Northern Illinois Food Bank Leadership and Board of Directors - Northern Illinois Food Bank

Northern Illinois Food Bank Leadership and Board of Directors - Northern Illinois Food Bank
Northern Illinois Food Bank Leadership and Board of Directors
Executive Leadership Team
Board of Directors
Executive Women’s Council
Associate Board
Planned Giving Advisory Council
Executive Leadership Team
Julie Yurko, President and CEO
Julie has served as president and CEO of the Food Bank since 2014.  She joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2009 and previously served as vice president of philanthropy overseeing fundraising, food sourcing, marketing and volunteers. Under Julie’s leadership the Food Bank successfully completed Strategic Plan 2020, providing equity to access to charitable food in 98% of the communities served by Food Bank member agencies and programs.  In 2020, the Food Bank lunched Strategic Plan UNITE to transform the charitable food system in order to reach 90% of neighbors experiencing food insecurity through a more dignified, equitable and convenient experience. A goal that was achieved two years early in 2023.
Julie has more than 25 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Prior to joining the Food Bank, Julie worked for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Children’s Memorial Foundation (now Lurie’s Children’s Medical Center) and the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo. Julie has served as President of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, and on the Boards of the Special Education Alliance for District 200, and Teen Parent Connection.
Julie serves on the Boards of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago, Feeding Illinois, Thrivent Member Network Regional Board and will be joining The Global FoodBanking Network Board in 2025. She is a past member of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger.
Julie has a degree in music and business from Northern Illinois University. She and her family live in Winfield.
Chris White, Chief Operations Officer
Chris joined the Food Bank in February 2005, following eight years serving in the U.S. Army & Reserves, working for Dierks Foods and the Hunger Connection (the local food bank which Northern Illinois Food Bank later acquired). Chris has worked in all facets of operations at the Food Bank, including as Warehouse Manager, Director of Warehouse & Food Processing, Director of Continuous Improvement, and Vice President of Operations. Chris became the Chief Operations Offer in 2021. He and his family reside in Rockford.
Ron Hausner, Chief Financial Officer
Ron joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in October 2023 as the Chief Financial Officer for the organization.  Prior to joining the Food Bank, Ron served as the CFO for the National Safety Council based in Itasca, IL for nearly three years as his first foray into serving with a non-profit organization.  Before entering the non-profit world, Ron held various roles over the last 20+ years leading Finance, Accounting, and IT teams with the Options Clearing Corporation in Chicago, Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc, WI, and with CDK Global (ADP Dealer Services) in Hoffman Estates, IL.  Ron has also worked with Jefferson Wells International, Ameritech, and the Quaker Oats Company earlier in his career.
Currently Ron serves on the advisory board with the Chicago chapter of the CFO Leadership Council.
Ron holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in Asian Studies and Chinese Language, and an M.B.A. from Tulane University. He and his wife live in Carol Stream
Jennifer Bucko Lamplough, Chief Impact Officer
Jennifer Bucko Lamplough joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2015 as the Director of Nutrition Programs and Executive Chef. In 2020 Jen became the Senior Director of Strategy, overseeing all of the Direct Services programs. Jen was named Chief Impact Officer in the summer of 2021 and she and her team ensure all of our neighbors receive the food they need to thrive through our network of agencies and programs.
Jen has a Certificate in Professional Cooking from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Morris Graduate School of Management in Chicago, Illinois.
LaDora Robinson-Locke, Chief People Officer
LaDora Robinson – Locke joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2023 as the Chief People Officer. Prior to joining the Food Bank, LaDora worked at Heartland Alliance as their Senior Director of People & Culture and at Lincoln Park Zoo as their Director of Human Resources. LaDora has 20 years of human resource management experience. In addition, LaDora has experience teaching HR Management, HR Management Law, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace.
LaDora holds certificates in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and is a Senior Human Resources Professional (SPHR). She has graduate degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology & Business Psychology and a BS in Psychology. She and her family live in Lombard.
Colleen Ahearn, Chief Philanthropy Officer
Colleen Ahearn joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in April 2025 as Chief Philanthropy Officer. In this role, she leads the Food Bank’s fundraising, marketing, and volunteer engagement efforts across the 13-county service area.
Colleen brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She previously served as Vice President of University Advancement at Lewis University, where she led a 50-million-dollar comprehensive campaign and supported the university’s merger with St. Augustine College. Prior to that, she was Executive Director at San Miguel School Chicago and Community Center and held leadership roles with the YMCA of Greater St. Louis and Ballwin Parks and Recreation.
Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a concentration in Communications from DePaul University, where she was a two-year captain of the women’s soccer team, and a Master of Science in Business Analytics with a concentration in Marketing from Lewis University. She became a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) in 2012 and serves on the Board of Trustees for San Miguel School and Community Center. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, but now resides in Lombard.
Melissa Kochan, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO
Melissa Kochan joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2020 as the Executive Administrative Assistant to President and CEO Julie Yurko. Prior to joining the Food Bank, Melissa worked at Honeywell-UOP and LanzaTech supporting C-Level Executives. Melissa is a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt. She and her family reside in Schaumburg.
