Board of Directors (Officers)
Lisa Normoyle (Rockford), Chair
- Current Board Chair of Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include Center for Sight and Hearing, Special Olympics of Northern Illinois, IL Art Education Association, Rockford Road Runners, Delta Kappa Gamma, St. Peter’s Cathedral and United For Youth
- Employed as an art teacher in the Rockford School District #205
- Was a Girl Scout as a child—Brownie through Senior levels, lifetime member
Jeffrey Schmidt (Bartlett), First Vice-Chair
- Current officer of the Board for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include Chicago Estate Planning Council and Kane County Bar Association
- Is an attorney employed as Senior Vice-President at the American Bank and Trust Company in St. Charles
- Two daughters are Girl Scouts, wife is a Girl Scout Troop Leader
Scott F. McCleary (Aurora), Second Vice-Chair
- Current officer of the Board for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include executive positions on the boards of Family Counseling Services (Aurora), Three Fires Council Boy Scouts and the Aurora Public Library
- Is an attorney employed as Assistant Regional Counsel at the U.S. General Services Administration in Chicago
- Daughter is a Girl Scout and his wife has been a Girl Scout for 40 years
Daniel Hawkins (Dixon), Secretary
- Current officer of the Board for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include service as a board member for the Sterling United Soccer Club (and coach), Boy Scouts, Sterling Today, Inc. and the Sauk Valley College Foundation
- Employed as an Attorney and partner at Ward, Murray, Pace & Johnson, P.C. in Sterling
- Daughter is a Girl Scout and a Girl Scout Silver Award recipient; family members have been involved in Girl Scouts
Robert Quimby (Rockton), Treasurer
- Served as audit partner for various Girl Scout council audits
- Community affiliations include Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center (Board President) and Rockton American Legion (Finance Officer)
- Is a partner in the public accounting firm of Lombardozzi, Moses, Quimby & Co., P.C.
- Daughter was a Girl Scout
Board of Directors (Directors-at-Large)
Mark M. Ackerman (Rockford)
- Currently serves as Board member for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include service on the boards of the Keith School Development and Facilities Committees, United For Youth Building Committee and the Woodward Contributors Committee
- Employed as a Telecommunications Administrator at Woodward Governor in Rockford
- Wife is a Girl Scout Troop Leader, daughter is an Ambassador Girl Scout
Marg Blum (Freeport)
- Member of the GSNI Community Cabinet for Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties
- Chair of the Freeport Airport Commission
- Promotions Chair of the board for the Freeport Downtown Development Foundation and member of the board since its creation 12 years ago
- In 2009 received a Woman of Excellence award from Voices for Outstanding Volunteer Activities throughout several communities
- Owner of Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio in Freeport
- Was involved as Girl Scout from Brownies through Jr. Cadets. Daughter was also a Girl Scout Brownie
Rosario DeLeon (Aurora)
- Currently serves as Board member for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include the American Public Works Association, Illinois Association of Code Enforcement, International Code Council, Aurora East Educational Foundation and Rebuilding Together Aurora
- Employed as Chief Operations Officer for the City of Aurora
- Daughter is former Girl Scout
John Kovanda (Batavia)
- Currently serving as Director-at-Large for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Member of the Board Development Committee
- Community affiliations include the Society for Human Resource Management; Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry; formerly member of Tri-Cities CROP Walk Organizing Committee; volunteer coach of St. Charles High School Women’s Lacrosse Team
- Employed as Director of Human Resources & Organization Development for IFS (North America)
Pamela K. Owens (South Beloit)
- Currently serving as Director-at-Large for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Member of the Board of the Rockford Chapter of AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals); Catholic Women’s League of Rockford; Portage County Leadership Alumni Association
- Employed as Executive Director of Foundation & College Advancement at Rock Valley College
- Was a Girl Scout as a girl and loved being a part of this organization
Sheryl Y. Head (Rockford)
- Currently serving as Director-at-Large and Board Development Committee Chair for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Served as Board member for the Girl Scout Council of Buckeye Trails and a member of the Board and the Nominating Committee for Girl Scouts of Western Ohio
- Community affiliations include the Rockford Women’s Club; Health Care Compliance Association, Chair; Mayor’s Task force on Homelessness for City of Rockford, Winnebago and Boone Counties
- Was a Girl Scout as a child and her daughter is a former Girl Scout
Michael T. Peddle (DeKalb)
- Currently serves as Finance Chair for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Chair of Finance Advisory Committee for the City of DeKalb
- Community affiliations include the American Society for Public Administration, Association of Budgeting and Financial Management, International Economic Development Council, Council of Colleges of Arts & Sciences
- Employed as Associate Dean for Academic Administration of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Northern Illinois University
Kate Ramsay (Pearl City)
- Served as Board member for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include Treasurer for Freeport Sunrise Rotary, Pearl City American Legion, Chicago Base of U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc., Credit Union Executive Society Marketing & Business Development Council, former manager of Northwest Illinois Workforce Investment Board
- Employed as Marketing Manager at the Cornerstone Credit Union with branches in Freeport, Sterling, and South Beloit
- Was a Girl Scout as a child and served as a Girl Scout Cadette leader while working as the Public Affairs Officer at a Navy base in Nevada
Bobbie Riley (Batavia)
- Pharmacist and is currently employed as the Vice President of Pharmacy Operations for SUPERVALU Pharmacies
- Supports and participates in planning for local charities and non-profit organizations
- Personal focus on supporting young women in their development of leadership skills as early as possible
- Business management and strategic planning experience
Jean Marie Saidler (Crystal Lake)
- For the past 20 years, has been the President at JMS Consultations, Inc., a turnkey marketing and advertising agency representing both national and international companies
- Served on the GSNI Strategy Team for our Strategic Learning Process
- Organization affiliations include Rotary International (Paul Harris Fellow), Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce, Appointed Ambassador Council, Raue Center for the Arts, Board of Directors, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Governing Council Member, Founder and sponsor for the Helbling “Spirit of Commerce” Award, for McHenry County College, Babe Ruth Baseball League.
