Galesburg
Public Schools
Foundation

Board of Directors

Tom Wallace:

President

Tom has been in the Galesburg area for over 26 years and joined the Board in 2002. He is currently serving his second term as President. Tom and his wife Sandy's three children all graduated from GHS and their grandchildren are currently attending district 205 schools. He is employed at Iowa Mold Tooling as Regional Sales Manager. Tom is a past-president of the IL Soybean Association and the Warren Henderson County Farm Bureau and has been active in Illinois Corn Growers and the GHS Booster Club. His support of the Foundation stems from his belief that the educational system in any community is key to the success of not only the community at large, but to the individual student too.

Connie Wessels:

Vice-President

Connie came to Galesburg in 1977 and is a graduate of Rockford Memorial School of Nursing and the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been employed by OSF St. Mary Medical Center for nearly 34 years currently working as RN Director of Educational Resources. A member of the Board since 2000, Connie and her husband Chuck have two daughters who graduated from GHS and she has always been active in their schools with the PTO's and Booster Clubs. Connie was named 2004 Progressive Women of the Year and is a Leadership Greater Galesburg graduate. She is active in her church and served as a past president of the Women's Issue Network.

Karen Z. Hawkinson:

Treasurer

One of the charter members of the Board of Directors, Karen knew it was important to raise money for schools but the need to have a body that would build good relations between the public and the school district was central thus helping education be valued the way it should be. A graduate of Knox College, Karen and her husband Carl (1966 GHS grad), have three children who have graduated from GHS. She is a Foundation past-President and Duck Chairman and currently serves as Treasurer. Karen recently retired from Knox College where she was the Coordinator of the Center for Global Studies and is member of the OSF St. Mary's Foundation Board. She has assisted the District in writing grants and coordinated the George Washington Gale Scholar Program for several years.

Kristi Perez:

Secretary

Kristi moved to Galesburg when she was four and has lived here most of her life. She is the oldest of six children, who along with her father and grandfather, all graduated from GHS. Graduating from Knox College she went on to teach one year at Steele Elementary School. She is currently working part-time at Mustain Law Office, a local law firm, which allows her the freedom to be involved in many community organizations. Kristi joined the Foundation board in 2004 and is currently serving as Secretary. She has run the Annual Duck Race telethon for several years along with helping sell ducks for her children's schools. Kristi's son attends Galesburg High School and her daughter attends Silas Willard Elementary School. In addition to her Foundation work, she formally served on the Community Preschool and Discovery Depot Children's Museum Boards and now serves on the Relay for Life Committee. She is President of the Silas Willard PTO and is a member of the District #250 Strategic Planning Committee. Kristi feels giving back to the community is so very important and her foundation work lets her do just that.

Lynn Armstrong:

Lynn Armstrong is an Iowa native who moved to Galesburg in 1988. She is married with two sons, one attending Lombard Jr High School and the other attending GHS. Lynn works as an Area Technician with the community and business programs at the USDA Rural Development office in Galesburg. As a former teacher in District 205, education remains very important to her, so she stays active in her roles at both schools along with Foundation work. Lynn is a Booster Club member and also supports the parent organizations for band and sports that her son participates in at GHS. She believes that showing support and encouragement for the students, educators, and school activities is vital, along with helping to provide additional resources that aren't available through regular school funding. Lynn joined the GPSF Board in 2005.

Nancy Berry:

Nancy was born and raised in Galesburg, graduating from GHS in 1978. She and her husband Bob, 1974 GHS grad, have two children who went through the district’s schools and graduated from GHS in 2001 and 2003. Nancy attended Carl Sandburg College and is currently employed as Mortgage Loan Officer at Midwest Bank of Western Illinois. Seeing an opportunity to help children in the community, Nancy joined the board in 2005. She also serves as a volunteer for the Elks lodge.

Cheryl Hauslein:

Cheryl joined the board in 2002 and has served as Foundation Secretary in the past. She and her husband Peter have four children who graduated from GHS the most recent in 2005. Early on as a stay at home mom, she always kept active in her children's schools as a room mother, PTO member and Booster Club member. Cheryl has coordinated Duck Radio-thon since its inception. She has been active in her church and OSF Auxiliary projects. Cheryl is employed as an RN in her husband's ENT office

John Hawkins:

Born and raised in Galesburg, John attended District 205 schools and graduated from GHS in 1993. A 1997 graduate of the University of Illinois, John and his wife Valerie have two children, both attending Gale Elementary and one not yet in school. John is employed as Vice President of Sales for Kleine Equipment, Inc., a John Deere Dealership and his wife is a first grade teacher at King Elementary School in District 205. He joined the Foundation to help in giving back to the students and faculty of Galesburg the same quality educational benefits that he received while a student in the district.

