Meet The Homes of Hope (HoH) Board Of Directors
Charitable Foundation Board
&
Operations Board
Homes of Hope Inc., is governed by a Charitable Foundation Board and an Operations Board. Both boards play a vital role in the direction and success of our agency. Each board member is selected based on several criteria including their professional experience and demonstrated interest in our agency.
Our board members have a strong connection to our residents and strive to make dreams come true for people with special needs.
Charitable Foundation Board
Acting Board President
David works for Costigan & Wollrab and has been associated with HoH, Inc. since 1991 when it was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. “The parents of children with disabilities had the foresight to be concerned about their child’s care and living arrangements after the parents could no longer care for them. They wanted their child to have the opportunity to live in a home where Christian principles were followed and used to guide the care being provided to their child.”
Foundation Board Treasurer
Ron is a semi-retired CPA. He has been the Treasurer for the Homes of Hope Foundation for 20 years. He is a former board member of Home Sweet Home and Central Catholic High School. Ron is a member of the Holy Trinity Parish.
Board Member
John’s professional endeavors include 20 years with State Farm and teaching Finance at Illinois State University. Additionally, he was the Chief Financial Officer at Tarter Construction. He has a personal connection and desire to advocate for individuals who have disabilities. His brother-in-law has Down Syndrome and Homes of Hope is a natural fit. He also has had a long-time interest in Special Olympics and he volunteers his time and resources whenever possible.
Board Member
Julie is a senior communications leader with Sodexo North America. She has built her global marketing and communications career across several industries and continents. A lifelong multicultural learner and an advocate for people with disabilities, Julie believes that empathizing and truly connecting with all individuals who are not “just like us” enriches everyone’s life and gives us hope. Providing safe independent living opportunities for our community’s very special adults is quite close to Julie’s heart.
Operations Board of Directors
Operations Acting Board President/Foundation Liasion
Maggie is a Senior Vice-President for Busey Bank. She joined the Homes of Hope family in the early 1990s and felt privileged to help shape the foundational mission, vision, and values of the agency. The first home was built in 1994 and she said it was thrilling to see the dream come to fruition! Her passion for this agency, and others alike, stems from her oldest sister Susie, whose brain damage was a result of encephalitis as an infant. Maggie’s parents cared for her in their home until her death at age 19. Their greatest fear was “What would happen to Susie if we could not care for her?” This memory helped Maggie understand the challenges, fears and hopes that families experience who have a child with special needs. She says, “It is an honor to be able to share in the lives of our residents and their familie
Treasurer
Larry is a retired Accountant who worked for the PM Group. Larry is proud to say “I have been on the board for many years and Homes of Hope has always put the best interests of the residence first. I’m proud to be a part of this fine organization.”
Secretary
Paula, MSN RN NE-BC, Manager Physician Office at OSF. She became involved as a board member for Homes of Hope to ensure our residents have an advocate and voice.
Having a healthcare background allows for much needed insight when advocating for their rights, needs, and dignity. Paula’s favorite part is interacting with the residents and watching them live a happy, productive, and joyful life.
Board Member
Susan moved to Bloomington in 1985 with her husband, Chris. She worked as a deaf educator, educational audiologist, supervisor at a CILA (for individuals with mental illness and deafness) and assistant professor at Illinois State University until she retired in 2009. Susan learned about Homes of Hope at a party in 1992. She listened as a friend attempted to recruit someone else to be on the board. When the other person declined, Susan said that she would be interested, knowing that the population to be served has a fairly high incidence of hearing loss. She had recently completed her PhD and would now have time to volunteer in the community. She joined the Homes of Hope Board in 1993 and has found serving on the board to be one of the most rewarding roles of her life.
Board Member
Paula is a lifelong resident of Bloomington-Normal and recently retired from OSF St. Joseph Medical Center after 36 years in Laboratory Services. She served on the Heart of Illinois Special Olympics Committee and was a past director of Special Persons Encounter Christ (SPEC), which is how she became involved with Homes of Hope.
She, along with Father J. Dietzen, attended a heartfelt meeting, led by the mothers of SPEC students where the dream of building a home for their adult children was discussed in detail.
They wanted a home to provide a safety net for when they were unable to care for them due to illness or death. They envisioned a home where their children could continue to live in a Christian environment surrounded by a family setting where they were cared for and respected.
Immediately after the meeting, Paula wondered aloud how this could be accomplished, Father Dietzen replied, “Everything starts with a dream and I think the mothers of these children will get this accomplished.” Paula said, “It is my honor to have been a part of making this dream a reality. Happily, I have been an active board member for over 20 years.
Board Member
Colleen is an LPN for Bloomington Pediatrics. Colleen became aware of Homes of Hope about 20 years ago when her son was attending a special needs group presented by her local church.
The founding mothers, who had the vision for the homes, were also active members and advocates for the group in which her son was involved.
The mission and idea of Homes of Hope were everything that she had hoped would be available to her son when he became older. Colleen works in Bloomington as an LPN for a pediatric practice.
Her medical background, paired with the fact that she has a son with a disability, underscores why she is passionate about supporting this organization.