Board of Trustees
Leading our Community, Leading our Community Foundation
The members of the CFNIL Board of Trustees represent communities across the foundation's service area, numerous professional backgrounds, and have a variety of community engagement and volunteer experience. Every trustee volunteered as a CFNIL scholarship or grant advisor before becoming a member of the Board of Trustees.
Kathy Kwiat-Hess – Vice Chair
Retired – Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Retired – Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Brenten Witherby – Treasurer
Midland States Bank
Midland States Bank
Dayton Smith, III – Assistant Treasurer
DBS Accounting
DBS Accounting
Jon Bates – Board Secretary
CFNIL President
CFNIL President
Cheryl Balsam
Retired – Hyzer, Hyzer & Jacobs
Retired – Hyzer, Hyzer & Jacobs
Joanna Bares
Rockford University
Rockford University
Judith Barnard
Market Works
Market Works
Edward Clift
Remax Professional Advantage
Remax Professional Advantage
Russ Dennis
Leading Edge Hydraulics
Leading Edge Hydraulics
Derek Dreier
SPX Flow Inc.
SPX Flow Inc.
Sherry Gaumond
Larson & Darby Group
Larson & Darby Group
Joyce D. Higgins
African American Resource Center at Booker
African American Resource Center at Booker
John Kehoe
Retired – Mercyhealth
Retired – Mercyhealth
Rebecca Kendall
Rockford Health Council
Rockford Health Council
William Reilly II
Reilly Law Offices
Reilly Law Offices
Karen Schiller
Winnebago County CASA
Winnebago County CASA
Stephen Schmeling
Schmeling Construction, Co.
Schmeling Construction, Co.
M. Beth Thacker
Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual
Richard T. Leighton
Trustee Emeritus
Trustee Emeritus