviebach@theconservationfoundation.org.
Jamie Viebach
Will County Program Coordinator
Board of Trustees
Dr. Christopher Burke
lives in Naperville with his wife Susan and their four children.
Burke has been the leader in his firm’s rise since 1986 as one of the most well respected civil and environmental engineering firms in Illinois. Dr. Burke and his firm specialize in civil, transportation, drainage, mechanical, environmental, and water resources engineering and construction observation for an array of private, municipal, county, state, and federal agencies. He is also a Professor of Practice at the University of Illinois-Chicago where he has taught hydrology and hydraulics classes for nearly 20 years and is active in many professional societies and other Conservation focused organizations.
Burke brings to the board a perspective of land use and stormwater management, helps us strengthen relations with the development community, and with numerous water-related restoration projects of the Foundation.
“I have always admired the work of The Conservation Foundation and how they work quietly behind the scenes to get things done,” Burke said. “I am very excited about helping to increase the Foundation’s capacity to preserve more land and clean up our rivers.”
Christopher Burke
Chairman
Nancy Hopp
Nancy Hopp of Aurora, a long-time member of The Conservation Foundation, is a former trustee and treasurer for the Fox Valley Park District. Her professional background is in marketing and public relations. After retiring from Dreyer Medical Clinic in 2007, she completed an illustrated biography about pioneering Fox Valley artist Ruth Van Sickle Ford, which she self-published in 2011 under the business name PenWorks Press.
Nancy holds a B.A. (Social Sciences) and an M.S. (Business Management) from Aurora University. She has been an active community volunteer for 40 years. “Over the years, I was lucky to be involved in the development of the student nature trail at Waubonsee Community College, the walking path around Mercy Center hospital, and the renovation of the Healing Garden at Dreyer.”
Nancy and her husband, Jim, live in Aurora. They have one grown son and 5 grandchildren, for whom she has penned more than 40 short stories. The whole family enjoys water sports, the cultural arts, and the great outdoors.
“The Conservation Foundation gives me the opportunity to be active in programs for children, ones that get kids outside, that will make a difference in the future. I also love the partnerships and collaborations. We can do so much more if we work together.”
Nancy Hopp
Vice Chairman
Thomas Schneider
Thomas Schneider, joined The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2008. Recently retired after 38 years with Molex where he ascended to the position of vice president, Tom was also a member of the Molex Executive Lead Team.
Tom graduated from Bradley University with a degree in mechanical engineering and lives with his wife, Marge, in Naperville.
Thomas Schneider
Treasurer
Tom Bennington
Thomas F. Bennington, Jr., an attorney and partner with Lawrence, Kamin, Saunders & Uhlenhop, concentrates his practice in business sales and purchases, commercial real estate, business succession planning, and related wills and trusts.
Tom has served the public in both civic and charitable activities, and is currently serving as a board member and executive committee member for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, a board member and Vice President for the Boy Scouts of America, Des Plaines Valley Council, board member for the Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and as committee chair for Boy Scout Troop 99 in Downers Grove.
During Tom’s legal career, he has served many civic and charitable organizations, bringing his legal and political experience to positions that include commissioner, president, chair, board member or volunteer. Tom served as a County Board Member for DuPage County, Illinois from 1998–2010 and as a Commissioner for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. In these roles, Tom made land acquisition, policy, personnel and budgetary decisions for organizations which had combined budgets of over $600 million per year and over 2,000 employees. During Tom’s time on the Forest Preserve Commission, land acquisition was a priority made possible, in part, by the efforts of The Conservation Foundation. While serving on the DuPage County Board, Tom spearheaded the development and creation of the Southern DuPage Regional Trail, a 46 mile multi-use trail system which connects 11 communities across the southern half of DuPage County.
“The mission of The Conservation Foundation is near and dear to my heart. I grew up downstate along the Illinois River, where open space was taken for granted. After moving to the suburbs and commuting to Chicago on a daily basis, I felt disconnected from the benefits which open space and interaction with the environment provide. While on the Forest Preserve Commission of DuPage County and DuPage County Board, I was able to reconnect with my open space roots and help drive open space preservation, the development of multi-use trail systems and environmental awareness and education in DuPage County. During that time, I became familiar with The Conservation Foundation and became a “true believer” in its work. I am honored to be part of The Conservation Foundation, its mission and its past and future impact on northeastern Illinois and its residents.”
