Board

Mary Beth Arzac – Co-President, Executive Board Member

Mary Beth and her husband have lived in Highland Park for 19 years and have raised their two sons there, both graduates of HPHS 2020 and 2023. Mary Beth currently works as a consultant with NovaSpark Ventures, supporting healthcare, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and startups. She also serves on several startup advisory boards, was a Midwest Co-Chair for the University of Chicago Alumnae New Venture Challenge (ANVC), and is a Lead Mentor for MATTER’s C2MP program.

Rosie Bonar – Treasurer, Executive Board Member

Angie Butera – Executive Director, Executive Board Member

Meredith Deutsch – Student Liaison, Advisory Board Member

Aaron Ferrer – Community Volunteer, Advisory Board Member

Aaron and his wife have lived in Highland Park since 2010, where they raised their two children (HPHS 2016 and 2022). He is currently employed with Peoples Gas at their Chicago headquarters. Prior to joining Peoples Gas, Aaron served 22 years in the United States Army and Illinois Army National Guard. He holds an MA in Public Administration from Arkansas State University and a BS in Public Administration from Roger Williams University.

Jack Gordon – Student Liaison, Advisory Board Member

Janea Harris – Co-Public Relations Officer, Executive Board Member

Janea and her husband have lived in Highland Park for the past five years, where they are raising their two children. She is an author and poet who enjoys writing for children and adults of all ages. Janea is the founder of SupHERBooks, LLC, and has published two children’s books. Her poetry has been featured in several Highland Park Poetry anthologies. Prior to her current work, Janea spent more than 15 years in education at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. She currently serves on the Board of Reach Out and Read, Illinois, is the President of District 112’s PTO Presidents Council, and was recently appointed to the City of Highland Park’s Human Relations Advisory Group. Janea earned her BA in Business Administration from Mercer University and her MEd from Notre Dame College.

Dr. Chala Holland – District 113 Superintendent, Advisory Board Member

Before joining District 113, Dr. Holland served as Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services – High Schools in Naperville Community Unit School District 203, where she advanced educational reforms that support student growth and achievement while redefining teaching and learning for the modern era. Dr. Holland served six years as Principal of Lake Forest High School, leading efforts to build a culture of inclusivity and academic excellence. She also served four years as Assistant Principal for Instruction at Oak Park and River Forest High School, where she advanced teaching methodologies and student engagement. Dr. Holland began her career at Evanston Township High School, where she spent a decade as both a teacher and administrator, shaping her educational philosophy rooted in equity and innovation. She earned a BA in Secondary Education with a focus on History from Northwestern University, an MA in Social and Cultural Foundations in Education from DePaul University, and an EdD in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Holland enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, working out, listening to live music, exploring art exhibits, and watching sports.

Jon Mall – Community Volunteer, Advisory Board Member

Jon is a lifelong Highland Park resident (HPHS 1991) and has taught social studies at Northwood Middle School since 2004. He earned his BS in Journalism from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and his MA in Teaching from National Louis University. In 2018, Jon received the Highland Park Community Foundation Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching. Over the years, he has written and received several grants from the District 112 Education Foundation and is eager to “pay it forward” by helping to promote and support innovative educational opportunities for students at HPHS and DHS through his work with the District 113 Education Foundation. Jon and his wife have twin sons (HPHS 2022) and two dogs, Willy and Rudy.

Andrea Martin – Secretary, Executive Board Member

Andrea lives in Highland Park with her husband and daughter (HPHS 2027), and is the owner of two educational service-based companies: Smart Boost Tutoring Enrichment and Smart Boost Marketing, which support both K–12 and higher education institutions. In addition to her professional roles, Andrea serves as the Associate Director of OMNI, a youth-focused nonprofit organization. She is also an active community volunteer, supporting several local organizations, including Bernie’s Book Bank and youth mentorship programs.

