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.

President/CEO

Brook McDonald

President/CEO
630-428-4500
Ext. 112
bmcdonald@theconservationfoundation.org
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.
- President/CEO

VP of Land & Watershed Programs

Dan Lobbes

VP of Land & Watershed Programs
630-428-4500
Ext. 104
dlobbes@theconservationfoundation.org
Dan is the Director of Land Protection 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.
- VP of Land & Watershed Programs

Senior Advancement Officer

Abby Beck

Senior Advancement Officer
630-428-4500
Ext. 135
abeck@theconservationfoundation.org
Abby Beck is the Senior Advancement Officer for The Conservation Foundation. Abby holds a bachelor’s in business administration from University of Illinois and a master’s in environmental science from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Concerned with urban sprawl’s effects on communities, Abby returned home after graduate school and put her education to work first as an appointed member of the Batavia Environmental Commission and now as an elected member of Batavia’s City Council. She also brings a background in event planning and corporate communications to TCF.
Abby, a fifth generation Batavian, can often be seen around town on her Dutch-style cargo bike with her husband, Jeff, and their three boys; Logan, Elliott and Theodore.
- Senior Advancement Officer

Conservation@Home Assistant

Nancy Cinatl

Conservation@Home Assistant
630-428-4500
Ext. 120
ncinatl@theconservationfoundation.org
- Conservation@Home Assistant

Watershed Project Manager, DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup

Deanna Doohaluk

Watershed Project Manager, DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup
630-428-4500
Ext. 133
ddoohaluk@theconservationfoundation.org
- Watershed Project Manager, DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup

Green Earth Harvest Program Coordinator

Sheryl Fasone

Green Earth Harvest Program Coordinator
630-428-4500
Ext. 154
sfasone@theconservationfoundation.org
Sheryl joined The Conservation Foundation in the fall of 2019. After spending most of her career as a Client Relationship Manager serving a variety of organizations, she was drawn to The Conservation Foundation and the Green Earth Harvest program because of her love of nature and her dedication to conservation and a healthy-living lifestyle.
Sheryl lives in Lisle with her husband, 3 kids, her dog, Maybel, and cat, Merlin. When she’s not watching her kids’ sporting events, she enjoys playing volleyball, biking, cooking, and volunteering.
- Green Earth Harvest Program Coordinator

McDonald Farm Manager

Jason Halm

McDonald Farm Manager
630-553-0687
Ext. 151
jhalm@theconservationfoundation.org
- McDonald Farm Manager

Environmental Scientist

Alex Handel

Environmental Scientist
630-428-4500
Ext. 156
ahandel@theconservationfoundation.org
Alex works as an environmental scientist and provides technical and field support for the watershed team and for the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup, Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition, and the Lower Des Plaines Watershed Group. Alex has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Iowa State University. Prior to The Conservation Foundation, he has worked as a lab and field technician for a wetlands research lab, and was a program director at a youth camp teaching wildlife conservation.
- Environmental Scientist

Land Conservation & Restoration Specialist

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.
- Land Conservation & Restoration Specialist

Volunteer Coordinator

Cassie Hatzfeld

Volunteer Coordinator
630-428-4500
Ext. 157
chatzfeld@theconservationfoundation.org
Cassie Hatzfeld’s interest and passion for being outside sprouted at an early age. Cassie remembers spending her early days outdoors with family and friends in a small town in New Jersey, and special vacations at the beach. Cassie was fortunate to foster this love of the environment and earned her B.S. in Environmental Science at Loyola University Chicago. Before moving to Oswego in 2016, Cassie spent seven years in Chicago working with a team to develop the Volunteer Program in the Forest Preserves of Cook County, the largest urban forest preserve in the country. She has over ten year of experience getting volunteers active and involved in the green spaces around them. Cassie is energetic about volunteering and committed to nature. She believes a strong volunteer program is a fantastic way to connect people with the environment and their community and can also build a lifelong tie to an organization. As an active mother of three adventurous boys, she gets to witness the power of nature every day.
- Volunteer Coordinator

Communications Manager

Jill Johnson

Communications Manager
630-428-4500
Ext. 105
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.
- Communications Manager

