Meet Our Board of Directors:
Guiding Our Educational Mission
The Education Foundation Board of Directors is comprised of a devoted group of volunteers including alumni, students, teachers, business leaders, and local community members. They believe in the talent, creativity, and energy of all Niles Township students and the positive impact they make to our local community.
As a board, we embrace the power of collaboration with individuals from all diverse backgrounds to maintain the highest quality of education for our schools.
Board Members
Click board members’ names to view their profiles.
Officers
David Putrus, Chair (Niles West, 1997)
Mr. Putrus is Vice President at First Bank & Trust in Skokie.
Mr. Putrus serves on the board of directors of the Skokie Lions Club, the Coalition of Asian American Communities in Skokie, the Skokie Chamber of Commerce, The Douglas Center, the North Suburban Business Development Foundation, and the Skokie North Shore Sculpture Park. He serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Skokie Theatre Music Foundation.
He is involved with the Old Orchard Chapter of the LeTip Commission, the Village of Skokie Temporary Zoning Commission, the Village of Skokie Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, the Skokie Caucus Party, and the Membership and Advisory Committees of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce. He is also a Member of the Skokie Festival of Cultures, the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, and I.M.O.D. (Independent Merchants of Downtown Skokie).
Mr. Putrus earned a degree from Triton College and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He brings strategic planning, finance, customer service, banking, credit, commercial, and small business lending skills to the board.
Alyse Cohen Burman, Vice Chair (Niles North)
Alyse Cohen Burman is the owner of The WildBird Shack Speakeasy Ltd., an independent Speakers Bureau offering programs on nature, travel, mindfulness, art and music history, how to start your own business and write your memoirs. Burman creates an awareness of birds, conservation, and nature through her myriad of presentations offered at senior communities, libraries, garden clubs, schools, and community and nature centers. She is also the owner and founder of ACB Business Ventures; coaching and empowering small businesses to reach their full potential to succeed. Burman currently serves as Board of Director for the Skokie Chamber of Commerce, Board of Director for the Lincolnwood Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board for the Niles Township Food Pantry Foundation.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois, Chicago, an MPA from Roosevelt University, and an MBA from the Lake Forest School of Management.
Ken Clinkman, CIT, CECP, LSSGB, Treasurer & Secretary
Mr. Clinkman has spent over 30 years of his career in the field of telecommunications, concentrating on operations and training. He is a board member of the North American Data Communications Museum and serves as Executive Vice President of Finance for Congregation Bene Shalom in Skokie. He served for many years on the board of the Skokie Theatre Music Foundation and continues to devote time to various community efforts. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Klezmer Music Foundation, home of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band.
Mr. Clinkman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Eastern Illinois University and continues to achieve industry certifications.
He brings skills in strategic planning, team building, and telecommunications to the board.
Members
Jeff Burman (Niles East Class of 1974)
Jeff Burman, a 45-year resident of Skokie, is Vice President of Business Development for Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company (GTL) and President of VantageAmerica Solutions, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of GTL.
Mr. Burman has more than 40 years of experience in the insurance industry. During that time, he served in various roles within industry associations, including as President and board member of the Council for Affordable Health Insurance and the Policy Coordinating Committee of America’s Health Insurance Plan.
He is the former President of the community-based organization Neighbors United. He is currently a Commissioner on the Skokie Plan Commission and a Board Member of the Skokie Community Caucus.
He graduated from Niles East High School and the University of Illinois Chicago Circle. He holds an MBA from Loyola University with a concentration in Marketing. He brings skills in strategic planning, executive management, team building, marketing, insurance, health and life insurance, and sales to his role on the Education Foundation board.
Mark Collins
Mark Collins is a professional actor, corporate narrator, and spokesperson. He is an active community organizer and spokesperson for many causes. He is a Niles Township Trustee, serves on the Community Advisory Board of Skokie Hospital, and is involved with the Niles Township Food Pantry Board as the event emcee. He also has served on the Skokie Human Services Advisory Board.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Theater from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Lisa Hanley (Niles East Class of 1977)
Lisa Hanley is a retired compliance officer who currently works part-time as the Fee Assistance Coordinator at the Skokie Park District. She has been involved with the Les Turner ALS Foundation since 2012, and her fundraising team, Pat's Warriors, has raised over $125,000 since the team's inception. She has been on the Niles Township Food Pantry Foundation Board (the fundraising arm for the Niles Township Food Pantry) for over 7 years. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Skokie 4th of July Parade committee and has been dedicated to the Marching Bands' performances. She is on the board of the Madison Place Condo Association and has been President for the past two years. Living a lifestyle filled with community service has always been part of her life. Learning to value a broader life perspective, having humility, compassion, and empathy, all while learning new skills and experiences and then reinvesting them into the community is her definition of a meaningful life. She hopes to help the Education Foundation create and implement positive changes for the community.
Diana Rumsley
Diana Rumsley’s long-standing commitment to the community is recognized through her passion and volunteer obligations at Fairview School District 72. As the owner of Village Inn Restaurant, one of the preeminent gathering locations in Skokie, she has developed an extensive community network that is layered with respect by all she encounters. Currently, Diana serves as the Secretary for the Skokie Community Caucus. Her energy, enthusiasm, and input have been invaluable and will no doubt be a huge asset to The Foundation.
Jennifer Engel
For the past two decades, Jennifer has dedicated her career to supporting small business owners while working for Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is passionate about connecting people to foster business growth. Jennifer serves as the Certified Market Manager for Skokie’s Farmers Market and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Farmers Market Association. Her enthusiasm for helping and meeting people fuels her desire to contribute to the growth of the Education Foundation through events, marketing, and fundraising initiatives. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys hiking with her three rescue dogs.
Gail Y. Paskind
Gail is a 40-year resident of Skokie and has a daughter who is a Niles North High School graduate. She has worked in not-for-profit leadership roles as a volunteer running parent groups since her daughter’s preschool days. She made a commitment to spend her time with parent involvement organizations as a personal mission to enhance student experiences and to nurture family and community involvement in their education. She has been a Parent Ambassador, a creative arts instructor, marketing and advancement board member, President of the Niles North Fine Arts Parents & Patrons, PTSA Board Member, Athletic Booster member, Service Board Member and founder of the Niles North Parent Advisory Council, and a community volunteer and consultant for the Niles Township Education Foundation since 2016. Gail is the co-founder and Board Chair of a not-for-profit organization called HeadStrong Voices for Healing that raises money for head & amp; neck cancer research and promotes support for this cause. She is also a volunteer mentor for Imerman’s Angels, a one-on-one support community for cancer patients and caregivers.
Student Directors
Adam Namache, Niles North
Yohanna Endashaw Niles West
Staff Liaisons
Joe Bruzzino, Niles Central Principal
Samina Hussain, Staff Liaison, Strategic Partnerships Coordinator
Samina Hussain is actively involved in the Niles Township Community. She served on the Board of Education of District 67 for 16 years, was a past PTA Officer in D67, served as a Morton Grove Community Relations Commissioner for ten years (Chaired the MGCRC for five years), and has held various leadership roles at the Muslim Community Center and the community at large. She helps develop close connections between D219 and other community partners. Her works include but have not been limited to Coming Together in Skokie & Niles Township, Co-Chairing the Niles Township Youth Coalition, Reaching out to D219 Alumni, and collaborating with Villages and their Chambers. Samina serves as the administrative support for The Education Foundation.
Are you interested in becoming an Education Foundation director? Please fill out this form and email it to Alyse Burman at 219educationfoundation@gmail.com.
