Our Leadership Team

Marisa graduated with a major in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has a Master’s in Secondary English Education from National-Louis University. She is currently Chair of the JCC Chicago Board on which she has had numerous roles over the last 10 years.

Marisa is also on the JCC Chicago Women’s Board and has been a member of the Young Women’s Board of JUF for 9 years holding many roles including Vice President of Campaign, Area Development, and Community Outreach and Engagement. She is an active member of Beth Shalom Synagogue in Northbrook. Marisa owns the interior design firm, Horizon Lane, specializing in residential design. She and her husband, Dr. Steven Mandrea, reside in Northbrook. They have 4 children: Max, Josie, Arielle, and Mackenzie.

Ed feels as if he spent his entire life at JCCs, and he has from the age of 5 starting at the Milwaukee JCC. He even worked at Camp Chi between semesters in medical school at the University of Washington. Ed is the Immediate Past Chair of the JCC Chicago Board.

Now an anesthesiologist, Ed is one of the developers of the outpatient surgicenter industry in the Chicago area and helped found SameDay Surgery with 8 owned and operated centers. He is also the founder and chair of Nations Healthcare, opening 3 surgicenters in partnership with the NHS in the UK.

Ed has devoted most of his philanthropic time to Camp Chi and JCC Chicago for which he has been a passionate volunteer and supporter for over 35 years. He and his wife, Cathy, reside in Glencoe. They have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.

Doug and his wife, Carol, have a lifelong commitment to supporting the Chicago and worldwide Jewish community, and are most fortunate to continue this tradition having their 2 sons and 6 grandchildren all living near them in the Chicago area.

Recognizing Doug’s humanitarian and philanthropic initiatives, he has received the Human Relations Award from the American Jewish Committee and the Spirit of Life Award from the City of Hope.  He has also served as Campaign Chairman for the Chicago Jewish United Fund in 2009.

His commitment to JCC enabling young people to further their understanding of Jewish values and promote living their lives Jewishly is exemplified by his efforts to promote JCC within our community.

Doug’s involvement with JCC goes back many years, including financial support.  He currently serves on the JCC Chicago Board as a Vice Chair and is Chair of the Development Committee to raise funds to support JCC programs.

Doug volunteered for service in the United States Army serving as a First Lieutenant 1965 – 1967 and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal.

Doug helped build his family’s furniture manufacturing business with facilities in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Mexico.  After the successful sale of the business, Doug devoted more time and resources to philanthropy and helping others who may not have had the ability to help themselves.

Doug and his wife, Carol, reside in Highland Park.  Doug still enjoys running and workouts having completed several triathlons and 9 marathons.

For David, growing up in Milwaukee, the JCC was the centerpiece of the Jewish community. He enjoyed going there to swim, play basketball and racquetball, and take schvitzes. The JCC promoted community involvement with Israel and supporting Soviet Jewry.

With his involvement, David is hoping to perpetuate the importance of the JCC in Chicago. He is a strong believer in Jewish-based overnight camping and in early childcare. David is Treasurer of the JCC Chicago Board and is Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee.

David’s career is in commercial real estate. With his wife, Robin, he owns and manages apartment communities in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. His experience in running their business has given him insight in ways to help the JCC with its various facilities.

David and Robin are active in JUF, have led various missions to Israel, and have chaired numerous events. They reside in Highland Park and have 2 sons. They are members of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El.

“JCC has been a part of my life for almost all of my life, starting with nursery school, swimming lessons, and after school programs for me and continuing with early childhood, after school programs, day camp, and Camp Chi for my son. The JCC has been there when I wanted it and needed it. I am involved with JCC Chicago because I want to ensure that the JCC is there for future generations the same way it has been there for me.”

Lisa’s volunteer involvement with JCC Chicago began when she joined the early childhood parent committee at the Florence G. Heller JCC in Lakeview. From there, she joined the local Heller JCC Board and became Co-President of the region that encompassed the Heller JCC. Lisa’s connection continued with joining the JCC Chicago Board of which she is Secretary and Chair of the Governance Committee.

Professionally, Lisa designed and developed information systems working in private industry. She is able to use the system analysis skills from her professional career in her JCC Board and Committee work. Lisa is currently retired.

Lisa and her husband, Lee, reside in Wilmette and are active members of Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah. Both Lisa and Lee feel strongly about giving back to the community and volunteer for a number of different nonprofit organizations.

