Meet lauren
It’s an honor to work with accomplished young people with so much determination, ambition and potential.
THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY!
Lauren Jiles-Johnson,
Chair
Meet Lauren
It’s an honor to work with accomplished young people with so much determination, ambition and potential.
THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY!
Lauren Jiles-Johnson,
Board President
Our Board of Directors
Lauren is a passionate advocate for helping first-generation students bring their unique gifts to academia and the workplace. She joined us in 2012 as a volunteer reading tutor and has become a crucial part of our team. A first-generation student herself, Lauren graduated from Northwestern University and has spent her career in corporate communications. Lauren is an active member of Barrington United Methodist Church and a resident of Hawthorne Woods.
Joan Boughton retired in January 2020 after 38 years of actuarial consulting, where she specialized in advising large complex global organizations on their total rewards programs, with a deep emphasis on their retirement plans. Joan graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with Honors in Mathematics. She also is an executive board member of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries. Joan is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary, and a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries.
Karen is retired following a 32-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. She is currently the director for KIDS HOPE USA, a mentoring program between St. Paul's Church and Whittier Elementary School in Waukegan, leading the auction for its annual celebration. Karen is a Waukegan resident and member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She earned a BS in Chemistry from Northeastern University.
Roland Ramirez resides in Libertyville with his wife and three children. Roland works at AbbVie, Inc. as Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis. He brings over 25 years of Finance experience in the healthcare industry. Roland joined W2C in 2019 and serves as the W2C Treasurer and is passionate about giving back as he is a first generation to graduate from college.
Gilberto is an Analyst at Valor Equity Partners. Prior to joining Valor, Gilberto worked at CNH Industrial as a Financial Analyst on the Technology & Innovation team. Some of Gilberto’s responsibilities in this role included product development analysis, research and development investment analysis, budgeting, and financial forecasting.
Prior to working on the Technology & Innovation team, Gilberto was part of the two-year Finance Rotational Program at CNH Industrial where Gilberto spent six months working in each of the following departments: Accounting & Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Internal Audit, and Treasury.
Gilberto serves as the President of the Waukegan to College Alumni Board and sits on the Waukegan to College Executive Board as well.
Gilberto holds an M.B.A from The Graduate School of Management at Marquette University and holds a B.S. in Finance from DePaul University.
Prior to working on the Technology & Innovation team, Gilberto was part of the two-year Finance Rotational Program at CNH Industrial where Gilberto spent six months working in each of the following departments: Accounting & Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Internal Audit, and Treasury.
Gilberto serves as the President of the Waukegan to College Alumni Board and sits on the Waukegan to College Executive Board as well.
Gilberto holds an M.B.A from The Graduate School of Management at Marquette University and holds a B.S. in Finance from DePaul University.
Syed Faisal Hussaini is a parent of middle school, high school, and college students in the Waukegan to College program. He works at Vista Health System in Emergency Management.
Marshall Lancaster joined the board through the corporate partnership we have with Medline, who supports our College Persistence program. Marshall is Chief Information Officer at Medline. He is an Air Force veteran and a graduate of Louisiana State University and Harvard Business School.
Kim Lenzini is a longtime Waukegan resident and Waukegan High School graduate. She is a
passionate advocate for Waukegan students and a former mentor and reading volunteer. Kim is an Associate attorney with Jackson Buckley & Pfanenstiel LLP, and a former prosecutor with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. Kim is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Rev. Kalif Crutcher is the Manager of Mission & Spiritual Care for Advocate Condell Hospital, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Advocate Sherman Hospital and the pastor of New Hope Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Evanston.
Iain is a co-founder of Aerial Metrics Inc. and former Chief Technical Architect at Accenture. Iain has been helping us mentor students since 2015. He also plays a role in developing our organization’s strategy and advising us on the use of information technology. Iain is a Deerfield resident and a member of Temple Jeremiah in Northfield.
Valerie Lopez Finn was born and raised in Waukegan; a graduate of Waukegan High School. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Accounting and Spanish from Illinois Wesleyan University. Valerie discovered her love for travel while studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain for her university studies. She began her career with Andersen Worldwide Internal Audit, worked at Aon Hewitt, and finished her corporate career as a Vice President with Accenture India. Valerie will leverage her corporate networks while serving on the Board. Having lived with her husband and two sons in Bangalore, India for four and a half years; they now reside in Vernon Hills.
