Board of Directors
YOuR foundation Board
THE Officers
Mary Marshall, Board President
Mary has been an active community member for many years as an elected member of the District 44 School Board and as a (now retired) librarian.
Mary’s past experience as a librarian include children’s services at Helen Plum Library, Assistant Director and Head of Children’s Services at the Addison Public Library.
She and her family moved to Lombard in 1984, choosing their home because it was near the library.
Besides libraries, her other interests are art and Jane Austen. She has been a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America and the Jane Austen Society since 1979 and has written and lectured nationally on Austen.
In addition to reading books by and about Jane Austen, Mary loves to read mysteries – especially Louise Penny – and historical fiction.
Angela Mullins, vice President & (interim) Treasurer
Angela has been a member of the Foundation’s board since 2016, after helping with the Library referendum campaign.
She is passionate about the future of Lombard, especially when it comes to all members of the community, local businesses and kids.
She has previously worked locally: bringing the Healthy Kids Running Series to Lombard; on Prairie Food Co-op’s board and later their Capital Campaign; as a board member of Healthy Lombard including developing and organizing the Frosted Apple Fitness program in winter 2021.
Aside from that, Angela is an unabashed nerd with interests ranging from historical research to baseball to Star Wars. She is always willing to beat someone at trivia and never, ever keeps the book jackets.
Julie Kowalski-Schmidt, Secretary
Julie is an 11-year resident of Lombard with her husband and two dogs.
Reading, literacy and libraries are a passion of Julie’s. She has been an educator for 20 years, currently working as a reading specialist and English Language Arts Department Leader at a middle school.
As a board member of the Helen Plum Library Foundation and is excited to help make the new library a community center for generations to come.
Her favorite features of the library are the Libby app, staff recommendations, and the amount of new books to share with her students.
THE DirectoRs
Brigitte Baur
Director
Brigitte has lived in Lombard for 20 years. She's currently working as a technical writer.
Her favorite book is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, but she's always happy to discuss any book!
Cory Gapstur
Director
Cory and his wife, Sarah, have lived in Lombard since 2008. They have two daughters, and are frequent visitors to the Helen Plum Library.
Cory is an active member of the PTA and an appointed volunteer member of the Board of Local Improvement for the Village of Lombard.
As a member of the Foundation, Cory hopes to support the Library Board in creating a new Helen Plum Library that is welcoming and a point of pride for the Village of Lombard.
Shannon Gruber
Director
Shannon has been a resident of Lombard since 2015 with her husband and two children.
She has a Masters of Library and Information Science from Dominican University and is currently the Adult and Teen Services Manager at the River Forest Public Library.
As an avid reader, lifelong lover of libraries and a librarian, Shannon is delighted to support the Helen Plum Library as a member of the Foundation.
Kaveria Lezza
Director
Connie Kania
Director
Cary Weisgram
Director
Cary is a learning systems administrator who comes to the foundation with an M.Ed. in Educational Technology and experience working in schools and non-profit organizations.
A father of two boys, he moved to Lombard in 2017 and has since been involved in Lombard Town Centre and the Lombard Elementary School District 44 Board.
Cary hopes to promote collaboration between the Helen Plum Library and our neighborhood schools.
Denise Zielinski
Director