Jim Collins,  President

Mr. Jim Collins was elected to the Board of Education in 2009. He is currently a member of the City/Park/School Intergovernmental Committee, representing the Board's interests in such matters as Tax Increment Finance districts and other intergovernmental agreements.  He is a lifelong resident of Elmhurst, attended Field Elementary, Immaculate Conception and Sandburg Junior High School and graduated from York Community High School in 1976. Mr. Collins is a 26-year member of Visitation Parish and has been an active member of its Finance Council for 16 years. He also has been a volunteer teacher for Junior Achievement and Science Olympiad at Edison School.  He and his wife, Julie, have two daughters in District 205 schools. He is a Managing Director in the Fixed Income Division of Wells Fargo Securities. Mr. Collins holds both a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Engineering and an MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of Chicago. 

Maria Hirsch, Vice President

Ms. Maria Hirsch was elected to the Board in 2009. She is currently a delegate to the Illinois Association of School Boards. She has also served on several District 205 Task Force committees, including Facilities and Enrollment, Technology Leadership and Student Discipline. Ms. Hirsch has also been active in the Jefferson, Bryan and REACH PTA Boards, the Chiefs Hockey Club, Girl Scouts, taught religious education and served as Market Day chair at Mary Queen of Heaven Parish. Currently, she represents a medical supply company that specializes in providing needed supplies to patients living with diabetes. Maria and her two children have lived in Elmhurst for 15 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois.

Ms. Hirsch's philosophy of education: "An educated and involved electorate is the key to the success of our community, and it is our responsibility to provide an education to all children. Our investments in our homes and community are well served by a thorough and rigorous public education system. Most importantly, each child is valued, and our schools must prepare each of them to succeed."
 

Shannon Ebner, Secretary

Mrs. Shannon Ebner was elected to the Board of Education in April 2011 for a four year term.  She is currently the Board representative for the Lizzadro Museum.  Prior to her election to the Board, Mrs. Ebner served on the District 205 EEPRT (Elmhurst Educational Program Review Technique) budget committee and PTA Executive Board, and has also been a Girl Scout leader.  She is currently an Engineer and a math/science tutor.  Mrs. Ebner is a 31-year resident of Elmhurst and attended Jackson Elementary, Bryan Middle and York High School.  She and her husband, Michael, are the parents of two current and one future District 205 student.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master's in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University.

Chris Blum

Mr. Chris Blum was elected to the Board of Education in April 2011 for a four year term.  He currently serves as the Board representative to the School Association for Special Education (SASED) in DuPage County.  Prior to his election, he has been involved in Junior Achievement at Edison School, as well as a mentor and judge for the annual business plan competition at University of Notre Dame.  He also coaches his children's sports teams.  He and his wife, Nancy, have four children attending District 205 schools.  Mr. Blum is a Principal at a middle-market private equity investment firm, he holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in finance/accounting from the University of Notre Dame. 

Mr. Blum's philosophy of education: “I believe a solid, well-rounded education is the most important asset we can provide our children to ensure they are equipped with the foundational skills necessary to achieve excellence in whatever field they chose to pursue in an increasingly competitive world.”
 

Susan DeRonne

Mrs. Susan DeRonne has been a member of the Board of Education since 1993. Through the years, she served the Board as president, secretary, vice president, and chair of the Policy Committee. Prior to her election to the Board, Mrs. DeRonne was a founding Board member of the District 205 Foundation, and has also served the PTA, AAUW and League of Women Voters. She is currently the Adult Services Director at the Glen Ellyn Public Library.  A lifetime resident of Elmhurst, Mrs. DeRonne and husband, Bill, have three children, all graduates of District 205.  Mrs. DeRonne herself is a graduate of York High School and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Mundelein College, an MBA from Northern Illinois University, and Master of Library and Information Science from Dominican University. 

Mrs. DeRonne's philosophy of education: "A good education is the key to success, however success is defined.  I want to do what I can to provide the best possible education for all of the children of Elmhurst District 205, while being mindful of the demands made on taxpayers.  Excellent schools are an investment in the future, an investment in our young people to prepare them for college or career, and an investment in our community to insure healthy property values.  Excellent public schools are the bedrock of a strong, vibrant community."

John McDonough

Mr. John McDonough was elected to the Board of Education in April 2011 for a four year term. He currently serves the City/Park/School Intergovernmental Committee.  Prior to his election, he was a PTA Board Representative and volunteered for Art Discovery, Science Olympiad and reading, as well as serving as a Field School committee organizer for the 2006 Referendum.  He and his wife, Jill, have four children attending District 205 schools.  Mr. McDonough is an attorney and holds a Bachelor's degree in Art History and Juris Doctor from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  In his free time, he was a soccer coach/referee, was a church Finance Council member, volunteers with PADS and the United Community Concerns Association, and participates in Engineers Without Borders.

Karen Stuefen

Mrs. Karen Stuefen was elected to the Board of Education in April 2011 for a four year term.  She is currently the Board Representative for LEND (the Legislative Education Network of DuPage County).  Prior to her election, she was an EEPRT member, served on the York PTSA Executive Board, York PTSA Standards Based Grading Committee and the Bryan Middle School Treasure Hunt Clues Committee.  She and her husband, Thomas, have two children attending District 205 schools.  Mrs. Stuefen is a community volunteer and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, with 24 years experience working in Fortune 500 corporations (Bell Laboratories, AT&T and Sprint) specifically in research and development, sales, marketing, business development and operations. Areas of specialty include: quality and business process improvement, best practices and benchmarking, organizational development, project and program management. 

In her spare time, Mrs. Stuefen's local volunteer activities have included fundraising at Tree Town Cooperative Nursery School, Jackson Elementary and Bryan Middle Schools. She is a Eucharistic Minister and former Religious Education Teacher in Visitation Parish. Her global volunteer activities include: National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games, American Cancer Society, Children''s Memorial Hospital, Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research. She is a former member of Minority and Women in Business, Quality Productivity and Management Association and the Chicago Quality Council.

Mrs. Stuefen's philosophy of education: "I believe that quality education creates a lifetime of opportunities for students. Therefore, fostering a culture of curiosity and love of learning within every educational experience we offer will maximize potential for all children. This can be accomplished through courageous, collaborative, visionary leadership focused on accountability at all levels, continuous improvement, student achievement, visible results and financial discipline. This should yield effective use of taxpayer funds, return on our education dollars and students who are well prepared for success in college and vocation."