Dr. Marcellous Moore – Deerfield High School Assistant Principal, Advisory Board Member

Dr. Marcellous Moore is in his 15th year at DHS and his third year as Assistant Principal, currently serving as the Assistant Principal of Educational Services. He previously served as the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Director for three years and spent nine years as a school counselor. Before joining DHS, Dr. Moore was a writing curriculum coordinator and teacher. He earned his BA in Elementary Education from DePaul University, his MA in School Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University, and his EdD in Educational Leadership from Loyola University. In his current role, he leads efforts that support the academic and social-emotional success of all students, staff, and families.

Ameeta Reed – Co-President, Executive Board Member

Ameeta and her family have lived in Deerfield since 2016, where they are active community volunteers supporting a variety of school and local events and fundraisers. She served as Treasurer for the District 113 Education Foundation from 2023 to 2025. Ameeta is the Chief Architect for an AI startup in Schaumburg. She previously worked as a Principal Engineer at Motorola and Nokia and began her career as a Graduate Trainee at GE while completing her MS in Embedded Software Engineering from Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. She holds a BS in Electronics Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India.

Yumi Ross – Past President, Executive Board Member

Yumi is an architect who has lived in Highland Park for more than 23 years, where she has been actively involved in educational and community leadership. She served two terms on the District 112 School Board and was the board representative to the North Suburban Special Education District, the City of Highland Park’s Human Relations Commission, and Community – The Anti-Drug. Yumi also serves on the District 112 Education Foundation’s Board. She is the President of The Art Center Highland Park, has served on the Women’s Board of the Museum of Contemporary Art for 23 years, and sits on the MCA’s Exhibitions Committee. She is also a board member of CPS Lives. Yumi holds a BA from Bryn Mawr College and an MA in Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. She and her husband have twins (HPHS 2017).

Sahana Shah – Student Liaison, Advisory Board Member

Tiffani Siegel – Grants Co-Chair, Executive Board Member

Tiffani is an attorney with a background in law, technology, philanthropy, and human resources, all of which she brings to her role with the District 113 Education Foundation. A Highland Park resident since 2010, Tiffani and her husband (HPHS 1999) are proud to be raising their two children (HPHS 2028 and 2032) in the District. Tiffani earned her JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and graduated with honors from the University of Iowa with a BA in Global Studies and French. She is a strong advocate for education and is passionate about lifelong learning.

Maya Silber – Student Liaison, Advisory Board Member

George Spathis – Past President, Advisory Board Member

George and his wife have lived in the community for more than 26 years, where they raised their three children (HPHS 2011, 2014, and 2017). He has been a practicing attorney for over 26 years. George earned his BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and his JD with High Honors from Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he served as Executive Articles Editor for the Law Review. He is a partner at the Chicago law firm of Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC, and for the past four years, he has volunteered as a coach for the HPHS Mock Trial Team.

Aparna Vasanthakumar – Grants Co-Chair, Executive Board Member

Aparna is a scientist and researcher at AbbVie Inc., where she leads genetic and genomic research supporting Neurology, Virology, and Specialty clinical trials. She earned her PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and conducted research at the University of Chicago before joining AbbVie. A dedicated community volunteer, Aparna has been actively involved in District 112 elementary and middle school PTOs, including District 112’s annual fundraiser, Pumpkinfest. She and her husband have lived in Deerfield for seven years with their two children (DHS 2028 and 2031) and their dog, Carson.

Matt Wallace – Highland Park Assistant Principal, Advisory Board Member

Matt is in his 13th year in District 113 and his ninth year as an Assistant Principal at HPHS, contributing to 20 years of experience in education. He began his tenure in District 113 at DHS, where he taught Spanish and also served as an Instructional Technology Coach before transitioning into school leadership. Matt is committed to fostering an engaging, student-centered learning environment and values the strong partnerships between students, staff, families, and the community. He is excited to support the mission of the District 113 Education Foundation through his role on the Advisory Board. Matt and his wife have four children.