McKinley Foundation Board of Directors, enacting the mission of the Foundation through service and engagement.
Sandra Klitzing, President
Professor Emeritus, Illinois State University
Sandy’s area of expertise is therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy. In addition to her work at ISU, she also taught and was an academic advisor at the University of Illinois. Prior to teaching, she was a practitioner at various agencies including C-U Special Recreation, Danville VA, and others. Sandy served on the board of Courage Connection for many years. She enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her fur babies.
Rev. Cindy Shepherd, Vice President
Central Illinois Outreach Director, Faith in Place
Cindy grew up in Kansas and graduated from the University of Kansas. She earned her M.Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary and was ordained as a PCUSA Teaching Elder in 1982. Cindy served in a variety of pastoral and educational posts around the Midwest, including pastor of Philo Presbyterian Church until 2014, when she joined Faith in Place. She finds great satisfaction in working with houses of worship to protect our common air, land and water. Cindy is married to Tim Hartin, who produces videos for the University of Illinois “channel” of the Big Ten Network, and has three adult children and a couple of dogs.
Adani Sanchez, Secretary
Client Services Coordinator, Champaign County Health Care Consumers
Adani hails from the great state of Texas, but quickly made Champaign-Urbana her home through various volunteer opportunities like the 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign and CUPHD’s Germbusters program. She is now the Client Services Coordinator at Champaign County Health Care Consumers where she works directly with clients to connect them to care by applying for health insurance, financial assistance, and directing them to providers. If Adani’s not talking about being from Texas or health care policy, then she’s probably talking about Democrats.
Mike Cain, Treasurer
Retired, Superintendent of Champaign Community Schools Unit District 4
Abby Beck, Student Director
Graduate Student, University of Illinois
Abby is originally from Texas and graduated with her B.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Abby is now pursuing her master’s and will begin her PhD work at the University of Illinois in Civil Engineering. During her undergrad, Abby served as the president for the Greater Austin Engineers Without Borders Chapter. Abby hopes to continue to use her engineering skillset to improve our built world. In her spare time, she likes to cook, read, and explore the outdoors.
Sonya Chambers, Director
Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, University of Illinois
Sonya acquired both her graduate and undergraduate degrees in her home state of Ohio. She received her MBA from The Ohio State University and is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Management & Finance. Sonya moved to Champaign to work at the University of Illinois in 2001. Over the past 19 years she has held various leadership roles on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Currently, she is the Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. She enjoys all things fun including spending time with great people, eating good food, reading, the arts, and the outdoors.
Carrie Chandler, Director
Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Carrie has been a rehabilitation specialist in the teaching hospital for 8 years where she teaches students and staff, and works closely with clients. Outside of work, she dedicates much of her time to the nonprofit organization Girls Rock! C-U that she co-founded in 2015. Carrie herself is a musician, both performing and teaching lessons. She is also a mentor with the C-U One to One Mentoring Program and has a passion for serving the community.
Jenna Frye, Director
Project Manager, CMT Central Services
Jenna grew up in nearby Villa Grove, IL and completed her undergraduate studies in Sociology here at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She continued her studies in the field at DePaul University in Chicago, earning a master’s degree in 2011. Jenna returned to Champaign-Urbana to work in the restaurant industry where she currently project manages for a large bar and restaurant group in Champaign. In her spare time, Jenna likes to spend time with her dog, travel, and work on her house. She is passionate about social justice and likes to volunteer her time to various local causes.
Matthew Gladney, Director
Benefits Counselor, University of Illinois
Matt is a long-time resident of Champaign. He has worked for the University of Illinois since 2007, and was a six-year member of the McKinley Foundation board of directors, before re-joining in 2020. Matt was elected to the Champaign City Council in 2015, and re-elected in 2019. He has served on the 40 North Arts Council since 2015, and was a former elected member of the Champaign County Board, from 2006-2010. He makes his home in Champaign with his spouse, Ashley.