Being part of, supporting, and volunteering for our Jewish Community is simply part of Chuck’s being. He doesn’t know any differently. He values being Jewish and holds dear the way of life and principles in which we believe. Family is core to his life. He sincerely adheres to the conviction that it’s JCC Chicago that binds and perpetuates the Jewish Community of Chicago.

Involvement with JCC dates back to the early part of the last century with Chuck’s grandma, Irene Spiesberger, Chuck’s mom’s mother. Chuck’s mom, Elaine Frank, and sister, Laurie Lieberman, have also been lifelong JCC volunteers and were the first 2 female Presidents of JCC Chicago. His uncle, Armund Schoen, was a Life Board Member. When Chuck graduated from business school, his uncle sent him over to the local J (at that time, the Henry Hart JCC on Peterson) near their business and told him he was joining the Board. He was 23 at the time. He has been on a JCC Board since then, and, with his wife, Debbie, and kids, has participated in many JCC activities over the years. Chuck is a Vice Chair of the JCC Chicago Board, is Chair of the Programming Committee, and is on the JCC Chicago Advisory Council.

He is also an honorary life member of the JCC Chicago Board and was inducted into the JCC Chicago Hall of Fame. He’s served on and chaired numerous committees, boards, projects, etc. He was Chair of JUF’s Automotive Division for years. He worked for the family’s business (and still does to a small extent) starting his own affiliated business in 1980 at the age of 27 and becoming a car dealer at 29. The family business is principally known as Z. Frank Chevrolet although he has owned 8 franchises over 33 years. He has invested in and managed commercial real estate for 30 years and is now involved with several partners in 7 Mathnasium Learning Centers around Chicagoland along with some other business investments. Chuck has been an active and committed environmental activist mostly with Sierra Club and served 12 years on the Sierra Club Foundation Board and 5 years on the Sierra Club Board. He has also been a member of the YMCA of Metro Chicago Board since 1995.

Chuck and Debbie live in Highland Park and have 4 children, 2 sons-in-law, and 2 grandsons. They’re members of North Shore Congregation Israel. All of the children and grandchildren live in the area. They all believe that no one is better off unless we’re ALL better off. He also keeps very busy, and, among other things, works out daily, bikes, kayaks, swims, reads a great deal, and writes an environmental blog, www.franklytalking.com.

Ben has been involved in the JCC as a Board member for almost 10 years, but he has been connected to the JCC for the past for 4 decades. He’s had so many meaningful and memorable experiences with the JCC as a young child, a teenager, and a parent. Ben is a Vice Chair of the JCC Chicago Board.

Ben has been connected to the JCC since he was just a few years old. In the 1970’s, Ben had the opportunity to participate in many JCC programs at the Mayer Kaplan JCC in Skokie. These included swimming, sports, and other enrichment programs. When Ben was a bit older, he was a camper at Camp Chi and loved his summers in Lake Delton, Wisconsin. Both of Ben’s brothers also attended Camp Chi.

Ben and his wife, Michelle, reside in Highland Park and have 2 children, Rachel and Danny. The whole family has participated in many wonderful programs at the Weinger JCC and Rachel and Danny attended camp at JCC Apachi.

Ben values the opportunity to give back to an organization that has given so much to him and his family.

Laurie has been involved with the JCC since childhood when her mother, Elaine Frank, started on the JCC Chicago Women’s Auxiliary (now the JCC Chicago Women’s Board) following in her mother’s (Irene Spiesberger) footsteps. Laurie is a Vice Chair of the JCC Chicago Board, has served as its Chair, and is on the JCC Chicago Advisory Council. Laurie is also a Director and Past President of the JCC Chicago Women’s Board and has also served on the boards of the Jewish Community Centers of America (JCCA), North Shore Congregation Israel, and Hebrew Union College.

Laurie loves the hands-on feeling she receives when working with the J which allows her to see the fruition of the decisions made by the 2 boards on which she serves. Laurie also received the JCC Hall of Fame Award, again following in the footsteps of her mother and father.

Professionally, she has a degree in Interior Design and is still working as a designer. Laurie is also an artist now working in glass and previously in wood and stone.  She was also trained in 1959 to be a computer programmer and worked for several years utilizing those skills.

