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Our People

Our Staff

Beacon Place relies on dedicated and committed staff members and volunteers to help support all of the programs and experiences available at Beacon Place. What brings our staff to Beacon Place is their strong desire to support children and families as we work together to lift a community and build brighter futures.

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Maha Worden

Executive

Director

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Rob Pasinato

Operations

Manager

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Ernie Sadera

Finance

Manager

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Nina Latusek

Marketing and

Development Manager

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Christine Carlson

Program

Manager

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Maria McGuire

Moms Program Manager/Volunteer

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Sharlett James

Volunteer

Manager

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Wyatt Browdy

Program

Manager

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Rev. Sean Miller

Rev. Sean, Board Chair, was raised in Deerfield and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado (B.A. ’00) before earning his Master of Divinity from McCormick Seminary (’04). Ordained in 2005, he has served as a minister in congregations ranging from 40 to 2,000 members. Now Co-Minister at the Community Church of Lake Forest & Lake Bluff, a longtime Beacon Place partner, Sean is passionate about its mission and honored to serve on the board.

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Barbara LaFasto

Barbara is a co-founder of Beacon Place (2012) and has served as executive director (2016-2019) and board president (2015-2016, 2019). After a 25-year career in human resources at companies like Rust-Oleum and Baxter, she retired in 2007 to focus on philanthropy. For over eight years, she has been dedicated to supporting Waukegan families through Beacon Place, helping develop its core programs. Barbara holds a B.A. from Western Illinois University and lives in Lake Forest and Littleton, CO.

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Chris Fisher

Chris joined the Beacon Place board in 2022 after years of volunteering and advocacy since 2015. With over 25 years in financial advisory, he founded Fisher Financial Partners in 2004 and later co-founded ISTO Advisors, a firm built on the principle of In Service to Others, a value he embraces both personally and professionally. Committed to community service, Chris has served on several nonprofit boards, including the Allendale Association. He lives in Lake Forest, IL, with his wife, Lesley—also a dedicated Beacon Place volunteer—and their three children.

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Mary Tomanek

Mary is the Institutional Consulting Director & Senior Vice President at Graystone Consulting, Chicago NW, with over 35 years of experience in financial services, specializing in institutional consulting. She was recognized on Forbes' Top Women Advisors List (2020, 2021) and led a team named to Barron’s list of Top Institutional Consultants (2016-2022). A strong advocate for women in finance, Mary is also deeply committed to philanthropy. She and her husband, Ron, have been longtime supporters of various charities, including Beacon Place, where she served as a board advisor before taking an official role in 2022. Mary holds a B.S. from Western Illinois University and resides in Lake Forest.

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Andy Graves

Andy and his wife, Susan, split their time between Lake Bluff and Fort Worth, TX. They raised two daughters in Lake Bluff, now living in Texas, and welcomed their first grandchild in 2024. A retired executive, Andy led Brunswick’s Boat Group and served as CEO of Motorsports Aftermarket Group. He is now Chairman of Thor Industries and Tiara Yachts and a director at American Chemet. Active in their faith, they are members of Christ Church Lake Forest and Christ Chapel Bible Church. Andy served on the Shelia Daniels Christian Academy board (2010-2022) and leads a weekly Links Players Men’s Fellowship. Committed to serving children and families, they proudly support Beacon Place’s mission.

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Scott Carter

Scott joined the Beacon Place board in 2023, bringing expertise in operations and leadership. He has led two businesses in the HR services sector and is now COO at Risk Transfer Advisory Group, helping portfolio companies scale and optimize their people strategies. Active in his community and church, Scott also serves on other boards. He lives in Lake Forest, IL, with his wife, Julia, and their four children.

The Beacon Place Board of Directors is a group of dedicated individuals passionate about our mission

of empowering our community through education, skill-set building, and healthy lifestyles.

Our Board of Directors

Past Board Members

Beacon Place has been shaped by tremendous leaders who have dedicated their time and expertise to guide the agency as one of Lake County, IL's most impactful youth and family community service organizations. We are thankful for their years of leadership service and acknowledge these individuals here.

 

Nick Anson

Paul Barrett

Brad Berke

Kevin Bishop (past Chair)

Carrie Buchwald (past Chair)

David Calfee

Robert Dodd

Jennifer Gattari

Marc Jones

Mary Ellen Patton

Robin Powers

Jacob Punoose

Sally Salzer

Ann Marie Scheidler 

Founding Board Members

The following individuals provided the initial vision and guidance for the agency. We thank them for their ability to dream big and make hope for a brighter future a reality for so many.

 

Linda Benge
Gary Eimerman
Barb Karacic (past Chair)
Barbara LaFasto
Betsy Larson

Linda Malouf*

Gene Sekel

Peggy Talbot* (past Chair)

(*added after the Articles of Incorporation)

Early Leaders, Non-Voting Members:

Diane Archibald 

Mary Jane Dybas

Juliana Furlong

Wil Guilianelli

Scott Guziec
Fran Prell

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