Meet the 2022-2023 Board

Bob Tucker has been a member of the Collaboration’s Board of Directors since July, 2021 and is the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Programs at the Chicago Community Loan Fund. In his role at the Chicago Community Loan Fund, he leads internal operations and provides strategic leadership to ensure CCLF executes its business plan and fulfills its mission to provide flexible, affordable and responsible financing and technical assistance for community stabilization and development efforts and initiatives that benefit low- to moderate-income neighborhoods. From 2011-2019, Bob served as an Oak Park Village Trustee on the Village Board of Oak Park. He is the father of two sons.

Julie joined the Board in 2018.  She is the Head of Client Services at William Blair in Chicago, and she and her husband are co-owners, along with another Oak Park family, of One Lake Brewing in Oak Park.   She moved to Oak Park in 2013, and has two children in elementary and middle school. She enjoys volunteering at organizations such as Bernie’s Book Bank and Cradles to Crayons, along with participating in volunteer opportunities at her children’s schools.  She holds a BS in Finance from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Charisse joined the Collaboration’s Board of Directors in July of 2021. She is currently Manager of Annual Giving at Concordia University Chicago. Charisse has 20 years of experience in corporate marketing and has worked in a variety of industries including as Associate Account Manager at Burrell Communications, Brand Manager with ConAgra Foods and Multicultural Brand Manager at Sears Holding Company. Charisse holds an MBA and attended the UIC Extended Campus where she earned her certification in non-profit management. She is the mother of two and has been an active member of the PTO at Hatch Elementary School.

Gordon Hellwig has previously served as a Board member from 2013 to 2021 and acted as Treasurer. He has worked for community development banks and commercial banks for nearly 25 years. He is now the Managing Director of Lending for Illinois and Northwest Indiana at IFF, a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides capital, consulting, and thought leadership to nonprofit organizations that provide services in low-income communities or to persons with disabilities. In addition to his years on the Collaboration’s board, Gordon was a Commissioner of the Oak Park Housing Authority for five years.  He also has been a member of the Greater Austin Development Association, an organization of landlords and others that seeks to provide safe, quality, affordable housing in the Austin community, since 2012.

Elizabeth has a 40- year career in health care administration. She was Executive Director of the Oak Park Infant Welfare Society Children’s Clinic for 20 years which provides medical, dental and social services care to children. She recently retired as Operations Manager of the Advocate-Aurora Pediatric Developmental Center managing an eight-million-dollar budget which supported assessment and treatment of children with cognitive and social developmental challenges. She is the past President of the District 97 School Board and was keenly interested in the student achievement and opportunity gap of those starting kindergarten. She was an early supporter and Board member of the Collaboration. As President of the Oak Park and River Forest League of Women Voters, Elizabeth chaired the committee that developed the first Early Childhood Resource Directory which the Collaboration now produces. Elizabeth received a BA from Oberlin College and a Masters in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Elizabeth is now reliving early childhood experiences as she is spending a lot of time with her 4 grandchildren, ages one month to five years!

Mark is Professor Emeritus of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Visiting Professor at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. His teaching and research focus on school leadership, organizational improvement, and educational equity. Most recently Mark’s work examines ways of promoting positive learning environments for children in schools. Mark has published widely in scholarly and professional books and journals and has worked with schools, school districts, state education agencies, and professional associations across the country. He was a Co-Director of the Consortium for Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago and the executive officer of the National Society for the Study of Education. Mark has served on the boards of several Oak Park and Chicago-area not-for-profit organizations.