Judy Maldonado is the owner and founder of the Law Office of Judy K. Maldonado, LLC in Gurnee. She is a member of the County Bar Association, Association of
Women Attorneys of Lake County, and Illinois State Bar Association. She is an
active member of Immanuel Church in Gurnee, volunteers with Safe Families for Children, and is a former foster mother turned adoptive mom. She earned her BA
from Illinois State University in 2000 and her Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law in 2003. Judy and her husband are raising their three girls in Lake County
and prepping their own daughter to begin college next year. Realizing how daunting that process is even with two parents who have been through it has led Judy to wanting to join W2C's board to help children and families realize that a college education is possible and attainable for anyone and everyone.
Residing in Antioch, IL for the past 18 years Victoria is a human resources professional
currently with Horizon Therapeutics as a Manager, Talent Acquisition. This is Victoria’s first year on the board and she is proud to part of an organization
focused on first generation college students and providing avenues for their growth and
opportunity.
Claudia Phalen has over 22 years in the banking industry, she joined First Bank of Highland Park in 2019 and is a Vice President of Business Banking. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and MBA in Finance in Mexico. This is Claudia’s first year on the Board and she is very excited for the opportunity to be part of a successful organization that helps first-generation college students. She is an active member of Saint Mary of Vernon in Vernon Hills and a former Treasurer for Boy Scouts Troop 44.
Stephen Rice is an attorney who works in the Civil Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, and he was also formerly the President of the Lake County Bar Association. His first involvement with Waukegan to College came through that Association and its related Foundation, which have supported
W2C both financially and through volunteerism. Beyond lawyering, Steve has taught at the College of
Lake County, is an avid runner and guitar player, and has previously lived five years in both Saudi Arabia (as a child) and Germany (as an adult).
Robin is Global President of TBWA\WorldHealth, a leading healthcare marketing and communications agency. Robin brings her passion for leadership development and love of creativity to her role as writing coach and mentor to Waukegan-area students. Robin joined us in 2015 while serving as VP, Social Justice for Congregation Solel. She and her husband Harlan live in Highland Park and are proud parents of Maddie (currently attending University of Illinois), Aaron (DePaul Class of 2015) and Bennett (University of Iowa Class of 2019).
Jennifer’s 37 years of experience in higher education includes roles such as Director of Admission, Scholarship Coordinator and Academic Advisor. She feels it is a gift to assist students through this highly personal and energizing process. Jennifer is owner and counselor at JSS College Counseling and a member of National Association of College Admission Counseling, the Illinois ACAC and Higher Education Counseling Association. She also serves as an admission reader for a Liberal Arts College. Jennifer’s two college age sons have gifted her with additional parental insight, intentional or not.
Najet Torres is a parent leader and has two students in the Waukegan to College program, one in high school and one in college.
Our Board of Directors
Lauren is a passionate advocate for helping first-generation students bring their unique gifts to academia and the workplace. She joined us in 2012 as a volunteer reading tutor and has become a crucial part of our team. A first-generation student herself, Lauren graduated from Northwestern University and has spent her career in corporate communications. Lauren is an active member of Barrington United Methodist Church and a resident of Hawthorne Woods.
Joan Boughton retired in January 2020 after 38 years of actuarial consulting, where she specialized in advising large complex global organizations on their total rewards programs, with a deep emphasis on their retirement plans. Joan graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with Honors in Mathematics. She also is an executive board member of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries. Joan is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary, and a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries.
Karen is retired following a 32-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. She is currently the director for KIDS HOPE USA, a mentoring program between St. Paul's Church and Whittier Elementary School in Waukegan, leading the auction for its annual celebration. Karen is a Waukegan resident and member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She earned a BS in Chemistry from Northeastern University.
Roland Ramirez resides in Libertyville with his wife and three children. Roland works at AbbVie, Inc. as Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis. He brings over 25 years of Finance experience in the healthcare industry. Roland joined W2C in 2019 and serves as the Waukegan to College Treasurer and is passionate about giving back as he is a first-generation to graduate from college.
Gilberto is an Analyst at Valor Equity Partners. Prior to joining Valor, Gilberto worked at CNH Industrial as a Financial Analyst on the Technology & Innovation team. Some of Gilberto’s responsibilities in this role included product development analysis, research and development investment analysis, budgeting, and financial forecasting.
Prior to working on the Technology & Innovation team, Gilberto was part of the two-year Finance Rotational Program at CNH Industrial where Gilberto spent six months working in each of the following departments: Accounting & Reporting, Financial Planning & Analysis, Internal Audit, and Treasury.
Gilberto serves as the President of the Waukegan to College Alumni Board and sits on the Waukegan to College Executive Board as well.
