Tell us a little about what brought you to Little City and inspired you to serve on the board?

My formal introduction to Little City was when I served on the board of Countryside Association. Through the merger process, I learned about Little City’s mission and how it is fulfilled by offering a broad set of Programs and Services. As a parent of a child with severe autism, what resonated most with me, was the practical solutions and opportunities that Little City offers participants and their parents/guardians. The prospect of being part of a team that ensures the fulfillment of Little City’s mission, gives me great pride and purpose.

You are stepping into the president role at a challenging time. What are some of the short-term and long-term goals you have for Little City as you prepare to step into leadership?

Yes, this is a challenging time and the circumstances are new to all of us. The most important short term goal is to focus on the health and safety of all stakeholders, while delivering programming with the appropriate precautions. The Little City team has been diligent in following the CDC informed guidelines and taking direction from the State of Illinois. As the pandemic circumstances have posed funding challenges as well, another short term goal is to ensure our financial sustainability. The Little City team is working incredibly hard to realize these short term goals.

Long term goals include innovation of programming, financial sustainability, increased family/guardian engagement and to be known as a great place of employment. As a parent and board member, Little City has instilled hope in me and I know that when we work together, stay positive and have compassion, we can fulfill our mission of providing services that will help individuals with developmental disabilities live a fun and purposeful life.

How has your time on the Board been so far and have you been happy with all that has been accomplished since you’ve joined?

Our board is comprised of people with a broad range of expertise. This has made serving on the board a highly collaborative and educational experience. The Board and Little City team have a great working relationship with strong consensus building capabilities. The various committees meet regularly to talk about initiatives and help problem solve whatever is needed. I love that the board is a resource to the Little City team, but most importantly, I love how passionate the board is about our mission. I am happy with all we have accomplished and look forward for us to continue to improve and innovate our practices for our participants, their families/guardians and our staff. There is much work ahead of us and I am excited to be part of it.

What is your message to Little City families and supporters especially now during this unprecedented time?

As a mother of a Little City resident, I have experienced this time as extremely challenging. Like many families, we were unable to see our child for months as Little City kept him safe and engaged. I know that many families and guardians are struggling during this time and that they have to deal challenges like the inability to see their loved one, the exhaustion of constant caregiving and the difficulty of helping their loved one understand the circumstances. Many of you have shown appreciation and support for Little City and I want to express my gratitude for that. I have seen how much your encouragement has meant to our staff, who have worked tirelessly to design and implement our health safety plan and modified programming. As we gradually resume our in-person programming, I want to assure you that Little City will remain committed to providing our participants with services that are enriching, practical and engaging. Stay strong and remain hopeful, together we can get through this.