Laurie resides in Highland Park. She is blessed with 4 children, 3 wonderful sons-in-law and an amazing daughter-in-law, which, to her, are like her own children, and 12 grandchildren, some of whom live in the area and some out East.

Susie truly believes that JCC Chicago enriches everyone in our community. JCC provides so many opportunities for all ages to grow, learn, have fun, and, in the process, build a stronger sense of community. This past year exemplifies for her why she wants to be involved: “Our staff did the most remarkable job of reaching out to help our families safely stay engaged and supported. I am so proud to be part of such an amazing organization.”

It seems like the J has always been a part of Susie’s life, enriching it and adding to her sense of Jewish community. Camping also had a big impact on who she is. In 1981 when she was asked to join the JCC Women’s Auxiliary (now JCC Chicago Women’s Board) whose mission is to help children attend JCC camps, it seemed like a perfect fit for her. That experience allowed her to see the direct impact that JCC has on the lives of those in our community, deepening her commitment to JCC.

Serving on JCC’s Women’s Board as a Director and Past President also gave her the opportunity to become involved with the building of a J in Northbrook, a dream of which her father often spoke. When the Bernard Weinger JCC became a reality in 1997, she knew it was time to help further the mission of JCC by joining the dedicated members who make up the JCC Chicago Board of Directors: “It has been my honor and privilege to serve on this board for 23 years and I look forward to continuing to be amazed by the innovative ways we impact our Chicago community.” Susie is a Vice Chair of the JCC Chicago Board and is on the JCC Chicago Advisory Council.

Susie grew up in Oak Park and attended the University of Wisconsin. She and her husband, Laurence (Lory), reside in Highland Park and have 2 children and 2 grandchildren. Susie and Lory are members of Am Shalom.

Jerry has a long history of serving the JCC in multiple roles on the JCC Chicago Board. He is a Vice Chair and is Chair of the Audit Committee. He has also been on the Kaplan Task Force.

Jerry is an attorney and practices in Chicago. He is also a CPA. He earned his Bachelor’s in Accounting and his J.D. from the University of Illinois.

He is active in JUF, Big Brothers, and B’Nai Tikvah.

Jerry and his wife, Vicki, reside in Deerfield and have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren.

Lori wanted to get involved with the JCC when her family decided to build The Marvin Lustbader Center to honor her father’s legacy. The Marvin Lustbader Center is a boutique health, wellness, and fitness facility offering the latest in group exercise classes and state-of-the art equipment. It is located at the Bernard Weinger JCC.

Lori is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board and is also very involved with the Lustbader Center.

Lori and her husband, Eric, reside in Deerfield. They have 3 children: Jason, Libby, and Annie. Lori has also served on JUF Woman’s Board. She and her husband are active with The Zacharias Center that helps family abuse victims.

Mike has been involved with the JCC and Jewish camps his entire life. He started as a camper and then a counselor, a lifeguard, a supervisor, and, eventually, a director. Those experiences shaped who he is and provide a strong foundation for his Jewish identity. Given time to reflect on those amazing experiences, joining the JCC Chicago Board as a Director seemed like the natural next step.

Mike grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and started going to Jewish sleepaway camp at a very young age. He continued those experiences into his professional life upon graduation from Michigan State University when he moved to New York to take on a full-time role at the Samuel Field Y helping lead its overnight camp, Poyntelle. He spent 5 summers creating lasting memories and positively impacting hundreds of campers and staff. The experiences and friendships he made stick with him to this day.

Mike moved to Chicago almost 15 years ago and made a pivot in his professional career. In addition to graduating with his Master’s Degree from Northwestern University, he has held a number of Talent and Human Resources leadership roles at companies like Ernst & Young and Deloitte. Mike currently drives strategic priorities across several talent channels at Deloitte including leading campus operations for the consulting business. He brings that talent focused perspective to his support of the JCC and the Board of Directors.

Mike and his wife, Alissa, reside in Glenview and attend Temple Jeremiah. They have 2 daughters and a dog. His daughters have attended both Camp Apachi and Camp Chi. In his free time, he loves to travel, cook, and play golf.

Allen’s involvement with JCC Chicago is to support the Jewish Community and Family. The core of being Jewish is to give back. By respecting that core, the JCC is the perfect method to make sure the Community and the Family are preserved and enriched.

Allen became involved with the JCC while supporting clients who were involved with the organization. His professional dealings soon became a personal goal. The quality of programs and support for the Community, Jewish or not, were so prominent that he felt the want to be part of the story. Allen is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board.