Paula Hancock, Director
Executive Director, McKinley Foundation
Paula joined the McKinley Foundation staff in December of 2016 with nearly 20 years of experience in nonprofit management. Originally from Tuscola, Paula comes to Champaign by way of Chicago where she lived for 24 years. Paula graduated from the University of Illinois with a BA in English Literature and later earned a master of education degree from Loyola University of Chicago. She loves to travel, having summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2012, and is the proud mother of two spoiled miniature dachshunds, Roscoe and Scarlett.
Terry Hatch, Director
Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Carle Foundation Hospital
Terry is a C-U native, graduating from Uni High, then the Univ. of Illinois, then to Indiana University for Medical School, followed by Johns Hopkins Hospital to complete his Pediatric medical education and training. His long career in medicine culminated at Carle and along with Peds GI was Department Head of Pediatrics and Director of Medical Education for many years. In retirement, Terry remains at Carle, serving part-time in Gastroenterology and as Emeritus in Nutritional Sciences and the UICOM at the University. Along the way Terry has served on many boards that focus on children’s health and those that conserve and preserve land and clean water. He and his wife enjoy devoting much of their time to children’s issues, and to organizations that work to promote environmental health and support of the arts. They have resided in Mahomet since 1974 where they raised three sons and now devote much time to 6 grandchildren and treasured pets. The entire crew spends all available free time out-o-doors.
Boswell Hutson, Director
Media/Communications Specialist, National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois
Boswell is a 26-year Central Illinois resident, growing up in Monticello and living in C-U since 2011, save for a brief six-month stint in London. He currently serves in the Public Affairs department at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois, where he writes press releases and science stories about the center’s many research breakthroughs. In addition to his work at NCSA, Boswell is a freelance writer whose work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Chicago Sun-Times, and is also the creator and publisher of Champaign Showers, a local news aggregation blog and podcast network.
Masumi Iriye, Director
Deputy Director, University of Illinois Center for Advanced Studies
Masumi is currently Deputy Director of the University of Illinois Center for Advanced Study, where she has worked since 2000. She received her doctorate in the History of Art from the University of Michigan and her BA from Haverford College. She was the Costume Mistress for Champaign Urbana Ballet for 9 years and served on CUB’s Board of Directors. Just before the pandemic hit she was starting a new venture in providing costume alterations for local Drag queens. When Drag shows were canceled, she volunteered her sewing skills to various mask-making groups. She is a big fan of European murder mystery TV shows and loves geriatric dogs.
Marc McConney, Director
General Manager, Presby Hall
Marc obtained his PhD in educational psychology at the University of Illinois. He is also a graduate of the University of Chicago, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences. Marc has been the general manager of Presby Hall since it opened in 2008. In addition, he is an Adjunct Professor at the City College of Chicago and The Chicago School for Professional Psychology. He also teaches classes at Parkland College in Champaign, and, on occasion, for the University of Illinois. He is an avid chess player.
David Oliver-Holder, Director
Pastor/Head of Staff, First Presbyterian Urbana
David has served as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Urbana since March 2017, after serving churches in Richland Center, Milwaukee, Hartland and Bayfield, Wisconsin. He grew up as a military brat (Navy), and has lived in California, Florida, Virginia, Oklahoma and South Carolina, his birth and home state. A graduate of Wofford College, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Southern Seminary, in Louisville, Kentucky, David completed his graduate studies in the Joint Doctor of Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He is married to Rev. Jean Oliver-Holder. He enjoys the outdoors, reading, the arts, great food of all kinds, and music.
Rev. Heidi Weatherford, Director
Pastor/Head of Staff, McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church
Pastor Heidi joined McKinley Church in 2002. Heidi enjoys exploring how the ancient scriptures of Christianity and Judaism intersect with 21st-century realities that shape our faith. She often weaves music, art, poetry, current events, and activity into our worship. Her theology, a blend of old-fashioned Presbyterian and current progressive thought, means she is passionate that God’s people know they are cherished by God, who loves them as they are—no exceptions. Heidi began her career as a music educator, choral director, and performer and continues to enjoy those activities in the community.