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.
Valerie Marshall, Vice president
Valerie is the Director of the Schiller Park Public Library. She has lived in Lombard since May 2022, but her husband grew up here & Valerie knew she wanted to live in Lombard since the first time he brought her home in 2009.
Valerie & her husband met in library school & as librarians they decided to have their wedding first look photos taken at the original Helen Plum Library.
Valerie is excited to see how the new library is already serving the needs of the community, and wants to support those services through the Foundation.
Connie Kania, Treasurer
Denise Zielinski, Secretary
Denise Zielinski has resided in Lombard for more than 30 years with her husband and twin sons. She is a former Head of Youth Services at Helen Plum and has worked in libraries all over the Chicago area for more than 40 years.
Now retired, Denise is interested in giving back to the library where she lives.
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.
Raleigh Floyd Jr
Director
Raleigh and his wife Allison are 30-year residents of Lombard. The library played a central role in the raising of their daughter Daria and they believe they hold the village record for most puzzles checked out by a single family.
With a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College. Raleigh is a communications and content strategist. As principal in his own marketing communications consultancy, he looks forward to lending his expertise to the Foundation board’s efforts to amplify Library programming priorities. He’s particularly excited about the library’s plans to preserve village history via The Lombardian newspaper’s archives, showcasing local talent in the arts and similar programs that solidify the library as a cultural hub in the village.
When he’s not busy with DIY projects, he enjoys reading biographies and history-based novels, as well as all things J.R.R. Tolkien and books focused on a technology-driven future.
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
Leslie Sulla
Director
Leslie and her husband moved to Lombard in 1988. She is a retired IT programmer and active in various community organizations including the Lombard Historical Society. Their daughter got her first library card at Helen Plum when three months old; she is now an Arts and Humanities librarian at a college in Los Angeles.
Leslie champions books to entertain, inform, and connect people. She looks forward to supporting the Helen Plum Library through the Foundation.
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.