Conservation@Home Program Director

Jim Kleinwachter

Conservation@Home Program Director
630-428-4500
Ext. 115
jkleinwachter@theconservationfoundation.org
- Conservation@Home Program Director

Director of DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup

Stephen McCracken

Director of DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup
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.
- Director of DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup

Watershed Product Manager

Hanna Miller

Watershed Product Manager
630-428-4500
Ext. 108
hmiller@theconservationfoundation.org
Hanna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Geosciences from Hamilton College and prior to joining The Conservation Foundation she worked in stormwater management for a municipality in North Carolina. Hanna loves everything about water and is excited to help protect and preserve our local waterways!
Hanna lives in Brookfield with her husband, two dogs, and cat. In her free time, she loves hiking and camping with friends and family, cooking, and woodworking.
- Watershed Product Manager

Kane & Kendall County Program Director

Jessica Mino

Kane & Kendall County Program Director
630-428-4500
Ext. 106
jmino@theconservationfoundation.org
- Kane & Kendall County Program Director

VP of Finance & Administration

Gindi Orloff

VP of Finance & Administration
630-428-4500
Ext. 124
gorloff@theconservationfoundation.org
Gindi joined The Conservation Foundation in the fall of 2019. After a long tenure in the outdoor recreation industry, she is thrilled to be working for a nonprofit organization where the work is so meaningful.
Gindi graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a Finance & International Business degree and Spanish minor. She lives in St Charles with her husband, 2 sons and their menagerie of animals including 3 dogs, a horse and a crested gecko. In her free time she enjoys watching her sons play soccer, horseback riding, running and spending time outside.
- VP of Finance & Administration

Youth Programs Manager

Amy Phillips

Youth Programs Manager
630-428-4500
Ext. 113
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.
- Youth Programs Manager

Communication Specialist

Lea Rodbarry

Communication Specialist
630-428-4500
Ext. 109
lrodbarry@theconservationfoundation.org
Lea Rodbarry is a Communication Specialist for The Conservation Foundation. Lea creates education and outreach materials for the Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition and Lower Des Plaines River Work Group. She also produces videos and graphics for the whole organization.
Lea earned her bachelor’s degree in Film with a minor in Environmental Policy & Culture from Northwestern University.
- Communication Specialist

DuPage County Program Director

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.
- DuPage County Program Director

Member Services Manager

Carrie Thompson

Member Services Manager
630-428-4500
Ext. 110
cthompson@theconservationfoundation.org
Carrie works part time as our Member Services Manager 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.
- Member Services Manager

Mighty Acorns® Program Coordinator

Carolyn Wagner

Mighty Acorns® Program Coordinator
630-428-4500
Ext. 111
cwagner@theconservationfoundation.org
Carolyn Wagner is the Mighty Acorns Program Coordinator, whose program provides children opportunities to make nature connections through exploration and community based stewardship. Carolyn has been involved in Mighty Acorns at The Conservation Foundation for over 20 years, starting as a volunteer in 1998 before becoming an employee.
Carolyn received a B.S. in Botany from Iowa State University and a Master’s of Science in Secondary Education from Northern Illinois University. She began her career in education as high school biology teacher, but the outdoors beckoned. Before landing at The Conservation Foundation, she was fortunate to have worked alongside highly respected scientists and educators at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Lincoln Park Zoo, Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Madison, WI), and The Morton Arboretum.
Carolyn lives in Naperville with her husband John and two cats. They have three adult children- Ted, Laura, and Julianne, as well as a daughter –in-law Becky. Carolyn loves to cook, garden, read, travel, and explore natural areas.
- Mighty Acorns® Program Coordinator

Environmental Educator

Joe Jakupcak

Environmental Educator
630-428-4500
jjakupcak@theconservationfoundation.org
- Environmental Educator

Environmental Educator

Connie Kollmeyer

Environmental Educator
630-428-4500
ckollmeyer@theconservationfoundation.org
- Environmental Educator