Gilberto holds an M.B.A from The Graduate School of Management at Marquette University and holds a B.S. in Finance from DePaul University.
Kim Lenzini is a longtime Waukegan resident and Waukegan High School graduate. She is a passionate advocate for Waukegan students and a former mentor and reading volunteer. Kim Associate attorney with Jackson Buckley & Pfanenstiel LLP, and a former prosecutor with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. Kim is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Judy Maldonado is the owner and founder of the Law Office of Judy K. Maldonado, LLC in Gurnee. She is a member of the County Bar Association, Association of
Women Attorneys of Lake County, and Illinois State Bar Association. She is an
active member of Immanuel Church in Gurnee, volunteers with Safe Families for Children, and is a former foster mother turned adoptive mom. She earned her BA
from Illinois State University in 2000 and her Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law in 2003. Judy and her husband are raising their three girls in Lake County
and prepping their own daughter to begin college next year. Realizing how daunting that process is even with two parents who have been through it has led Judy to wanting to join W2C's board to help children and families realize that a college education is possible and attainable for anyone and everyone.
Residing in Antioch, IL for the past 18 years Victoria is a human resources professional
currently with Horizon Therapeutics as a Manager, Talent Acquisition. This is Victoria’s first year on the board and she is proud to part of an organization
focused on first generation college students and providing avenues for their growth and
opportunity.
Claudia Phalen has over 22 years in the banking industry, she joined First Bank of Highland Park in 2019 and is a Vice President of Business Banking. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and MBA in Finance in Mexico. This is Claudia’s first year on the Board and she is very excited for the opportunity to be part of a successful organization that helps first-generation college students. She is an active member of Saint Mary of Vernon in Vernon Hills and a former Treasurer for Boy Scouts Troop 44.
Stephen Rice is an attorney who works in the Civil Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, and he was also formerly the President of the Lake County Bar Association. His first involvement with Waukegan to College came through that Association and its related Foundation, which have supported
W2C both financially and through volunteerism. Beyond lawyering, Steve has taught at the College of
Lake County, is an avid runner and guitar player, and has previously lived five years in both Saudi Arabia (as a child) and Germany (as an adult).
Robin is Global President of TBWA\WorldHealth, a leading healthcare marketing and communications agency. Robin brings her passion for leadership development and love of creativity to her role as writing coach and mentor to Waukegan-area students. Robin joined us in 2015 while serving as VP, Social Justice for Congregation Solel. She and her husband Harlan live in Highland Park and are proud parents of Maddie (currently attending University of Illinois), Aaron (DePaul Class of 2015) and Bennett (University of Iowa Class of 2019).
Jennifer’s 37 years of experience in higher education includes roles such as Director of Admission, Scholarship Coordinator and Academic Advisor. She feels it is a gift to assist students through this highly personal and energizing process. Jennifer is owner and counselor at JSS College Counseling and a member of National Association of College Admission Counseling, the Illinois ACAC and Higher Education Counseling Association. She also serves as an admission reader for a Liberal Arts College. Jennifer’s two college age sons have gifted her with additional parental insight, intentional or not.
Our Board of Directors
Lauren is a passionate advocate for helping first-generation students bring their unique gifts to academia and the workplace. She joined us in 2012 as a volunteer reading tutor and has become a crucial part of our team. A first-generation student herself, Lauren graduated from Northwestern University and has spent her career in corporate communications. Lauren is an active member of Barrington United Methodist Church and a resident of Hawthorne Woods.
Joan Boughton retired in January 2020 after 38 years of actuarial consulting, where she specialized in advising large complex global organizations on their total rewards programs, with a deep emphasis on their retirement plans. Joan graduated with a BA from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with Honors in Mathematics. She also is an executive board member of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries. Joan is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary, and a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries.
Karen is retired following a 32-year career in the pharmaceutical industry. She is currently the director for KIDS HOPE USA, a mentoring program between St. Paul's Church and Whittier Elementary School in Waukegan, leading the auction for its annual celebration. Karen is a Waukegan resident and member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She earned a BS in Chemistry from Northeastern University.
Elaine brings her background in brand strategy and marketing communications to our board. She has over three decades of experience in building and launching pharmaceutical brands, encompassing brand leadership from the manufacturers’ perspectives as well as those of the advertising agencies supporting the products. Elaine’s responsibility and passion to recruit, coach, and mentor the young talent in her employ led her to us, based on her desire to apply those same skills to the growth of Waukegan students. Elaine is a resident of Evanston and attributes her fanatical support of the Northwestern Wildcats to her education at that institution.
