What is your vision for the future of the BCO?

Over the last few years the bco has grown in membership, I’d like to see this growth continue and to have more active members, more volunteers and more reasons to be involved. The bco has always done great behind the scene work with zoning and planning, supporting our our schools and our Parks including The Bucktown Green I’d like to see more community involvement. The board has recently supported more public art and collaboration on the murals at the Library, on Damen near Armitage and Holstein Park. More should come this year Our Business Alliance is just starting to grow, it’s the collaboration of local businesses that neighbors want and need to have in our vibrant neighborhood.

What are three things you think the BCO could do to help the residents and businesses of Bucktown and how would you be personally involved in implementing those improvements over the next two years?

Keep our tree lined streets. Work with alderman and chamber to plant more trees. Grow the impact of the GardenWalk in the care of The Bucktown Green Build community by supporting events at our parks and restaurants Support more of the great ideas that our neighbors have brought up as activities.

What is your vision for the future of the BCO?

The BCO should do what it can to drive awareness through high visibility projects. My vision is a thriving community that is intimately integrated with the BCO and looks to the BCO as their voice and representation in all things Bucktown.

What are three things you think the BCO could do to help the residents and businesses of Bucktown and how would you be personally involved in implementing those improvements over the next two years?

1) A stronger alliance between business and residents through the Bucktown Business Alliance. I launched and chair the BBA and would expand this relationship through an officer position on the BCO board.

2)At least one additional marquee Bucktown event - a 'Best of Bucktown' awards, an Octoberfest, a street fair, a neighborhood wide block party - the exact event is yet to be designed, but coming off of the success of the 2026 Garden Walk and neighborhood garage sale, at least one more event people come to Bucktown for and the neighborhood looks forward to would be great. Through stronger business relationships and sponsorship, this is possible.

3)Welcome to Bucktown signage at all major neighborhood entry points. I would push for budget and figure out the documentation needed to accomplish this at the various venues.

What is your vision for the future of the BCO?

No response provided.

What are three things you think the BCO could do to help the residents and businesses of Bucktown and how would you be personally involved in implementing those improvements over the next two years?

No response provided.

What is your vision for the future of the BCO?

Expanding residential membership and boosting the garden walk

What are three things you think the BCO could do to help the residents and businesses of Bucktown and how would you be personally involved in implementing those improvements over the next two years?

MORE ORANGE BUCKTOWN SIGNS, "Welcome to Bucktown" at the Damen off-ramp, restoring the lawn @ Bucktown Green

What financial experience do you have?

I have been Treasurer of the BCO for the last 4 years and have held this position for other previous terms. .

Why do you think you would be an effective treasurer for the BCO?

I have been serving as treasurer and have knowledge of our current and future finances, as well as relationships with other neighborhood groups

What financial experience do you have?

I began my career in investment banking at William Blair, advising technology companies on M&A transactions. I then moved into corporate finance / M&A roles at IT Services companies. I would bring the rigor in modeling and budgeting from those roles to the BCO.

Why do you think you would be an effective treasurer for the BCO?

My background in finance has taught me to build rigorous financial models, to scrutinize assumptions, and to explain the numbers clearly to people who aren’t finance specialists, which is exactly what a volunteer board needs from its Treasurer. I’m detail-oriented and comfortable asking hard questions before a commitment is made.

Years Living in Bucktown?
7

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
1

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I believe encouraging more young people to get involved in their local community boards can help to strengthen our community and foster more engagement that will ultimately result in positive change in our area. I grew up on a farm in a small town and the mentality there was always "do your bit for your community". I've carried that mentality with me in each place I've lived around the country and, now, after calling Bucktown home for the last 7 years, I am eager to continue expanding those roots at the Bucktown Community Organization Board.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

I believe I can bring a fresh perspective to the board as a current renter (and hopeful future homeowner in Bucktown). Encouraging more renters to be involved in our community's events like the Garden Walk and the Garage Sale can help build resilience and lasting change in our neighborhood.

Years Living in Bucktown?
16

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
10

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I strongly believe in the work the BCO does to better the neighborhood. I am proud to be involved with such a dynamic group of individuals that ever evolves as people move in and out of the neighborhood.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

In addition to the other long-standing board members, I provide historical information surrounding events as well as participating as a volunteer in current and upcoming events.

Years Living in Bucktown?
30

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
25

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I’ve been part of the leadership of the BCO and want to continue to participate in the growth of relationships which make Bucktown a great neighborhood to live in.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

A responsible experienced voice on many of the issues and ideas that are brought to the board for consideration.