Board
Executive Committee
Nate Carden, Chair
– Skadden, Arps, Slate, Megher & Flom, LLP, Partner
Nadine Moore, Treasurer
– Northwestern Medicine, Senior Vice President, Administration
Paul Rodriguez, Secretary
– Xperi, Vice President, IP Rights Management and Head of Portfolio Management Media
Kim Holmes, DEI Chair
– Kim B. Holmes Consulting, Founder/CEO
Julie Yurko
– Northern Illinois Food Bank, President & Chief Executive Officer
Board Members
Corey Berends
, Footprint, Chief Commercial Officer
David Brearton
, Mondelez International (retired)
Michael Gurin
, CogniTek, CEO & CTO
Judy Hsu
, WLS TV ABC 7 Eyewitness News, News Anchor
Joe Intrakamhang
, SWARM Engineering, Chief Technology Officer
Lela Johnson
, Attorney (retired)
Shan Johnson
, The Salvation Army Winnebago County Director, Rockford Social Services
Joan Kelley
, Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC (retired)
Brian Lampsa
, Raymond James Financial Managing Director, Senior Vice President, Investments
Cathy Lang
, Epsilon Auto/CRM, President
Justin Massa
, Midwest Quality Consulting, Founder
John Millner
, John Millner & Associates, President
Maydene Moore
, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Director, Chicago Market Leader
Kevin Poorten
, Northwestern Medicine, Senior Vice President, Administration
Elizabeth Protich
, Holsten Human Capital Development
Dale Richardson
, Compeer Financial (retired)
Paul Rodriguez
, Xperi, Vice President, IP Rights Management and Head of Portfolio Management Media
Sandy Rodriguez
, Eli Lilly and Company, SVP and Chief Communications Officer
Craig Sesemann
, Partners Warehouse Logistics Services (retired)
Nicole Scharrenberg
, CDW, LLC, Director, Head of Talent Acquisition
Anthony Suggs
, Albertsons, GVP Center Store
Tori Ahlmeyer,
HATCH for Hunger
Michelle Borman,
RSM US LLP
Eileen Buck,
Epsilon Auto/CRM
Renee Carter,
RPC Consulting
Courtney Dutter,
iCIMS, Inc.
Kris Fletcher,
Dover Corporation
Karen Golden,
Navistar International Corporation
Tracey Gorrell,
Ecolab
Whitney Gretz,
Wendy’s
Krista Harris,
Capgemini
Tammy Incapreo,
Assurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company
Becky Juhant,
Fifth Third Private Bank
Cathy Lang,
Epsilon Auto/CRM
Noel Leatherbury,
npxone
Brooke Oswald,
Compass Chicago
Allison Pink
Elisabeth Pynn Himmelman,
Pynn Himmelman
Melanie Shaker,
FHN Financial Capital Markets
Erin Stein,
CITGO Petroleum
Laura Swarts,
Valley Industrial Association
Kathy Szymanowski,
Ascension At Home Northwest
Stephanie Taylor,
Affinity Strategies
Kathryn Winans,
First Centennial Mortgage
Tiffany King
Special Events Manager, Northern IL Food Bank
Anne Moore
Strategic and Legacy Gifts Manager, Northern IL Food Bank
Executive Women’s Council Mission & Responsibilities
Darcy Bretz,
Middleby, Director of Corporate Communications
Kristina Buschek,
Marmon Holdings, Inc., Accounting Supervisor
Jeff Causemaker,
Uline, Inc. Senior Finance Manager – Financial Planning & Analysis
Shanequa Clark,
Diamond Effect LLC, Chief Executive Officer
Brandon Cork,
Pulse Technologies, Major Accounts
Cara DeGraff,
Cognitus, Vice President of Product Management
Dennis Finney,
Jewel Osco, Store Director (Retired)
Joshua Hall,
GE Healthcare, Senior Digital Finance Manager
Jen Hopf,
Bayer, Digital Media Lead
Barrie Link,
Woodforest National Bank, Market Manager/Assistant Vice President- Chicago Metro Market
Evan Luscher,
Amazon, Regional Director of Operations
Nicole Tritthardt
, Kayem Foods, Regional Sales Manager
Domonic Wilkerson,
Rust-Oleum, Vice President, Operations
Associate Board Overview
Joseph V. Benedtti
, Owner, 4 Oaks Wealth Management, LLC
Paul Chadwich
, Owner, Fearer Nye & Chadwick
William A. Deitch
, Founder, The Estate Planning Law Group
J. Amber Drew
, Partner, Clingen, Callow & McLean, LLC
Shanise Evans,
Owner & Attorney Evans Legacy Law Group
Mark Farina
, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Marifran Georgis
, Vice President & Trust Officer
Thomas W. Hentshel
, Financial Advisor, Waddell & Reed
Joan Kelley
, Private Wealth Advisor, Ameriprise
Kathleen Lamonica Krochock
, First Vice President & Senior Trust Officer, The State Bank of Geneva
Ted Kuczek
, Founder, Kuczek & Associates
McKenzie Kuhn,
Attorney, Kuhn, Heap & Monson
Brian Lampsa
, Senior Vice President, Investments, True North Retirement Partners of Raymond James
John T. Matejcak, J.D.
, First Vice President and Trust Administrative Officer, Old Second National Bank
Raymond C. Odom
, Senior Vice President & Director of Wealth Transfer Services The North Trust
Allyson B. Russo,
Owner, Russo Law Offices
John T. Schmidt
, Managing Director & Senior Trust Advisor, CIBC Private Wealth Management
Scott L. Seraphin
, Shareholder, Seraphin & Rogers, Ltd.
Jonathan M. Thornton
, Partner, Bruett Reyes Thornton, Attorneys at Law
Planned Giving Advisory Council
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[ultimatemember form_id="67"]
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