Kim Furrer is a longtime Waukegan resident and Waukegan High School graduate. She is a
passionate advocate for Waukegan students and a former mentor and reading volunteer. Kim is a family law attorney with Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck LLP in Lake Forest, Illinois, and a former
prosecutor with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. Kim is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.
Waukegan has been Liliana’s home since she emigrated from Mexico 18 years ago. Her family joined us six years ago, and her son and daughter are now students at Knox College. Liliana believes that parent engagement improves student achievement, and she has always been involved in her kids’ education. She was a member of the Waukegan High School PTO and is now a member of the Knox Parents Council. Liliana has also become an advocate for mental health awareness with Lake County United. She runs her own cleaning services company and attends the College of Lake County, pursuing a career in Education.
Pam has spent the last 17 years in higher education, teaching at Stark State College in Ohio until 2015, DePaul in 2016, and the College of Lake County since 2017 where she leads the Supply Chain Management program. Having worked with thousands of students during her teaching career, she strongly believes in our mission and knows firsthand how education opens doors. In addition to serving on our board, Pam is board member and secretary of non-profit The Major Lift and volunteers for Art Impact Project. She lives in Libertyville with her husband, son, and faithful Welsh Corgi Riley.
Iain is a co-founder of Aerial Metrics Inc. and former Chief Technical Architect at Accenture. Iain has been helping us mentor students since 2015. He also plays a role in developing our organization’s strategy and advising us on the use of information technology. Iain is a Deerfield resident and a member of Temple Jeremiah in Northfield.
Judy Maldonado is the owner and founder of the Law Office of Judy K. Maldonado, LLC in Gurnee. She is a member of the County Bar Association, Association of
Women Attorneys of Lake County, and Illinois State Bar Association. She is an
active member of Immanuel Church in Gurnee, volunteers with Safe Families for Children, and is a former foster mother turned adoptive mom. She earned her BA
from Illinois State University in 2000 and her Juris Doctorate from DePaul College of Law in 2003. Judy and her husband are raising their three girls in Lake County
and prepping their own daughter to begin college next year. Realizing how daunting that process is even with two parents who have been through it has led Judy to wanting to join W2C's board to help children and families realize that a college education is possible and attainable for anyone and everyone.
Maura McCarthy is an experienced business executive with 25+ years leading teams and transforming businesses for Kraft Foods and Mondelez International. She has a consistent track record of success based on a collaborative leadership style, strong relationship development skills and a proven ability to effectively lead organizations during periods of dramatic change. Maura has held executive Sales and Customer Logistics positions across various geographies and cultures. Maura is a native Spanish speaker whose history with serving the underprivileged community began after Graduate school as a volunteer with the US Peace Corps. This experience and others, have given her a deep appreciation for how to best serve and empower communities towards
sustainable growth. Maura also serves on the Board of Urban Autism Solutions (IL), and is an active foster / volunteer for Wright-Way Animal Rescue (IL).
Residing in Antioch, IL for the past 18 years Victoria is a human resources professional
currently with Horizon Therapeutics as a Manager, Talent Acquisition. This is Victoria’s first year on the board and she is proud to part of an organization
focused on first generation college students and providing avenues for their growth and
opportunity.
Stephen Rice is an attorney who works in the Civil Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, and he was also formerly the President of the Lake County Bar Association. His first involvement with Waukegan to College came through that Association and its related Foundation, which have supported
W2C both financially and through volunteerism. Beyond lawyering, Steve has taught at the College of
Lake County, is an avid runner and guitar player, and has previously lived five years in both Saudi Arabia (as a child) and Germany (as an adult).
Robin is Global President of TBWA\WorldHealth, a leading healthcare marketing and communications agency. Robin brings her passion for leadership development and love of creativity to her role as writing coach and mentor to Waukegan-area students. Robin joined us in 2015 while serving as VP, Social Justice for Congregation Solel. She and her husband Harlan live in Highland Park and are proud parents of Maddie (currently attending University of Illinois), Aaron (DePaul Class of 2015) and Bennett (University of Iowa Class of 2019).
Jennifer’s 37 years of experience in higher education includes roles such as Director of Admission, Scholarship Coordinator and Academic Advisor. She feels it is a gift to assist students through this highly personal and energizing process. Jennifer is owner and counselor at JSS College Counseling and a member of National Association of College Admission Counseling, the Illinois ACAC and Higher Education Counseling Association. She also serves as an admission reader for a Liberal Arts College. Jennifer’s two college age sons have gifted her with additional parental insight, intentional or not.