Tom is an avid outdoorsman, who spends his time with his 3 Boy Scout sons and his wonderful and patient spouse, Tracy, camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing.
Tom Bennington
Secretary
John Binneboese
John Binneboese was born, raised, and currently lives in Itasca with wife Julie. He is the Senior Vice President of Itasca Bank & Trust Co. where he has worked for 35 years. He is active in the community as a former member of the Board of Governors of Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, and Lake Park High School Educational Foundation. He also volunteers on local boards and commissions and is an Eagle Scout. Mr. Binneboese holds a BS degree with advanced degrees from American Institute of Banking, U of Colorado and U of Wisconsin-Madison. He has an avid interest in nature and an ambition to become Master Gardener.
“While reaching Eagle Scout, I developed a deep respect and love for the great outdoors and its preservation. Being part of the Foundation, I will try and draw on that emotion in support of the great works it performs, while learning about what more I can do to better the places I live.”
John Binneboese
Trustee
Pete Connolly
Pete and his wife Kathie moved to Wayne 18-years ago and he was recently reelected to his 5th four-year term as a Village Trustee. He is a member of the Wayne-DuPage Hunt, the Wayne Area Conservation Foundation and is a volunteer with the Wayne Historic Preservation Society in their project to restore the historic Wayne Depot. He enjoys golf, horseback riding, the outdoors, playing with his 20 month old first grandson and is excited to be working with The Conservation Foundation.
Pete Connolly
Trustee
Karen D'Arcy
Karen D’Arcy is the Board Chairman of the Land Conservancy of Will County, where she has been since 2005.
She is also a founding member and chairman of the Thorn Creek Ecosystem Partnership, a volunteer with Governors State University, Restore for Habitat for Humanity in Joliet, and a citizen scientist with Illinois RiverWatch.
Karen has also been an active part of the Hickory Creek Watershed BioBlitz, working with researchers to sample and identify aquatic organisms.
“I’m excited to join a group that’s so impactful in protecting our streams and rivers,” she said.
A resident of New Lenox, Karen is professor emeritus of analytical chemistry and recently retired after 31 years at Governors State University as a chemistry professor, division chair of science, department chair of chemistry and biological sciences, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education.
She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry from the University of Northern Colorado and a Ph.D. in environmental sciences and natural resources/chemistry from Portland State University.
Karen’s interest in The Conservation Foundation began after meetingour President/CEO Brook McDonald and other staff in the 1990s during her involvement in the ecosystem partnership movement. We are so happy to add her extensive scientific knowledge and her passion for river and stream protection to our team!
Karen D'Arcy
Trustee
Ken Holmstrom
We are honored to have Ken Holmstrom of Oswego join The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees, bringing years of community service and a strong commitment to preserving open space.
Ken is senior vice president at Allied First Bank in Oswego. He has served on the board of the Oswegoland Park District, is past chairman and treasurer for Oswegoland Park Foundation, is a commissioner for the Oswego Fire Commission and Oswego Plan Commission, and is a board member for the Susan Kiley Memorial Scholarship Fund.
“I’m hoping to contribute time and energy to The Conservation Foundation in preserving open space,” says Ken. “When I have time to get away, I run to nature. I retreat to our small lake home in Wisconsin. Nothing is more peaceful and relaxing than sitting and looking at the lake and surrounding trees. I’m grateful to have this space to share the wonders of nature with my grandchildren.”
Ken attended North Central College, Naperville; Southern Illinois University, Carbondale; Pepperdine University, Malibu, California; and the University of South Carolina, Graduate School of Bank Investments and Financial Management, Columbia, South Carolina.
Ken Holmstrom
Trustee
Dave Hulseberg
David Hulseberg is president/CEO of Seize the Future Development Foundation. Prior to leading Seize the Future, David was with the Village of Lombard, initially as assistant village manager/director of community development and most recently as village manager.
During his tenure with the Village of Lombard, David was instrumental in expanding the Village’s hotel and restaurant industries, increasing federal and state grants, progressive strategic planning, and integrating new technology into Village government operations. Previous to the Village of Lombard, David held positions with the Village of Mount Prospect and the Village of Arlington Heights in Illinois and the Town of Millbury in Massachusetts. He also served in the United States Army and as a congressional aide in the First Congressional District of Massachusetts for the United States House of Representatives.
David earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Westfield State University in Westfield, MA and a Masters of Public Administration degree with a concentration in urban management from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. He holds credentials as a certified city manager from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Certification from the American Planning Association.
Dave Hulseberg
Trustee
Robert Hutchinson
“When I was young you almost never saw a Cooper’s Hawk or a Great White Egret in DuPage County. Today they are rather common due to a better environment.”
Robert Hutchinson appreciates the environmental improvements that make it possible for us to observe more Cooper’s Hawks and Great White Egrets. According to Bob, who has been on the Board of Trustees since 1995, involvement with The Conservation Foundation provides him the opportunity to help create awareness of the need for open space and to participate in the process of preserving it. Serving as an officer and board member of the Foundation allows him to be a part of an organization that he sees “making things happen” in conservation and open space.
Bob is President of Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust, and has been in the banking profession for his entire career. Bob has been an active participant in the communities in which in lives and works. He served on the Good Samaritan Hospital Development Council, Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce, Downers Grove Economic Development Commission, and the boards of the DuPage Homeownership Center, Cosley Zoo and Choose DuPage. His personal interests include bird watching, fishing and golf. Bob is also a wildlife artist.
The Foundation has benefited from the financial and banking expertise that Bob has brought to the Board of Trustees. The Conservation Foundation has grown rapidly in the last ten years. Rapid growth is wonderful, but it brings financial planning and management challenges. Bob has helped The Foundation to smoothly adapt to its growth.
Bob and his wife Nadine live in Wheaton, and are the proud parents of twin daughters, Madeline and Anne, and son Bobby.
Robert Hutchinson
Trustee
Susan Jayne
Elgin resident Susan Jayne has been a member of The Conservation Foundtion for nearly 20 years, and we are honored to have her on our Board of Trustees. Sue was first introduced to the concept of conservation while participating in the Wayne DuPage Hunt with Brooks McCormick, one of the original founders of The Conservation Foundation.
“I look forward to learning from the experience of the staff and work to bring along that next generation,” Sue said. “By getting children exposed to nature, we can encourage a new generation of stewardship. I hope to build an awareness of the great work of this amazing team and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Sue has been an active member of our Kane County Advisory Council since 2004, is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, American Youth Soccer Organization, and is Diversity Committee co-chair for the Illinois Fox Valley SHRM Chapter.
She attended the University of Iowa, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration, Administrative Management degree, and has been certified as Senior Professional in Human Resources since 2000.
Sue currently is Senior Recruiter for Cafe Zupas, with previous experience at DSC Logistics, Ondeo Nalco Chemical Company, Starbucks Coffee Company and Arthur Andersen.
Susan Jayne
Trustee
Carole Koch
Carole Koch, former chairperson of The Green Earth Institute, has joined the board of The Conservation Foundation, following a merger of the two conservation organizations in January of 2018.
Carole, who lives in Naperville, has been with Green Earth Institute since 2003 and in addition to volunteering, has served on its board of directors as well as producing marketing materials for the Community Supported Agriculture program.
She has worked as director of human resources at the University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics, and as Chief HR Officer/Associate Hospital Director at the U of I Medical Center in Chicago. Carole was a volunteer docent for 10 years at the Robert McCormick Museum, Cantigny Park, in Wheaton, and served on the board of directors for the Naperville Chorus for three years.
Carole received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is a native Chicagoan who says she moved to the suburbs 38 years ago to escape the concrete.
“The local population was a mere 44,000 then, so I’ve seen first-hand how quickly open land can disappear and just how important it is to protect both our land and our rivers,” she said.
As far as what she hopes to accomplish as a trustee, she says there is much to learn and there are many opportunities in which to be involved.
“I will be focused on supporting the smooth transition of the Green Earth Institute into The Conservation Foundation,” says Carole. “I have been very impressed with what I’ve seen so far, and find the new Nature Rx initiative of particular interest.”
Carole Koch
Trustee
Julie Long
Julie Long has been a long-time supporter of The Conservation Foundation and was also involved with Fox Valley Land Foundation, which merged with The Conservation Foundation in 2007.
She is currently working as a monitor on Ferson Creek and is a certified naturalist. Long is an active volunteer for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the St. Charles Park District, and the Kane County Audubon Society. She also has helped The Conservation Foundation pass three open space referenda with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County.
