Northern Illinois Food Bank Leadership and Board of Directors

Executive Leadership Team

Julie Yurko, President and CEO

Julie joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2009 and served as the organization’s philanthropy team lead since 2010 before her appointment to president and CEO in 2014. Julie has more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, operations and marketing.

Prior to joining the Food Bank, Julie worked for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Children’s Memorial Foundation (now Lurie’s Children’s Medical Center) and the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo. Julie has served as President of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, and on the Boards of the Special Education Alliance for District 200, and Teen Parent Connection.

Julie serves on the Boards of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago, Feeding Illinois and Thrivent Member Network Regional Board. She is also a past member of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger.

Julie has a degree in music and business from Northern Illinois University. She and her family live in Winfield.

Chris White, Chief Operations Officer

Chris joined the Food Bank in February 2005, following eight years serving in the U.S. Army & Reserves, working for Dierks Foods and the Hunger Connection (the local food bank which Northern Illinois Food Bank later acquired). Chris has worked in all facets of operations at the Food Bank, including as Warehouse Manager, Director of Warehouse & Food Processing, Director of Continuous Improvement, and Vice President of Operations. Chris became the Chief Operations Offer in 2021. He and his family reside in Rockford.

 

 

 

 

 

Maeven Sipes, Chief Philanthropy Officer

Maeven joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in August 2010 and led the individual giving team before taking on the role of Vice President of Philanthropy in 2016. Prior to joining the Food Bank, Maeven worked at Adoption Ark and coordinated the international adoptions of over 70 children. She has served on the West Suburban Philanthropic Network Board of Directors since 2013 and earned a Certificate in Fund Raising Management from Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Bucko Lamplough, Chief Impact Officer

Jennifer Bucko Lamplough joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2015 as the Director of Nutrition Programs and Executive Chef. In 2020 Jen became the Senior Director of Strategy, overseeing all of the Direct Services programs. Jen was named Chief Impact Officer in the summer of 2021 and she and her team ensure all of our neighbors receive the food they need to thrive through our network of agencies and programs.

Jen has a Certificate in Professional Cooking from the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Morris Graduate School of Management in Chicago, Illinois.

 

 

 

LaDora Robinson-Locke, Chief People Officer

LaDora Robinson – Locke joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2023 as the Chief People Officer. Prior to joining the Food Bank, LaDora worked at Heartland Alliance as their Senior Director of People & Culture and at Lincoln Park Zoo as their Director of Human Resources. LaDora has 20 years of human resource management experience. In addition, LaDora teaches HR Management, HR Management Law, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace at Oakton College.

LaDora holds certificates in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and is a Senior Human Resources Professional (SPHR). She has graduate degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology & Business Psychology and a BS in Psychology. She and her family live in Lombard.

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa Kochan, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO

Melissa Kochan joined Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2020 as the Executive Administrative Assistant to President and CEO Julie Yurko. Prior to joining the Food Bank, Melissa worked at Honeywell-UOP and LanzaTech supporting C-Level Executives. Melissa is a Certified Six Sigma Green Belt. She and her family reside in Schaumburg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Board

Executive Committee

  • William (Bill) Connell, Chair – Duchossois Capital Management, Chief Financial Officer
  • Nate Carden, Vice Chair – Skadden, Arps, Slate, Megher & Flom, LLP, Partner
  • Nadine Moore, Treasurer – Boston Consulting Group, Managing Director and Partner
  • Carol Peterson, Secretary – Exelon Generation (retired)
  • Kim Holmes, DEI Chair – Inclusion Nation, Strategy Consultant
  • Julie Yurko – Northern Illinois Food Bank, President & Chief Executive Officer