Allen is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Accounting. He received his Master’s in taxation from DePaul University with an interest in finance. He is a CPA and CFP.

In addition to serving on the Board and various committees for over 20 years, Allen has been a Board Member of the Briarwood Scholarship Foundation (BSF), a nonprofit organization, for over 25 years. The BSF provides scholarships to employees or children of employees of Briarwood Country Club. Allen values education and recognizes the financial help needed by so many.

Allen and his wife, Robin, reside in Northbrook. They have 3 married children. Their 2 daughters live in the northern suburbs with their families that include 4 wonderful grandchildren. Their son and daughter-in-law live in Chicago. Allen and his wife are extremely fortunate to have their family all local and continuing to follow and teach Jewish values and goals.

Erika is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board. She is the founder of Stepping Stones Together to give parents the skills to help their children become excited about reading. She also co-founded Orion’s Mind, a national educational solutions provider. Erika earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a minor in research and supervision from Loyola University. She is an adjunct professor at National Louis University focusing on courses in educational research.

Erika has been very active with Am Yisrael, the Israel Cancer Research Fund, and the Young Women’s Board of JUF. She and her husband, Justin, reside in Glencoe. They have 3 children: Alexis, Mia, and Luca.

Carey is a serial entrepreneur who has served as the CEO and/or chairman of firms throughout the food and beverage and supply chain industries such as Redi-Cut Foods, Danaco Solutions, L3 Hospitality Group, and Chicagoland Equipment & Supply. He also chairs Barrel Ventures with his son, Nathan.

Carey has served on several boards as a director or chairman such as CES (Chairman), Edward Don & Co (Director), Maxi Canada (DBA Dino Nuggets) (Director), Enjoy Life Foods (Director), and L&L Foods (Director).

Carey is equally as passionate about philanthropy having served as President of the North Suburban Jewish Community Center, Vice President of the National Fragile X Foundation, and President of the Board of Trustees of The Cove School in Northbrook, Illinois. He is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization.

Carey has a B.S. from the University of Illinois, his CPA designation, and a J.D. from Loyola University in Chicago. Carey and his wife, Cheryl, reside in Highland Park. They have 3 children and 4 granddaughters who all live in Highland Park as well. Carey enjoys spending time at his second home in Scottsdale as well as golfing and playing paddle.

JCC has been a part of Mark’s life as far as he can remember. He became involved to ensure that more people can enjoy the services that JCC provides for our communities.

JCC began a project to help renovate Mark’s local JCC and he was given the opportunity to help develop that project. Mark is a Director of the JCC Board.

Mark and his wife , Penina, reside in Lincolnwood and have 5 sons. He earned his MBA and MSISM from Loyola University. Mark is the Chief Brand Officer of Symphony Care Network. He is on the Executive Board of his alma matter, Arie Crown Hebrew Day School.

Stuart joined the North Suburban JCC in 1995. He served and chaired most committees including nominating, fundraising, budget, and programming. He was elected President of the Northern Region JCC in 2004.

He was then invited to join the JCC Chicago Board of Directors. He once again chaired various committees. He was elected President of JCC Chicago in 2011. Most recently, he has served as Chair of the JCC Chicago Endowment Foundation. Stuart is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board, is Chair of the Endowment Task Force, and is on the JCC Chicago Advisory Council.

Stuart is also a past Board Member of Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF). He served on various JUF committees and commissions including the JUF Nominating Committee, Community Building & Jewish Continuity Commission, and Hillels of Illinois Governing Commission.

Stuart was elected to the JCC Association National Board of Directors in 2013. He served on various committees through 2019.

Stuart is currently Vice President of Administration of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El and serves on the Executive Committee. In 2018, he co-chaired the NSS Beth El Vision 70 Endowment Campaign which raised $6 million.

Stuart is President of Prime Publishing LLC, a niche digital media company he founded in 2009. This is his fourth start-up. He serves various industry trade associations including being on the Executive Board of the Craft Yarn Council, the Executive Council of the Association for Creative Industries, and the Advisory Board of Mequoda.

Stuart and his wife, Barbara, reside in Highland Park and have 3 children, 1 son-in-law, and 1 grandchild.

