Board Members Al Ritter, President Ritter Consulting Group Al has consulted for the past 20 years to thousands of people across many industries, in both the for profit and non-profit sectors. Al works with leaders and teams who are committed to achieving breakthrough results in their own and their organization's performance. Before becoming a management consultant, Al was a senior vice president with Citicorp, and chief financial officer of Swift & Company. He holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Dartmouth College. Skills: leadership and team coaching, strategic planning and implementation, including vision, mission and values creation, culture change, fund raising, meeting management, project team management, relationship management. Dr. Katherine M. Howard, EdD MAPC MSM LPC Since she was a small child, Dr. Katherine Howard has had a passion for Africa. One of her earliest memories is being told she draws her trees funny. She did not understand why. Many months later, after seeing a picture of an Acacia tree in a magazine, she knew she was right: “See, that IS how trees are supposed to look”. When young Katherine heard African tribal music for the first time, it was as if she was hearing music so familiar and natural that it felt like she was recalling her own memories from a childhood she didn’t experience. Dr. Howard holds Doctorate in Education; Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Counselor Education and Supervision. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Illinois and also holds both a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling and a Master of Science in Management. As an educator, Dr. Howard shares her passion for teaching and counseling. A naturally gifted teacher charged with enthusiasm and energy, Dr. Howard creates a positive learning environment that encourages participation and exploration of learning concepts. She, herself, is also a life-long learner seeking to learn with and from her students. In the field of counseling, Dr. Howard has focused much of her attention on the use of written intervention tools as therapeutic measures. In the Internet world of blogs, chats, bulletin boards, etc., Dr. Howard is deciphering the patterns and finding the healing connections that will continue to change and shape the field of counseling. She believes that more individuals can benefit from this ever-improving technology. Dr. Howard is knowledgeable in the field of managing personal change; especially regarding the transitions in a woman's life. For the past several years, she has lead many Internet and in-person support forums dealing with issues ranging from parenting to depression. A strong advocate for women empowering themselves and other women, she also recognizes the growing need for women to help men find strength in their changing roles in society. As a mother herself, Dr. Howard sees the turmoil and uncertainty that our youth face in understanding what it means to be a male or female in today’s society. In the area of professional skills and professional skill building, Dr. Howard has helped spearhead several related movements at the college level. Using custom rubrics these skills are then able to be evaluated with the results used to continue developing course curriculum. As a Director of Assessment, Evaluation and Institutional Effectiveness, Dr. Howard maintains the accrediting standards for The Illinois Institute of Art-Schaumburg and for each of the programs offered. She has been instrumental in developing the assessment of student learning initiative to a level that has received nationally recognized accreditation approval and recommendation. Dr. Howard is a dynamic speaker, using humor and a light-hearted approach to present a wide array of personal and professional skill building topics. Dr. Howard is serving on the Matanya’s Hope Board as Treasurer. She and her three children are sponsoring John Ngari, a high school student who would have had no choice but to watch his dreams vanish without her help. Dr. Howard was also instrumental in providing a scholarship for a member of the Matanya’s Hope Kenyan team to attend a Digital Photography Certificate Program at The Illinois Institute or Art in Schaumburg. Dr. Howard has grown one internet group (Facebook) membership of Matanya’s Hope from 3 members to 170 members within a two-month period of time. She is a leading member of the following Matanya’s Hope committees: Strategic Planning, Finance, and Grant Writing and is an active participant in many others committees. Cyril B. Embil, MA MBA Cyril Embil was born and raised in Accra, Ghana, later immigrating to the United States in 1992. In 2000, Cyril graduated from Northern Illinois University, with a Bachelor of Arts in International Politics/French degree, which included studies at Université Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium. Cyril has since earned two graduate degrees from Northern Illinois University, Master of Arts in International Relations and Master of Business Administration. Prior to serving on the Board for Matanya’s Hope, Cyril was employed by Northern Illinois University as a Graduate Assistant and Teaching Assistant, and was a Fraternal Consultant for College Councils with the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council in New Haven, Connecticut. Cyril currently serves as System Coordinator for Career Development System, an Illinois State Education Cooperative. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Phi Beta Delta, an honor society for international scholars and an Evans Scholar. Karen Coley, President Verde Events, Inc. Karen launched Verde Events in 2007. Exceptional, responsible and extremely creative corporate meetings and events are her passion. Karen’s 23 year career in the hospitality industry was primed during her tenure with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Ritz-Carlton and Maritz Travel. Karen’s expertise lays in managing high profile Dealer Meetings, National Sales Meetings and Incentive trips for Fortune 100 companies with professionalism and attention to detail. Verde Events has integrated VolunTeaming Events into many corporate agendas…adding meaningful and exceptional value to company’s programs. Karen actively volunteers with Flossmoor Service League and co-chaired the CandleLight Ball raising thousands of dollars for South Suburban charities. Her company sponsors her church’s Hunger Banquet, an event exemplifying the world’s imbalance of food. Karen and her daughter reside in Flossmoor and look forward to assisting Matanya’s Hope and all it stands for. Jeanette Contreras in Chicago Heights, Illinois. She graduated High School in 1982 from Bloom Trail. Following High School, Jeanette attended Prairie State College where she was on the Presidents list. Upon graduation, Jeanette earned her Legal Secretarial A.A.S. credentials. Currently, Jeanette works for Miller Metals Service Corporation in University Park, Illinois. She holds the positions of Customer Service Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, Safety Department and ISO 9000 Internal Auditor. Jeanette was secretary to the Glenwood Softball Board in 1990. Jeanette’s other interests include travel softball, where she has coached teams for 24 years. Today, Jeanette coaches and supports her daughter’s serious involvement with the sport. Crafting, sewing and bible study are amongst Jeanette’s other hobbies. Michelle Stark, Founder & President Matanya's Hope Michelle Stark was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and moved to Illinois with her family when she was 13 years old. Michelle is founder and president of Matanya’s Hope. She founded the 501(c)(3) organization in 2005 after returning from a safari to Kenya, East Africa. Stark states, “The visit to Kenya changed my life. I never knew how I would serve this world, but since I was a little girl, I prayed that there would be a way for God to use me. When I felt the calling to found Matanya’s Hope, I knew that my prayers had been answered.” Michelle has given everything in her power to help the poor children of Kenya breakthrough the walls of poverty by providing them with alternatives to this harsh and desperate lifestyle. Stark sees education as the most important weapon of all against world problems: poverty only being one of them. She spends several months each year in Kenya where she works one on one with the hundreds of children who seek help from Matanya’s Hope. She lives with the local people and tells us, “I have learned that money does not define wealth. Heart does. The people in Kenya have little to give me besides their love and prayers, but they are the most beautiful people I have ever met.” It is Michelle’s dream to build several schools in Kenya so that these children can have a better chance at life. We take so many of these opportunities for granted here, but something as simple as a blackboard and chalk is considered a precious commodity if not a treasure in some of these rural villages. If we can send the children to good boarding schools”, Stark says, “they will have a chance to compete with the most privileged students…because money doesn’t buy brains.” “It is time that the poor are recognized as human beings with potential and purpose in this world. We can do that by giving them a chance. They have to do the work.” Stark tells us that by building schools for Matanya’s Hope, the organization will have better access to the students throughout the year…thus improving all aspects of their education – both academically, spiritually and emotionally.” In addition to Matanya’s Hope, Michelle works as a massage therapist. She is passionate about serving people and making this world better through the gift of compassion. Michelle is the proud mother of Sean Slutsky, who’s achievements in life have never ceased to amaze her. Michelle attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and the Art Institute of Chicago. She graduated with a BA in fine arts. Sue Bertram Information coming soon