Environmental Educator

Maura Neuffer

Environmental Educator
630-428-4500
mneuffer@theconservationfoundation.org
Maura has been an Environmental Educator with The Conservation Foundation for ten years. She brings a broad background of educational experience to the organization, and a passion for serving individuals with diverse learning needs.
For five years Maura worked as Naturalist at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center where she designed and taught nature programs for all ages. She led community volunteers on monthly restoration workdays, adding to the native plant biodiversity of the 67-acre site. Maura was awarded the City of Elgin Sustainability Honor Roll Award in 2017.
She earned her Interpretive Naturalist Certificate from The Morton Arboretum where she worked as a Naturalist Guide leading school programs from preschool through grade 12. She volunteered as a frog monitor and continues as a volunteer for the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring network at the Morton Arboretum.
Maura holds degrees from UC Berkeley in Development Studies, and a M.S. Ed. from Northern Illinois University in Special Education, K-12. Maura is a National Association of Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide.
Currently Maura lives in Lisle with her husband, David. When Maura is not working, she enjoys hiking, and birding.
- Environmental Educator

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Agustin Gonzalez

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew
630-428-4500
agonzalez@theconservationfoundation.org
- Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Assistant Farm Manager

Jackson Yow

Assistant Farm Manager
630-428-4500
jyow@theconservationfoundation.org
- Assistant Farm Manager

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Alli McIlvain

Digital Marketing Coordinator
630-428-4500
Ext. 116
amcilvain@theconservationfoundation.org
Alli McIlvain is the Digital Marketing Specialist at The Conservation Foundation. She attended the University of Illinois where she attained a bachelor’s degree in Advertising with a minor in Earth, Society and Environmental Sustainability. Prior to joining The Conservation Foundation, Alli’s worked at both a leading marketing agency and an in-house marketing team.
- Digital Marketing Coordinator

Mains Intern

Annalise Chelsen

Mains Intern
630-428-4500
Annalise Chelsen is a student at Wheaton College studying Anthropology and Environmental Sustainability. She is delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the work of The Conservation Foundation through this internship.
- Mains Intern

VP of Community Conservation

Alison Paul

VP of Community Conservation
630-428-4500
Ext. 158
apaul@theconservationfoundation.org
- VP of Community Conservation

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Chuck Morrison

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew
630-428-4500
cmorrison@theconservationfoundation.org
- Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Russell Cerocke

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew
630-428-4500
rcerocke@theconservationfoundation.org
- Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Jim Eckert

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew
630-428-4500
jeckert@theconservationfoundation.org
- Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Mains Intern

Ethan Emerson

Mains Intern
630-428-4500
Ethan Emerson is a The Conservation Foundation Mains Family Intern from Grand Rapids, MI. He is studying Environmental Science and Geology at Wheaton College. Ethan loves to fly fish and climb, ask him about it sometime!
- Mains Intern

Land Stewardship Manager

Renae Frigo

Land Stewardship Manager
630-428-4500
Ext. 159
rfrigo@theconservationfoundation.org
- Land Stewardship Manager

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Eric Izzo

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew
630-428-4500
eizzo@theconservationfoundation.org
- Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Environmental Educator

Lisa O’Brien

Environmental Educator
630-428-4500
lobrien@theconservationfoundation.org
- Environmental Educator

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Mac Thompson

Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew
630-428-4500
mthompson@theconservationfoundation.org
- Green Earth Harvest Farm Crew

Mains Intern

Jessica Valete

Mains Intern
630-428-4500
Jess joined The Conservation Foundation as an intern in the spring of 2022. She is a junior at North Central College in Naperville, IL majoring in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Sustainability and Sustainable business. When not in class or at work, you can find her hiking with her dog, Doc Holliday.
- Mains Intern

Environmental Educator

Patrick Williams

Environmental Educator
630-428-4500
pwilliams@theconservationfoundation.org
- Environmental Educator

Chairman

Dr. Christopher Burke

Chairman
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.”
- Chairman

Vice Chairman

Nancy Hopp

Vice Chairman
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 lives in Aurora in her childhood home. She has a 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.”
- Vice Chairman