Valerie Hawkins:

After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1998, Valerie married John Hawkins, moved to the Galesburg area and began teaching for District 205. She has taught several grade levels for the district with her most current teaching assignment being first grade at King Elementary. In 2009, Valerie completed a Master's of Elementary Education degree from Western Illinois University. Her two children both attend Gale Elementary in Galesburg. Valerie joined the Foundation in 2010 to further assist the students of District 205 and to help meet their educational goals.

Molly Kleine:

Molly was born and raised in Galesburg, attending District 205 schools and graduating in 1991. She and her husband, Jeremy – a 1989 GHS grad, have two children who attend Steele Elementary School. Molly has been teaching third grade at Nielson Elementary School for 14 years. She serves on various committees at Nielson and currently is the Vice President and 'chief duck seller' of Steele School’s PTO. She and her husband are also very involved in other community service organizations as well as active members of their church. Molly joined the Foundation in 2010 and believes that all children deserve to have the same positive educational experiences that she had growing up in District 205.

Kim Lakis:

Born in Iowa, Kim was raised in Monmouth, Illinois and moved to Galesburg in 1989. She graduated from Monmouth College and received her Masters Degree from St. Xavier University. Kim has worked in management for The Limited, taught in the Galesburg school district for 16 years and was an Educational Consultant with Two Rivers Professional Development Center. Kim is currently RTI (Response To Intervention) Coordinator Galesburg District #205 as well as co-owner for Galesburg's newest and chicest women's clothing boutique, Denim & Pearls. Together with her husband Steve, they have four children, two who have graduated and two attending Galesburg High School. Kim is active in many community groups including fundraising for the Galesburg Silver Streaks Boy's Basketball and Baseball programs and also serves as an advisor Kappa Kappa Gamma Chapter at Monmouth College. She joined the board in 2000 with the thought that being a teacher she would be a great liaison between the schools and the Foundation board….plus she loves selling our ‘ducks’!

Douglas D. Mustain:

Doug is a 1963 graduate of GHS. He is one of the original members of the Board of Directors serving since 1987 and was a past president. Doug practices law in Galesburg. Doug and his wife Shari have raised six children who have all attended school in District 205 and are GHS graduates. Doug and Shari have two grandchildren who are attending schools in the district.

Sandy Wallace:

Sandy attended Galesburg schools and graduated from GHS in 1974. She went on to the University of Illinois, graduating in 1978 and recently completed her Masters degree in Instructional Strategies from Rockford College. Sandy has worked for District #205 since 1990 beginning as a preschool teacher at Bright Futures and then at King Elementary School as secretary. She served as Community Information Coordinator for the district for five years and is currently teaching Family & Consumer Science at the high school. Sandy and her husband Tom's three children all graduated from GHS. Seeing first hand the impact that the Foundation has on the lives of so many children in Galesburg, she joined our board in 1999. Sandy is also active in Chapter MG PEO, the Coldbrook Christian Church and is currently the GHS Class of 2008 sponsor.

Mark Wilson:

Mark is a native of Galesburg and a 1974 GHS graduate. He joined the Board in 1999. Mark is married with one daughter who graduated from GHS in 1999. He is a graduate of Monmouth College and is currently Director of Major Gifts at Knox College. In addition to his work with the Foundation, he serves as Chairman of the Endowment Committee at First Presbyterian Church and is a member of the Western Illinois Estate and Financial Planners Forum.

Staff

Patti Bibo:

Administrator

Patti, a graduate of Central Washington University, came to Galesburg in 1978. She began working at the Foundation in early 1992 serving first as Assistant Campaign Director when work was being done to raise the nearly $2 million dollars for the gym and pool at the high school and later in 2000 was named Administrator. She and her husband Mike have 2 children who graduated from GHS and Patti was active in their school and sports throughout their education serving in their PTO’s and Booster Clubs. She is an active "Reading Buddy" at Nielson Elementary School. Patti has always felt education is the keystone to our children’s success and the work the Foundation does is geared towards that achievement. As Administrator, she manages the day to day operations and is responsible for coordinating the volunteers, fundraising and bookkeeping.