Reading Power Board of Directors
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Kathryn Nattier McFarland, PhD., Chairman of the Board
Retired Abbott Executive Kathy became a Reading Power tutor in 2011 and joined the Board of Directors in 2013. She was elected CEO and Chairman of the Board in 2014 and also chairs the Strategy Committee. Kathy’s background spans a 35-year career in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries where she held executive positions in product development, project management, and manufacturing. She has her PhD in organic chemistry. |
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Marra Lochiatto
Community Leader, Vice Chairman Marra began tutoring with Reading Power in 2011 and joined the Board of Directors in 2018. She has a background in financial planning and management in the airline industry. Marra is an active community volunteer and has served on the executive boards of several organizations, including the Lake Forest Caucus. |
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Kathleen Cowie, Secretary
Community Leader Kathleen began tutoring in 2010, joined the Board the following year and currently serves as Secretary and is a member of the Executive Committee. After a decade in marketing research, Kathleen has been involved with many nonprofit boards including the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab and currently is the Chair of the Education Committee for the Goodman Theater. Kathleen was elected to the Kenilworth District #38 School Board for two terms, where she served as President. When not involved in her volunteer work, Kathleen enjoys photography and spending time with her five grandchildren. |
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Jim Young, MBA, Treasurer
Retired, PPM America, President and Chief Investment Officer Jim Young of Lake Forest began tutoring for Reading Power in 2018 and joined the Board of Directors in 2020. Jim retired in 2015 from PPM America, a $110 Billion investment management firm located in Chicago, where he served as President and Chief Investment Officer. Prior to joining PPM in 1997 Jim worked as an investment analyst at Heller Financial and First Chicago. Jim received a BA from Wittenberg University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. |
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Ann Bates, EdD
Retired Assistant Professor, National Louis University Ann joined the Reading Power Board in 2017. Ann is a literacy consultant with more than 35 years of experience in education. She has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, assistant professor and clinical director of Reading and Language at National Louis University. Her interests include early literacy, the assessment and diagnosis of reading, and the instructional materials and practices that support at-risk and struggling readers. She is co-author of Reading Diagnosis for Teachers and Teaching Struggling Readers in Common Core Reading. |
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John Davidson
Partner, Caldwell Partners John joined the Board of Reading Power in 2014. He is a partner in Caldwell’s Industrial Practice and a member of the Chicago office. With more than 20 years of recruiting experience, John has developed a reputation for strategic counsel and outstanding results. He focuses primarily on CEO, C-suite and board level assignments for clients in the transportation and mobility sector. He’s also worked extensively in private equity and earlier founded Lake Forest Executive Search, a boutique search firm located in Chicago’s northern suburbs. |
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Rob Davis, JD, MBA
Partner, DLA Piper Rob joined the Reading Power Board in 2021. Rob is a Partner and Vice-Chair of the Private Equity Group/Midwest at DLA Piper focusing on private equity leveraged buyouts, mergers, and acquisitions. Rob earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University and JD and MBA from the University of Georgia. Before joining Reading Power’s Board, Rob was an active member of Bernie’s Book Bank Board for six years. Rob brings a passion and familiarity to the Board, as his wife Brooke is a Reading Power kindergarten tutor and virtually tutors students twice a week from their shared home office. |
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Suzanne Surkamer Dobbins, BS
Community Leader Suzanne began tutoring with Reading Power in 2011 and joined the Board of Directors in 2021. A former educator specializing in kindergarten – third grade learning, Suzie taught in both the Houston, Texas Independent School District and Lake Bluff School District 65. After raising her sons in the Lake Bluff community, Suzie became a Real Estate Agent with Griffith Grant and Lackie for eight years before joining her husband's architecture firm, The Dobbins Group, in Chicago for another 10 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Education with a minor in Early Childhood Education from Drake University. |
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Mary Jane Hender, EdD
Reading Power, Co-Founder Mary Jane Hender developed and co-founded Reading Power in 2003 after 20 years of teaching students from prekindergarten to masters’ levels. Her concern over the disparity in students’ literacy opportunities between North Chicago and neighboring school districts motivated her to form Reading Power. Mary Jane served as Reading Power’s first Executive Director, has been on the Board of Directors since 2003, and is a past board vice-chairman. Mary Jane also serves on the board of the Spring Island Trust, an environmental nonprofit in South Carolina. She is now the Site Coordinator for the Reading Power program at Joseph Shanklin Elementary School in Beaufort, S.C. |