Treasurer

Thomas Schneider

Treasurer
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.
- Treasurer

Secretary

Tom Bennington

Secretary
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.
- Secretary

Trustee

John Binneboese

Trustee
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.”
- Trustee

Trustee

Lourdes “Lulu” Blacksmith

Trustee
Lourdes “Lulu” Blacksmith is the Managing Director of Community Engagement and Legislative Affairs at Elgin Community College, managing the college’s legislative initiatives and building impactful relationships with district residents, businesses and organizations. Prior to joining Elgin Community College, Lulu served as the Dean of Student and Community/Government Engagement at Waubonsee Community College, and as the Director of Community Relations and District Press Secretary for the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lulu has an extensive record of community service in the Fox Valley including founding Compañeros en Salud / Partners in Health, NFP in 1999 to provide the Hispanic community and other diverse groups with the means to access resources and services for their health and well-being. In 2000, Lulu also founded Language Access to Healthcare, a free community-based, health care interpreting service to increase access to health care. Currently, Lulu is involved with Compañeros en Salud/Partners in Health, NFP., the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, and the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Business and Economic Revival Council.
Lulu earned her Doctor of Education degree in Leadership in Higher Education and Organizational Change from Benedictine University, a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University, her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on multicultural studies from DePaul University and her associate’s degree from Waubonsee Community College.
Lulu lives in Elburn, IL with her husband Steve and has two daughters, Nikki and Stefanie.
- Trustee

Trustee

Pete Connolly

Trustee
Pete was raised in Southwestern Ohio and moved to the Chicagoland area after receiving his BS in Finance from Wright State University. He enjoyed a 40-year career in banking starting as a federal bank examiner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and retiring from JPMorgan Chase Bank after 34-years in commercial banking with Chase and its predecessors in the Chicago suburbs. During this time he was active in various civic/business organizations including a term as President of the 1,000 member Northwest Suburban Association of Commerce and Industry.
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.
- Trustee

Trustee

Dave Gorman

Trustee
Dave Gorman spent much of his childhood in south suburban Sauk Trail Woods searching for and bringing home plenty of frogs, snakes, turtles and wild onions. That and other early experiences instilled in him a lifelong passion for the outdoors. He has also paddled many of the navigable waters in Northeastern Illinois, and happily fills his canoe with trash each year during the DuPage River Sweep.
Dave is a civil engineer, working as the Assistant Director of Public Works for the Village of Lombard. He has led the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup as President since 2012, working closely with The Conservation Foundation’s staff to improve our local waterways. He previously worked in floodplain management, public water regulations, and dam safety for the Illinois DNR, aside other state agencies and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The first few years of his career was as a Peace Corps volunteer, building rural community infrastructure and leading other development programs in the Kingdom of Lesotho in Southern Africa.
As an endurance runner and biker, Dave greatly appreciates the mindfulness achievable in those activities. His project “Bikes for Lesotho” has sent over 6,000 bikes to orphans and others in poverty, and has been instrumental to develop a cycling culture there. He also serves as Board Secretary of Working Bikes, a nonprofit in Chicago that has grown since 1999 to annually collect and redistribute over 12,000 used bikes for people in need around Chicagoland and internationally.
Dave summarizes his environmental ethic in this way: “What we do today has an impact on at least the next seven generations. That’s a serious responsibility, and also a great opportunity. The Conservation Foundation is uniquely able to protect local open spaces for us and for them. Rolling up our collective sleeves and getting to work on that is extremely satisfying!”
- Trustee

Trustee

John Gormley

Trustee
John Gormley is CEO of the 19,000-member Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®, headquartered in Downers Grove. Mainstreet is the largest local real estate association in Illinois and seventh-largest in the U.S.
John has 33 years’ experience in association management. His first association job was with the Louisiana Forestry Association, from 1987-89.
He has a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree from Texas State University.
“I’m excited to serve on the The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees because the work and impacts are long-term,” said John. “The Conservation Foundation’s mission, preserving land for the enjoyment of future generations, is critically important.”
- Trustee

Trustee

Dave Hulseberg

Trustee
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.
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Trustee

Robert Hutchinson

Trustee
“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.
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Trustee

