Left to right: Naperville Education Foundation Executive Director Wendy Goettsch, Trish Jones Fairbanks, secretary; Jordan Johnson, treasurer; Kitty Ryan, chair and Lance Jansen, vice chair.
Kitty Ryan was elected board chair. She is the retired Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education for Naperville School District 203. Prior to that position, Ryan was an elementary principal and has many years of experience as an elementary teacher, Learning Center director and assistant principal. “I know firsthand the difference NEF makes in the lives of District 203 students,” Ryan said. “NEF is an important part of our community and provides tangible resources that enrich and extend students’ educational experience and even fill in gaps for children when families and schools cannot.”
Lance Jansen was elected board vice chair. Jansen is a Project Manager at Chicago Bridge & Iron, building water towers and other tanks for the water and waste water industry. Jansen was born and raised in Naperville. “I feel a strong pull to support teachers in any way possible and staying involved is the least I can do to support the district,” said Jansen.
Trish Jones Fairbanks, MSN, RN was elected board secretary. Fairbanks is Associate Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Linden Oaks Behavioral Health. Fairbanks is moved by the mission of NEF and the programs it offers to the children of the district. Fairbanks said, “I am passionate about building resiliency in children and adolescents and promoting social and emotional learning in the academic setting.”
Jordan Johnson will continue in his current role as board treasurer. Johnson is a Senior Associate at DHJJ where he works with closely-held businesses and individuals on tax planning, tax preparation, business advisory, investment management, and financial planning. Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant and has his Series 65 certification. “As a District 203 graduate, I am proud to use my accounting and finance knowledge to assist NEF in supporting the general student population of District 203,” Johnson said. “I’m particularly proud to be a part of an organization that supports families and students in need.”