Board Members

  • Anil Barot, Vantiva, Sr. Director of Product Management & Business Development
  • Corey Berends, Footprint, Chief Commercial Officer
  • David Brearton, Mondelez International (retired)
  • Michael Gurin, CogniTek, CEO & CTO
  • Moses Herring Sr., Faith Movers Church, Founding and Senior Pastor
  • Judy Hsu, WLS TV ABC 7 Eyewitness News, News Anchor
  • Lela Johnson, Attorney (retired)
  • Cathy Lang, Epsilon Auto/CRM, President
  • Justin Massa, IDEO, Partner
  • John Millner, John Millner & Associates, President
  • Shawn Porter, Jewel-Osco, Sr. Vice President Operations
  • Kevin Poorten, Northwestern Medicine, President, West Region
  • Dale Richardson, Compeer Financial (retired)
  • Paul Rodriguez, Xperi, Vice President, IP Rights Management and Head of Portfolio Management Media
  • Sandy Rodriguez, McDonald’s USA
  • Craig Seseman, Partners Warehouse Logistics Services
  • Nicole Scharrenberg, CDW, LLC, Director, Global Talent Delivery
  • Anthony Suggs, Albertsons, GVP Center Store
  • Wilbur You, Youtech & Associates, CEO & Founder

 

  • Michelle Borman, Senior Manager, Washing National Tax – Compenstation & Benefits, RSM US LLP
  • Eileen Buck, Executive Assistant to Cathy Lang, Epsilon Auto/CRM
  • Carrie Camino, Full Time Family & Fun Coach (retired Consulting Partner), Camino Inc
  • Renee Carter, HR Manager, Tek Pak, Inc
  • Courtney Dutter, Deputy General Counsel and VP, Legal & Compliance, iCIMS, Inc.
  • Kris Fletcher, Director of Risk Management, Dover Corporation
  • Jackie Flick, VP/Brank Operations Manager, First Back of Highland Park
  • Megan Gatley, Director of Tax, The Jordan Company
  • Lauren Genuardi, Financial Life Advisor, Telemus
  • Karen Golden, Director of Global Facilities and Risk Management, Navistar International Corporation
  • Tracey Gorrell, Sr. Marketing Communications Manager, Ecolab
  • Krista Harris, Associate Diretor, Capgemini
  • Tammy Incapreo, Vice President, Assurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company
  • Becky Juhant, Vice President, Senior Trust Advisor
  • Amanda Kennedy, Program Manager, Comcast Business
  • Jill Kruckenberg, Engagement Leader, Chicagoland Region, Thrivent
  • Cathy Lang, President, Epsilon Auto, CRM
  • Noel Leatherbury, VP, HR & Customer Service, npxone
  • Melissa Leuck, Flood Industry Sales & Client Relationship Leader, – Torrent Technologies, Marsh
  • Rachel Oleksiak
  • Christina Pierce, Associate Director, Project Management, Office of the Vice Chair, Audito, KPMG, LLP
  • Eileen Rico
  • Caroline Rossow, Vice President Commerican Banking, Wintrust
  • Erin Stein, Pricing Analyst, CITGO Petroleum
  • Laura Swarts, Business Development, Vertex Resource Group
  • Kathy Szymanowski, Occupational Therapist, Alexian Brothers Home Health
  • Stephanie Taylor, VP Programs & Partnerships, NAFEM
  • Bernessa Wilson, Vice President of Marketing, Communications Research
  • Kathryn Winans, Mortgage Loan Originator, First Centennial Mortgage
  • Tiffany King, Special Events Manager, Northern IL Food Bank
  • Anne Moore, Strategic and Legacy Gifts Manager, Northern IL Food Bank
Executive Women’s Council Mission & Responsibilities

 

  • Darcy Bretz, Middleby, Director of Corporate Communications
  • Jeff Causemaker, Uline, Inc., Senior Finance Manager – Financial Planning & Analysis
  • Chris Chromy, Conagra, Senior Vice President of Sales
  • Steve Colello, Jewel Osco, Store Director
  • Chris Dugan, Richelieu Roods, Chief Commerical Officer
  • Nisha Floyd, Woodforest National Bank, Northern Illinois Community Development Officer
  • Kristy Gray, Great Lakes Credit Union, Vice President, Loan Operations
  • Rahul Kalsi, Nicor Gas, Director of Government Affairs
  • Meghan Netzband, Northwestern Medicine, Community Support Specialist, Community Affairs
  • Allan Pixton, Quinn Emanuel, Trial Attorney and Partner
  • Tolla Sobitan, Alight Solutions, VP, Chief Privacy Officer and AGC II
  • Domonic Wilkerson, Target, Senior Director of Operations, Region 3
  • Sarah Woodman, CDW, Director, Small Business Marketing, CDW
Associate Board Overview