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Todd Litzsinger
Chairman, Follett Corporation For more than 20 years, Todd has held numerous leadership positions with the Follett Corporation, including President of Follett Library Resources. Todd joined the Reading Power Board in 2010 and also serves on the board of the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. |
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Rahul Malhotra, MBA
SGT Partners Consultant Rahul Malhotra joined the Reading Power Board in 2020 and comes to us with over 20 years of experience in business strategy and human capital consulting. Through his consulting with SGT Partners, Rahul has helped global organizations implement people strategies and business solutions that improve growth, margins and productivity. Before joining SGT Partners, Rahul was managing his own entrepreneurial venture, where he advised start-ups in product development, market entry and change management strategies. Rahul has an M.B.A from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management |
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Melinda Mooney
Community Leader Mindy has been a Reading Power tutor since 2005, including a four-year post as a volunteer site coordinator and lead tutor. She joined the Board in 2008, is a past board secretary, and chairs the Communications Committee. Mindy worked in book publishing public relations management for more than a decade. She is an active community volunteer with nonprofit, civic and arts organizations. |
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Jacalyn Ramdin-Johnson, MBA
Director, Strategic Marketing at Horizon Therapeutics Jacalyn joined the Reading Power Board in 2021. Jacalyn is a Marketing Executive in the pharmaceutical industry where she has helped introduce life-changing medications such as Humira (for rheumatoid arthritis) and Trilipix (cholesterol), along with working on numerous established brands in healthcare. Her focus has been on educating patients on disease management and giving them a voice to advocate for better health. As a North Chicago resident for many years, Jacalyn’s passion is giving back to her community especially relating to food, housing, and education insecurity. She has served as VP on the PADS Board and is a current member of the Brushwood- Ryerson Board. Jacalyn was thrilled to learn about Reading Power’s mission sharing, “The key to success is reading.” |
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Beverly Raudabaugh, MBA
Community Leader Beverly began tutoring with Reading Power in 2006 and has served on the Board of Directors since 2008. She chairs the Governance Committee overseeing board development. Beverly worked in health care management for a decade and has enjoyed leadership roles in non-profit, education and religious organizations. |
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Frank Sibley
Retired Vice President, National Association of Realtors Frank joined the Board in 2012, started tutoring in 2013, and is a former board secretary. Frank spent 43 years managing print, TV, radio and Internet communications companies. He served the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest as a Deacon and Elder and was a Board member of the Lake Forest Lake Bluff Historical Society. |
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Tad Turner
Forester, Gogebic and Ontonagon Land Company Arthur “Tad” Turner has been a professional forester in the northern Midwest for more than 40 years. He lives in Lake Bluff with his wife Phoebe. Tad began tutoring children for Reading Power in 2016 and joined the Reading Power Board in 2019. Literacy tutoring is in his blood! Tad volunteered with the Head Start program in the late 1960s, and tutored student athletes while attending Michigan Technological University. |
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Mary Weber
Community Leader Mary joined the Board in 2016. For many years, she was a literacy volunteer for The United Way of Lake County in Waukegan’s elementary schools and volunteered with CASA (court appointed special advocate). Mary was an academic advisor at Illinois State University for 14 years in the Special Education Department. |
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Thomas W. Wood
Retired, Samuel Ramirez & Co, Inc., Manager of Chicago office Tom began tutoring in 2014 and joined the Board in 2017. Tom retired in 2014 from a 40-year career in financial services, including 30 years with Goldman Sachs. His career has included institutional sales, sales management, recruiting and training. He has been active on two college parent advisory boards, and has been a fundraiser for several secondary schools, colleges and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. |
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Reverend Gordon Butcher, DMin, President Emeritus
Reading Power Co-Founder Gordon Butcher, a Presbyterian minister and literacy activist, collaborated with Mary Jane Hender in launching Reading Power in 2003. He is a founding member of the Board of Directors and became President in 2005. For 41 years, Gordon saw many achievements as a pastor of the Presbyterian Church including the establishment of mission outreach programs and literacy programs for Latino and Balkan immigrants.
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