Julie graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and lives with her husband Dan in St. Charles.
Julie Long
Trustee
Joe Mikan
Joe Mikan is a lifelong resident of Will County and a former Will County Executive and Forest Preserve Commissioner. He spearheaded an initiative to create a new comprehensive land use plan for Will County which received the Burnham award for creativity, and became familiar with The Conservation Foundation through their involvement in this process. Joe played a significant role in passing the 2005 successful open space referendum in Will County, co-chairing the campaign committee under the Foundation’s leadership.
Both his personal and professional lives have made Joe aware of the pressures on natural resources and the need to protect them, so it was an easy sell when he was approached to join The Conservation Foundation’s Board. “I’m the third generation of my family to live in Will County. I’ve seen the changes that uncontrolled growth brings to the area, and while I’m not against growth, I certainly know there are better ways to do it than some of the ways it is currently being done.”
Joe brings a visionary yet practical perspective to the Board of Trustees. “I would like to see The Conservation Foundation continue the transition from a DuPage organization to a Northeastern Illinois regional organization,” says Joe. “I think the organization just gets stronger by spreading out and making more communities feel that they are part of the Foundation. That’s going to be easy to do as growth continues. These other communities will feel the need for the Foundation and the expertise the staff brings to them and I think it’s going to be exciting to be a part of all of that.”
An avid outdoorsman and golfer, Joe currently runs the family insurance business, which has been serving the community since 1921, and is also a farm owner. He has practiced the message he preaches by placing the streams and wetlands on his 160-acre Iowa farm into conservation programs. He is a graduate of North Central College in Naperville and he and his wife Lynn have raised their three sons in his hometown of Lockport.
Joe Mikan
Trustee
Kaaren Oldfield
Kaaren Oldfield lives in DuPage County. She holds a Master’s Degree in Management and Organizational Behavior from National Louis University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Communications from UIC, and is a graduate of the Institute of Advanced Advertising at Northwestern University. Currently she is a Broker and Real Estate Consultant with Keller Williams Premier Properties. Formerly she has worked as a marketing specialist and consultant, a newspaper editor and reporter and a television producer. Kaaren has served as commissioner for the DuPage Airport Authority. At The Conservation Foundation, she has served on our board twice: from 1998-2002 and currently since 2012. Kaaren has consulted with The Conservation Foundation on campaign strategy which resulted in the successful passing of all 13 open space referenda campaigns we have run.
Kaaren Oldfield
Trustee
Jack Pizzo
Jack was born and raised in Naperville, and currently lives on 40 acres near Sycamore and his business, Pizzo & Associates Ecological Restoration, is on 35 acres near Leland. He has restored and placed conservation easements on both of his properties, with the Leland easement held by The Conservation Foundation. Jack’s company is one of the more highly respected respected ecological restoration companies in the Midwest. They have done work for The Conservation Foundation and have “adopted” the McDonald Farm, providing in-kind ecological management and native landscaping. Jack and his company have been long time supporters of The Conservation Foundation.
Jack Pizzo
Trustee
Jeanette Press
Jeanette Press joined the Board of Trustees of The Conservation Foundation in March 2018.
Jeanette is Vice President, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer for Univar Solutions, leading the company’s internal and external financial accounting and reporting.
Prior to Univar Solutions, Jeanette served as Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of USG Corporation. Jeanette joined USG from the audit practice at KPMG LLP, where she spent more than 13 years serving both public and private, multinational corporations. While at KPMG, she spent three years in the firm’s national office in New York City, advising the firm’s audit and advisory professionals and clients on the application of accounting principles, Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations, risk management and independence matters.
Jeanette graduated magnum cum laude from Loyola University with a degree in accounting and she is a licensed CPA. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves on the Loyola University Accounting Advisory Board.
“I’m happy to be part of an organization whose goal is to save open spaces,” Jeanette said. “It’s where I love to be. It’s part of what we enjoy about living in the suburbs.”
She said she loves open space and feels it is an important area of pride for a community, and she hopes to get younger constituents involved in preserving land and to get them to know about The Conservation Foundation’s mission. Jeanette feels there is wide reaching impact and immeasurable value in the Foundation’s mission to preserve land and restore rivers and streams since the benefit reaches everyone. She and her husband, Dave, live in Lisle.
