Yes We CAN

Leadership Chair

I am a native of the Chicago area, currently practicing as a Nurse Practitioner in Stroke Neurology.

Over the years I have volunteered in multiple community, church and professional events.

However, my proudest accomplishment is being a partner to my husband Paul for 36 years and raising our 2 children.

I first met Clare when our children started at St Michael’s School. Later, I was lucky enough to call the Nelson’s my neighbors.

Clare had an infectious devotion to her family, faith and her community. I am humbled and honored to be part of the Yes We CAN leadership council as we carry on her legacy.

I was blessed to have been married to Clare for 27 years. We have three wonderful kids, Henry, Grace and Hannah. They are amazing kids that remind me so much of their mother. Every day I miss her. Every day I hope to live in a way that will make her proud. I had a vision of continuing the critical and wonderful work Clare was doing in our community. Clare was all about providing the opportunity for those in need to help better themselves. The task today seems daunting. However, I believe we can make a real difference one person at a time.

 I practiced urology in the western suburbs of Chicago for nearly twenty years before moving into an executive leadership role with Cadence Health, and later with Northwestern Memorial HealthCare.  I currently serve as the Senior Vice President of Northwestern Medicine’s Regional Medical Group.  My wife of 36 years, Peggy, and I are the proud parents of four wonderful young men, and I have been actively involved in a variety of community service, youth sports, church and other leadership efforts for over thirty years.  I am honored to serve as the Leader of Yes We CAN.  My involvement in Yes We CAN stems from my friendship with Don and Clare Nelson and their beautiful family.  After witnessing Clare’s heroic and courageous battle against pancreatic cancer, her deep and abiding faith, and learning more about her selfless efforts to support our communities in need, I was inspired to assist in keeping her amazing legacy alive and flourishing for years to come.

As a dentist, I have volunteered for organizations such as Missions of Mercy and Dentists With a Heart. Both experiences were not only rewarding, humbling, and fostered my desire to pay it forward, but also allowed me to help people in my community. Being on the board of Yes We CAN allows me to continue community work by expanding on Clare Nelson’s passion for helping young adults achieve their dreams through education. I find it truly admirable to see the students’ drive and determination as they overcome adversity. It has been both inspiring and a privilege to learn about the often harrowing journeys they've taken to achieve their goals. I recognize the grace of God at work in the lives of these young adults and am honored to be a small part of their path to success. My husband Doug and I live in Wheaton where we raised our 3 children. We have been close family friends and neighbors to the Nelsons for many years. We witnessed Clare’s deep faith, huge heart, and capacity to give, as well as her unbelievable strength and courage. Clare had an amazing ability to bring people together for a common cause. Nothing was impossible. This foundation embodies her belief that “we can make this happen!”

I am a native Wisconsinite, but moved to Wheaton in 1995, and it has been home ever since.  I have a Bachelors in Finance degree, and practiced corporate banking for many years.  One of my passions is horticulture. I am a retired Master Gardener from the University of Illinois, and currently volunteer at the Morton Arboretum and Wheaton Garden Club.  I have been married for 30 years and have 2 grown children.  My connection to Yes We CAN stemmed from a long friendship with Clare Nelson beginning at St. Mikes.  We shared a passion for serving others and giving an educational opportunity to all.

I graduated from John Carroll University, moved to the Chicago area and enjoyed a career in Human Resources.  I raised a family of four in Naperville and currently reside in Michiana Shores, Indiana.  I have supported Yes We CAN since its infancy.  It has been so rewarding to watch its growth and the success of the students we have helped to realize their educational dreams.  Clare would be so proud of how Yes We CAN has promoted her ideals.  I had the privilege of serving alongside Clare as we served on the Benet Academy's Mother Clubs Board.  Her engaging personality, passion for life and strong faith serve as an inspiration to continue her philanthropic ideals.  

I grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, attended Northwestern University Undergraduate and Medical School, then moved to Wheaton, Illinois in 1994 with my husband Jay to raise our 3 children.  I met Clare 23 years ago when our sons began kindergarten together at St. Michaels.  It has always been a blessing to count the Nelson family as dear friends and raise our families together.  Clare was the ultimate role model for philanthropic work, putting her heart and soul into a multitude of charities and encouraging me to do the same.  She introduced me to Outreach Community Ministries back then and I have been involved with them in various ways ever since.  My husband and I have also been active participants with Solidarity Bridge since 2004, a Catholic organization that sends medical mission teams to Bolivia and Paraguay.  Additionally, I have been a CASA of Dupage advocate since 2014.  It is an honor to help continue Clare’s legacy through Yes We Can in serving the underserved and making students’ educational dreams a reality. Her love and devotion to improving the lives of others lives on in this wonderful organization

I am delighted to serve on the leadership team of Yes We CAN and to honor the legacy of Clare Nelson. Clare was one of the first people I met when we moved to Wheaton over 20 years ago. Clare inspired me to get involved with both the refugee program and the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Michael Catholic parish.  I especially appreciate that YWC helps fund college scholarships for local students. I grew up in a Croatian family on the Southeast Side of Chicago, and as a first-generation college student, I relied on scholarships to help to fund my undergraduate and graduate studies at Notre Dame and Northwestern. I am most proud of being married for 30 years to my husband, Mike, and being the mother of 5 children.

Clare Nelson is an inspiration to many and I have always admired her eagerness and quickness to address someone’s need. She simply did not allow barriers to get in her way to serve others.  I look forward to continuing her legacy by helping Yes We Can make a difference in peoples’ lives.  Currently, I serve as President of OSI Group, a multinational food processing company headquartered in Aurora.  I have been involved with other professional, school, church and community activities.  I have been blessed to be married to my wife, Mindy, for 28 years, and we share great joy and pride in our six children.  Our family has had the great fortune of being family friends of the Nelsons for many years.  I am proud to serve on the Yes We CAN leadership team, and to contribute to its mission of supporting the educational goals of bright young women and men, who have inspired us with their stories of perseverance, hard work, and unyielding faith.

I worked in public & private account, financial planning and as a national sales executive before I made the decision to be a “full-time mom”.   I earned a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and a MBA in Marketing.  I have continued to do accounting for the engineering company we started in 2006 while raising our 3 children.  My husband, Larry, and I have been married for 31 years, and we have lived our whole lives in Wheaton and Glen Ellyn.  I currently serve on the board for Wheaton Infant Welfare, in addition to my service on Yes We CAN.  Additionally, I am a CASA advocate in DuPage County.  I was fortunate enough to meet Clare Nelson through her daughter beginning freshman year in college.  Clare remains a true role model for me to this day!

It's been really amazing to see Yes We CAN form and develop over the past few years. I and am excited for our organization to grow as we continue to sponsor the education of dedicated students, organize annual events, develop our Young Adult Board, and work alongside our community. The mission of Yes We CAN inspires me to live my life as my mom Clare did, and in her place, work to engage with and make our community a better place for all to be.