Our Team
The management team of Children’s Place Association brings together their diverse backgrounds to help fulfill our mission.
Founding Board of Directors
In the late 1980s a small group of concerned Chicagoans responded to the HIV/AIDS health crisis and its impact on children by creating a new organization. Its original program, a 10-bed Children’s Residential Center with 24-hour nursing care, opened in 1991 – one of the first of its kind in the nation.
Thank you to the Founding Board of Directors.
Robert T. Bale Henrietta Bertelsman Joseph Hickey Jack Lee (in memoriam) Elizabeth LeTourneau-Lee Langdon D. Neal Amy Puccinelli Jack Strand Ram Yogev, MD
Board of Directors
Children’s Place Association Board of Directors is made up of community and business leaders. Their diverse backgrounds bring unique perspectives and leadership to the organization.
Officers
Michael Silverman, Chair Senior Vice President – Chief Legal Officer and Specialized Operations SmithBucklin
Bob Ryan, Vice Chair Chief Financial Officer/Co-Owner Goldfish Swim School
Christopher Murphy, CPA, Treasurer Partner RSM US
Bethany Neckvatal, Secretary Senior Vice President Mesirow Financial Currency Management Group
Board Members
Brenda B. Asare President and CEO The Alford Group
Robert T. Bale Community Volunteer Founding Board Member
Josephine Calderon Vice President & Senior Trust Officer – Trust & Wealth Management Devon Bank
John J. Durso Attorney at Law
Brian K. Greenblatt* President, Middle Market – Commercial Banking CIBC
Richard D. Joutras Chairman of the Board (Retired) SG360° a Segerdahl Company
Harold A. Kessler, MD Global Medical Director ViiV Healthcare
Raymond J. Mulligan Vice President (Retired) Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Edward F. Otto* Principal Ted Otto Group, LLC
Kathleen Ryan Sellew* Managing Director (Retired) Marsh USA Inc.
Diana Ware Vice President, Corporate Senior Risk Manager Alliant/Mesirow Insurance Services
Leadership Advisory Council
Robert T. Bale* Community Volunteer
Langdon D. Neal* Principal and Owner Neal & Leroy, LLC
Richard S. Price Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mesirow Financial
Mrs. John R. Walter Community Volunteer & Co-Founder of The Auxiliary of Children’s Place Association
* Indicates past Board Chair
Junior Board
Children’s Place Association Junior Board is made up of young professionals committed to using their networks to raise awareness of and for the organization.
Officers
Maggie Ryan, President – CIBC
Stepanie Vlamis, Recruitment Chair – CIBC
Breck Seitz, Philanthropy Chair – CNA
Kloie McCann, Event Co-Chair – CIBC
Maureen McCluskey, Event Co-Chair – Duane Morris LLP
Jenna Hinsdale, Raffle Chair President – Mesirow Financial
Megan Zande’ Event Co-Chair CIBC
Greg Bortz Lincoln International LLC
Bridgette Bouse CIBC
Derek Breese CIBC
Nicolas Anderson Jahn US
Mike Bensdorf ComEd
Marie Cunningham Mesirow Financial
Ryan Downs Huron
Jillian Dougherty MB Financial
Hannah Ferstel CIBC
Michael Free CIBC
Danielle Haddad CNA
Leigh Loftus Loftus Inc
Madeline MeGinnis CIBC
Skylar Mihalik CNA
Madison Mooney CNA
Steven Pesce Fifth Third Bank
Ray Ross RSM US
Sam Smola CIBC
Christina Valdes CIBC
Kelly Whitney Duchossois Capital Management
Sean Whitney Mainstreet Advisors
Megan Zande CIBC
International Board of Directors
The Board of Children’s Place International is made up of individuals from the Chicago community and abroad who are committed to bringing vital services to high-need regions of the world.
Officers
Leslie McLeod, Chair Senior Vice President Alliant Employee Benefits Alliant/Mesirow Insurance Services
Brad Dunlap, Vice Chair Vice President Business Development Civco Medical Solutions
Abraham Goldman, Secretary Senior Counsel Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Gary W. Harper, PhD, MPH, Treasurer Professor, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education School of Public Health University of Michigan
Board Members
Kevin Amoo-Mensah Client Relationship Manager Goldman Sachs
Marc Harris Community Volunteer
Cathy Krieger, LCSW, MA, MBA President & CEO Children’s Place Association
Wesler Lambert, MD, MPH Executive Director Zanmi Lasante Haiti
Terry McAllister President International Markets Teknion International
James McAuley, MD Clinical Director Whiteriver Indian Hospital
Richard Moser Divisional Vice President Corporate Communications Abbott Laboratories
Edward Otto Principal Ted Otto Group, LLC
Julia Rehwinkel Roberts Senior Director, Latin America and Caribbean Population Services International
Ty Shockley Senior Director Baxter
Ambassador Board for Fundraising
Tina Eddy Regional Vice-President Fresenius Medical Care
Cheryl Gelfond Vice President Synthesis
Tim Koenig Vice President Annexus Health
Rhea Keenan Community Volunteer
Kendra Morrill Community Volunteer
Vanessa Tanaka Special Counsel Cadwalader