Sid became a Director of the JCC Chicago Board because “As a founding member of the Northwest Suburban JCC and past president of the Northwest Suburban Center and a former JCC Chicago Board member, I have always maintained an interest in serving the JCC Community.”

Sid is a former Illinois State Representative and is an attorney. He earned his B.S. in Mathematics from Roosevelt University and his J.D. from DePaul University.

Sid has served on the JUF Board of Directors and has been on the Scholarship and Government Affairs Committees and on the Health and Human Services Commission. He is the Immediate Past President and a Board Member of Congregation Beth Judea and is a docent at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.

Sid and his wife, Rita, reside in Highland Park. They have 2 sons.

Rickey is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board. He has been a staunch supporter of JCC Chicago and myriad other Jewish and humanitarian causes in the greater Chicago area.

Rickey is the owner of Hunter Management. He and his wife, Gale, reside in Chicago.

Julie grew up going to JCCs including those in Chicago and Skokie for classes and day camp, and attended Camp Chi for 15 years. She started out as a camper and went all the way through her college years. Her children attended Early Childhood and several classes in Northbrook. The JCCs have always been a meaningful place for her: a place of community, Jewish identity, and social gathering. It has a very special place in her heart. She met her husband at Camp Chi as a young child and they are now celebrating their 30-year wedding anniversary. Her mother-in-law was on the Board of the JCC for many years and her husband’s grandfather was one of the founding members of the JUF Board in Chicago. Her passion is to help continue the legacy of the JCCs for generations to come and help others who need a place they can rely on for themselves and their families in times of joy and in times of need. Julie is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board.

Julie is a Vice President at the insurance and risk management advisory firm of Associated Agencies, Inc.  She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Illinois and attended Loyola University for her Master’s in Social Work. She is active in Breast Cancer organizations and other community-based nonprofit groups.

Julie and her husband, Sheldon, reside in Deerfield and have a son and a daughter. They really enjoy the great outdoors and staying in touch with their lifelong friends from camp, thanks to Camp Chi!

Karen is President of the JCC Chicago Women’s Board, and, as such, is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board. The JCC Chicago Women’s Board is a dedicated volunteer organization with an ongoing legacy of financial commitment, providing annual scholarship assistance to eligible campers at all JCC Chicago Camps.

Karen is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a Finance degree. Upon graduation, Karen spent 17 years at the Northern Trust as a Vice President in both the Banking and Trust Departments.  Since leaving Northern, she has dedicated her time to everything for children. This includes programs at the JCC from camp to preschool to innovative program development. Karen is also active in other charities including Helpusadopt.org of which she is a Board member. Karen was on the Board of Trustees of North Shore Congregation Israel, as well as on the Religious Education Board, and was Chair of the preschool committee for Gates of Learning Preschool.

Karen and her husband, Marc, reside in Northbrook and have 3 children: Jake, Joseph, and Sophia.

Phyllis is a Director of the JCC Chicago Board and “is excited to be a part of the ‘new’ JCC Chicago.” She is an investment advisor for JPMorgan Chase. Phyllis earned her Bachelor’s from Northwestern University.

Phyllis has been very active on the JUF Board of Directors, the JUF Investment Committee, Hillels of Illinois, Northwestern University Hillel, and the JCC Association Board. She also supports JCYS (2018 Honoree), BBYO, Executive Service Corps, and Northwestern University Alumni Association. Phyllis resides in Chicago.

Bruce became a Director of the JCC Chicago Board because he believes “It is important to support an organization that is so valuable an asset to our Jewish community, is an important link for many young families to that community, and provides valuable services and programs for families and individuals of all backgrounds.” All three of his children attended Apachi Day Camp.

Bruce spent his 40-year professional career at Cole Taylor Bank and served in various positions including President, Chairman, and CEO. Since leaving his full-time role at the bank in 2014, he founded Taylor Investment Partners investing with his family in venture and private equity transactions.

Bruce co-founded the NextLevel Exchange, an entrepreneur support program that partners with several organizations serving diverse minority communities in the Chicago area. He currently serves as Chairman of 18Doors (formerly Interfaith Family), Treasurer of the Board of Governors of The Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago, Director of the Jewish Federation of Chicago, and Midwest Trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He is also on the Advisory Board of MTL Insurance Company and is a past Chairman of the Illinois Bankers Association.

Bruce earned his B.S. from Babson College and his MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He and his wife, Barbie, reside in Northbrook and have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.