Jeanette Press
Trustee
Ben Schwarz
Ben Schwarz of Elgin has been a lawyer since 1971 and has served on the Review Board of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission since 2011. He is also active in the Kane County and Illinois State Bar Associations where he has held several committee positions.
Ben is also an active volunteer at the Elgin Boys and Girls Club and recently facilitated the formation of a Mighty Acorns® program at the Boys and Girls Club led by The Conservation Foundation.
Ben Schwarz
Trustee
Patricia Tauchert
Open space restoration will continue to be supported by attorney Patricia Tauchert as she joins The Conservation Foundation’s board of trustees.
Patricia Tauchert
Trustee
Lois Vitt-Sale
Lois Vitt Sale of Downers Grove brings her expertise in sustainable architecture to our Board. Lois is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Wight & Company, and in her 25 years as an architect has completed more than 70 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) projects, including Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook and the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago.
Lois is also the lead architect of the brand new Knoch Knolls Nature Center, located just across from our McDonald Farm in south Naperville.. And to add to her list of accolades, Lois is a LEED Faculty member with the U.S. Green Building Council and teaches sustainable construction as adjunct faculty at Northwestern University.
Lois Vitt-Sale
Trustee
Daniel Wagner
Daniel Wagner is Senior Vice President of Government Relations for The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies. He has been a licensed real estate broker since 2004 and holds Series 7 and Series 63 Security licenses.
Dan currently serves on numerous real estate industry and governmental boards and committees. He is President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) He serves on the Illinois Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors and is the Chair of the REALTOR® Political Action Committee Trustees. For the National Association of REALTORS® he is Chairman of the Commercial Legislative and Regulatory Advisory Board and was recently named 2016 Commercial Liaison. He is also a commissioner on the DuPage Airport Authority and serves as the Chairman of the Authority’s Capital Development Committee. He is Chairman of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and actively involved with the Village of Oak Brook.
As a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Dan has been a significant contributor and advocate for the Marketplace Fairness Act currently in debate by the U.S. Congress. Dan is also a member of the Investment Program Association’s Public Affairs Committee and part of the Real Estate Roundtable’s 1031 Like Kind Exchange Coalition. He is a board member for the Civic Federation of Chicago and active in the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Manufacturers Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the United States Chamber of Commerce.
In 2014, he received the Advocacy Award from the Illinois Park and Recreation Association for his work on behalf of special needs children in his community. Dan is a longtime volunteer for the Conservation Foundation and the Wellness House as well. In 2015, the Illinois State University Political Science Department honored Dan at the University’s Annual Homecoming Alumni Event.
Dan obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Illinois State University. Dan is married and has four children, three of whom are triplets.
Daniel Wagner
Trustee
Jeff Wehrli
Jeff Wehrli of Oswego has joined The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees after retiring as Kendall County Forest Preserve president for six years.
Jeff served on the Kendall County Board for a total of 13 year, also serving as a forest preserve commissioner during that time. He worked with the assistance of The Conservation Foundation to pass two referenda totaling $50 million, which was used to purchase and improve Kendall County forest preserves.
After retiring last year,Jeffi said he didn’t want to stop all the good things that had been accomplished in Kendall County.
“I want to see it continue, and The Conservation Foundation is an obvious way to do that and help out different communities,” he said. “If I can help out with that I’d be happy.”
Jeff grew up in Naperville, where the Wehrli name goes back generations. He said the subdivision he grew up in included large wooded lots. He remembers he had two rules as a kid: lunch is at noon and dinner is at six. He said he would like his granddaughter to enjoy the outdoors as he did as a child.
After working for his uncle in excavating while still in high school, he realized he wanted to continue in the field, so he started Jeff Wehrli Excavating in 1985.
Jeff lives in Oswego with his wife Barb and they have two grown children.
Jeff Wehrli
Trustee
Dennis Wisnosky
With bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Mathematics and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Management Science, Dennis Wisnosky is not short on book-smarts, but he finds his greatest fascination in nature. Dennis decided to join The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees because he wants to see as much open space preserved as possible.
“You can’t have too much,” Dennis said. “It’s what distinguishes this country from the rest; we intentionally preserve land and we recognize the folly of our past of destroying the ability for water to sustain animals, including us.”