Rhonda Sunden (Roscoe)
- Currently serving as Director-at-Large for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Community affiliations include Rockford Downtown Rotary Club; Women of Today’s Manufacturing; United Way of Rock River Valley; Junior Achievement; Northern IL SCORE; the YMCA of Rock River Valley
- Employed as the Vice-President/Commercial Lender at Alpine Bank in Rockford
- Was a Girl Scout as a child and an adult volunteer for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop
Catherine C. Veal (Aurora)
- Currently serves as Board member and on several committees for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, including Chair of the Fund Development Committee and member of the 100th Anniversary Steering Committee
- Community affiliations include The Avery Coonley School Policy and Planning Committee, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, American Association of University Women, Co-chair, design team for multi-district selective admission charter school on the campus of Aurora University
- Employed as Vice President for Strategy and Innovation at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) and also serves as Secretary of the IMSA Board of Trustees
Louanne Vedra-Glisan (Leaf River)
- Daughters were Girl Scouts as children and granddaughter is currently a Girl Scout
- Community affiliations include Freeport Health Network Foundation, Forrestville Valley Education Foundation, Vedra Scramble for Education Committee, Illinois Association of Workforce Professionals, Arthritis Foundation and 4-H
- Employed as a field office supervisor at the Illinois Department of Employment Security
Kathy Velasco (Woodstock)
- Currently serving as Marketing Chair of the United for Youth Capital Campaign; President of the American Advertising Federation of Northern Illinois; Publications Chair of Rockford Network of Professional Women; Managing Director of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters; Past President/Marketing Chair of Family Counseling Services; Chair of Dancing with the Rockford Stars; and Chair of Cheater’s Spelling Bee (launching in May 2012)
- Was recognized in 2010 with the AFP Volunteer, and Crusader Community Health’s Spirit of Caring Awards. In 2011, was nominated for Rockford Woman of the Year and was a finalist for the YWCA Community Leadership Award
- Owner of Velasco and Associates
- Was a Girl Scout for more than 10 years as a youth
Cathy Wilcox (Rockford)
- Currently serving as Director-at-Large for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Co-Race Director of the Girl Scouts of Northern Illiniois Thin Mint Sprint
- Community affiliations include St. Rita Catholic Church; Rockford Roadrunners
- Employed as an IT Lead Analyst for Alliant Energy in Madison, WI
- Lifetime GS member. Was a Girl Scout as a child and has served as a troop leader
Lois Wollney (Barrington)
- Currently serving on the Board Development Committee for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Served as a GSNI Board Development Committee member
- Community affiliations include the Financial Planning Association and the Barrington Chamber of Commerce
- Employed as a Certified Financial Planner at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Board of Directors
Associate Directors
Aubrey Baker-Clark (Rockford)
- Currently on the Alumnae Committee for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Junior at Guilford High School
- Girl Scout Senior—Juliette, C3 Leadership Committee, Tennis, Track, and Cheerleading
- Tennis, Track and Cheerleading
- Fondly remembers when she was chosen to be a Girl Scout Emissary—“Being a media representative to me means making the Girl Scouts and yourself look as good as we can.”
Alexandra Fleig (Hanover Park)
- Currently on the Property Committee for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois
- Junior at Bartlett High School
- Girl Scout Senior—Troop 1386 & has earned GS Bronze and Silver Awards
- Attended Canada’s 100th anniversary of Girl Guiding event
- School Football Manager and enjoys playing basketball, reading and rollercoasters
- Has been involved in many Girl Scout activities, including caving, whitewater rafting, Mall of America while camping at Pokonokah Hills and served as PA for several Cheyenne Day Camps and at Pokonokah Hills for one summer
Lindsay Schwartz (Kildeer)
- Freshman at Stevenson High School
- Girl Scout Senior—Troop 547 and has earned GS Bronze and Silver Awards
- Is currently part of the Girl Planning Team for the Girls World Forum and attended the GS Leadership Institute in Houston
- Loves to play lacrosse, ski and volunteer with “Best Buddies”
- Has been to EVERY GSNI camp and loves camping
- Served as Program Aide for Day Camp for two years and at Troop Trek (2011)