Susan Jayne

Trustee
Elgin resident Susan Jayne has been a member of The Conservation Foundation 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 my fellow Board of Trustees members, and to working to bring along the next generation,” Sue said. “By engaging young conservationists in the world of 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, the Illinois Fox Valley SHRM Chapter, and is President of the Hound Heritage Foundation.
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 is currently a Manager, Talent Acquisition with KPMG, with previous recruiting experience at Starbucks Coffee Company, Deloitte and Arthur Andersen.
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Trustee

Carole Koch

Trustee
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.”
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Trustee

Julie Long

Trustee
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.
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Trustee

Joe Mikan

Trustee
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.
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Trustee

Jeanette Press

Trustee
Jeanette Press joined the Board of Trustees of The Conservation Foundation in March 2018.
Jeanette is Interim Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer for CMC Materials, leading the company’s global finance organization.
Prior to CMC Materials, Jeanette served as Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of Univar Solutions and 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, her husband, Dave, and dog, Clive, live in Lisle.
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Trustee

Mario Short

Trustee
Mario Short is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a Construction industry professional with more than twenty (20) years of experience.
He serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of SYTE Corporation. Under Mario’s leadership, the company has earned local, regional and national recognition, and has established itself as a preferred partner for mission-critical government agencies and private sector firms.
At SYTE, Mario has fostered a culture steeped in collaboration, transparency, and performance excellence. He studied Electrical Engineering at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, and received his executive education at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business in Hanover, NH.
“I’m honored to have been invited to the Board of Trustees of The Conservation Foundation, the Mid-west’s leader in the protection of our land and water resources,” said Mario about becoming part of our leadership.
His many other public service contributions include serving and supporting veteran-based organizations such as Leave No Veterans Behind and the Dive Heart Military Wounded Program.
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Trustee

Lois Vitt-Sale

Trustee
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.
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Advisory Council
DuPage County
Ken Bartels, Elmhurst
Lisa Beckwith, Wheaton
Bill Bedrossian, Wheaton
Mike Benard, Wheaton
Andi Cooper, Lombard
Bill Dawe, Naperville
Scott Day, Naperville
Renae Frigo, Glen Ellyn
Alvin Gates, Lisle
Jay Gilbert, Glen Ellyn
Lulú Hertenstein, Aurora
Joy Hinz, Wheaton
Matt LaFond, Wheaton
Beth Marchetti, Oak Brook
Curt Pascoe, Wheaton
Carl Peterson, Wheaton
Rich Reichert, Elmhurst
Steve Stawarz, Oak Brook
Shefali Trivedi, Wheaton
Rosemary Macko Wisnosky, Naperville
Will County
Eric Anderson, Aurora
Gideon Blustein
Mary Carrington, Crete
Karen D’Arcy, New Lenox
Marcy DeMauro, Joliet
Robin Ellis
Marc Gorsch, Joliet
Marta Keane, Plano
Jay Kelly
Terry Kestel, New Lenox
Joe Mikan, Orland Park
Dan Peloquin
Doug Pryor, Morris
Ralph Schultz, Joliet
Mike Schwartz
Kelsay Shaw, Monee
Owen Wavrinek, Aurora
Kane County
Mavis Bates, Aurora
Jim Breen, St. Charles
Nancy Cox, St. Charles
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
Next Generation Advisory Council
Robb Cleave, South Elgin
Kelsey Galante, Lisle
Krista Glosson, Gilberts
Leigha Green, Naperville
Erik Gullickson, Crystal Lake
Hayley Hawkinson, West Chicago
Rachel Hitzemann, Wheaton
Bob Ijams, Oswego
Eric Izzo, Naperville
Kayla Sue Jacobs, Villa Park
Kristin Kalamatas, Roselle
Scott Kauffman, Yorkville
Thomas Konopka, Naperville
Hanna Lavin, Downers Grove
Kyla Muhammad, Bolingbrook
Josh Nelson, St. Charles
Beth Peluse, Lombard
Alison Sherwood, Naperville
Ryan Solomon, St. Charles
Click here to learn more about our
Next Generation Advisory Council!
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