Dennis is senior advisor/consultant for the Enterprise Data Management Council and he and his wife Rosemary have lived in Naperville for more than 30 years. During that time, they have both been heavily involved in the work of The Conservation Foundation and are frequent attendees of our activities and events.
In addition to his distinguished career and professional achievements, including being named one of the five heroes of manufacturing by Fortune Magazine in 1997, Dennis is also a pilot and loves taking people up in his restored 1942 Piper Cub airplane.
“I am privileged to have the opportunity to work closely with The Conservation Foundation’s leadership in pursuing our mission of preserving land and protecting rivers and streams,” Dennis said.
Dennis Wisnosky
Trustee
Advisory Council
DuPage County
Lisa Beckwith, Wheaton
Mike Benard, Wheaton
Andi Cooper, Lombard
Bill Dawe, Naperville
Geri Estavanik, Addison
Scott Day, Naperville
Dr. Stephen Gieser, West Chicago
Rich Guerard, Wheaton
Dave Harris, Glen Ellyn
Gwen Henry, Wheaton
Roger Kotecki, Carol Stream
Matt LaFond, Wheaton
Mark McKinnon. Addison
Rich Reichert, Elmhurst
Scott Shorney, Carol Stream
Anna Stadnyk, Downers Grove
Joe Wark, Glen Ellyn
Rosemary Macko Wisnosky, Naperville
Will County
Paul Fay, Plainfield
Howard Hamilton, Joliet
Pam Meyers, Homer Glen
Margaret Sabo, Homer Glen
Kent Simms, Bolingbrook
Laurel Ward, Homer Glen
Owen Wavrinek, Aurora
Gerhardt Werber, Naperville
Kane County
Mavis Bates, Aurora
Trish Beckjord, St. Charles
Jim Breen, St. Charles
Nancy Cox, St. Charles
Marvel Davis, Big Rock
Patricia Golden, Dundee
Kim Haag, Elburn
Ben Haberthur, Geneva
Carol Hancock, Wayne
Susan Harney, Sleepy Hollow
Janice Hill, Aurora
Nancy Hopp, Aurora
Dave Hulseberg, Aurora
Susan Jayne, Elgin
Jerome Johnson, LaFox
June Keibler, Dundee
Mike Kenyon, South Elgin
Gloria Klimek, St. Charles
Grace Koehler, St. Charles
Vernon LaVia, Aurora
Rob Linke, Campton Hills
Julie Long, St. Charles
Karen Miller, Geneva
Mark Mylott, Elgin
Mary Ochsenschlager, Sugar Grove
Jeff Palmquist, Geneva
Stephane Phifer, Aurora
Ben Schwarz, Elgin
Jack Shouba, Campton Hills
Christine Sobek, Geneva
Maggie Soliz, Batavia
Jan Sorensen, St. Charles
Gary Swick, Elgin
Pat Tauchert, Dundee
Dave Waden, Elgin
Shauna Wiet, Aurora
Barb Wojnicki, Campton Township
Jay Womack, Geneva
Kendall County
Deanna Bazan, Yorkville
Gretta Bieber, Newark
Grant Castleton, Oswego
Nathan Ewing, Yorkville
Sarah Fellerer, Yorkville
Tracey Fischer, Yorkville
Jim Friedrich, Newark
Kay Hatcher, Montgomery
Steven & Kathryn Graves, Millington
Dave Guritz, Yorkville
Amy Hamilton, Plano
Scott Johnson, Oswego
Tim Kellogg, Yorkville
Jackie Kowalski, Millbrook
Jennine Kristianson, Millbrook
Kyle Lambert, Montgomery
Joan McEachern, Yorkville
Pam Parr, Oswego
Joan Soltwisch, Minooka
Dr. Craig Stevenson, Plano
Wally Werderich, Yorkville
Dick Whitfield, Newark
Leadership Board
James Bramsen, President/CEO
Spraying Systems Company
Anthony A. Casaccio, President
Inland Real Estate Development Corp.
Jack E. Mensching, President
Itasca Bank & Trust Company
Robert J. Schillerstrom, Chairman
Illinois Tollway Authority
Past Board Chairman of The Conservation Foundation
Former DuPage County Chairman
Christine Sobek, Ed.D., President
Waubonsee Community College
Former Trustee of The Conservation Foundation
Stephen C. Van Arsdell, Retired Chairman/CEO
Deloitte & Touche