Years Living in Bucktown?
9

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
7

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I have served Bucktown through the BCO, Garden Walk Fundraising, and the launch of the Bucktown Business Alliance. Record setting fundraising has occurred under my efforts, which is money that goes directly back into the community. I love the neighborhood and want to continue to see it thrive.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

Continue to help draw the link between the residents of the community and the businesses within through expansion of the Bucktown Business Alliance.

No response provided.

Years Living in Bucktown?
24

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
1

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I have served Bucktown through the BCO, Garden Walk Fundraising, and the launch of the Bucktown Business Alliance. Record setting fundraising has occurred under my efforts, which is money that goes directly back into the community. I love the neighborhood and want to continue to see it thrive.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

Continue to help draw the link between the residents of the community and the businesses within through expansion of the Bucktown Business Alliance.

No response received.

Years Living in Bucktown?
6

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
1

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

My time as a committee member has been both valuable to the community (I believe, based on feedback from participants at Kids Fest and the school forum) and personally rewarding. Public service is where my professional career began, where my family of origin has its roots, and where my heart continues to reside, and my career break this year finally afforded me the opportunity to step forward for my own community. Alex and I weren't able to really appreciate our wonderful neighborhood and neighbors until the past few years, having moved to Bucktown at the outset of Covid and then beginning our family. Emerging from lockdown and starting our kids in daycare, we have grown to love and embrace our community and I genuinely want to give back and try to make it an even better place to live in Chicago - one of the best neighborhoods in one of the best cities you can find!

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

I would like to continue to build on a track record of success from this past year, growing and improving the Kids Fest aspect of the Garden Walk weekend and the Bucktown Public School Forum. Alex and I also have several new ideas to put forward, including a daycare open house and a school forum inclusive of or focused on those schools on the periphery of the neighborhood with a more realistic chance of admission for Pre-K programs.

Years Living in Bucktown?
47

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
20

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

To help make Bucktown a place to live, work & shop

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

My vast expertise in all things BCO

Years Living in Bucktown?
17

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
5

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

My wife and I have lived in the same Bucktown home for 17 years. We moved here as renters in 2009, and we were lucky enough to buy the place directly from our landlords. Now we're landlords ourselves. Over that time we've watched Bucktown change, and we've changed right along with it. We started a family here, and today we're part of both our neighborhood school and Drummond Montessori, the public Montessori nearby.

I feel fortunate to have landed in such an incredible neighborhood, and I'm very invested in seeing it keep thriving. Serving on the BCO board would be a way to give something back to a place that has given so much to my family.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

When I took part in this year's Garden Walk, I kept hearing the same thing from neighbors and visitors alike: what a great community this seems to be. That word matters to me, because a community like that doesn't happen by accident. It runs on mutual trust, respect, and shared responsibility and care, and I'd like to help Bucktown keep all of those as the neighborhood continues to change.

After 17 years here, I can recall what Bucktown was when we arrived, see what it is today, and appreciate a lot about both. I've loved watching the neighborhood grow into an even better place to raise a family. I've also experienced it from several sides, first as a renter and now as a homeowner and a landlord, which gives me a broad view of what the neighborhood's changes mean for different people. I've watched Bucktown thrive and enjoyed many of the benefits that come with that, and I've also seen it become more expensive and somewhat less accessible for people like the renters we used to be. Keeping that trust, respect, and care means holding on to the incredible character that brought people here, while also staying open to new neighbors.

I'm also still in the thick of raising kids here, so I bring a current parent's view alongside the long one. I'm especially interested in our shared spaces, like our parks, restaurants, and local businesses, and in how a walkable Bucktown helps residents and businesses invest in each other.

Finally, I'd love to see projects like the native prairie conversion I started continue to grow, along with other visible improvements to our public spaces. Most of all, I'd like to help the BCO think about, and carry out, more ideas that bring people together the way the Garden Walk does, for families and for neighbors at every stage of life.

Years Living in Bucktown?
1

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
1

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

To help keep bucktown one of the best neighborhoods in the city. I want to be more involved in the community, and have a say on how we improve the neighborhood.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

I’m very action-oriented and love to actually get things done. I can get creative with solutions, and tend to think outside the box.

Years Living in Bucktown?
2.5

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
1

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I am interested in continuing to support our local neighborhood and community. I think one of the most effective ways to increase civic engagement is through acting locally, and I believe the BCO is an organization with the demonstrated ability to greatly enhance our neighborhood.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

My background is in finance, building financial models and evaluating transactions, and I’d bring that discipline to the BCO’s budget. As Treasurer, I’d focus on clear financial reporting so the BCO can fund its priorities for the long term and make decisions with a clear view of the tradeoffs.

Years Living in Bucktown?
7

Number of Years Involved with the BCO?
3

Why do you want to be on the BCO board?

I have lived with my family in Bucktown for seven years, and over that time, have become increasingly invested in the neighborhood's growth and success. We chose to live in Bucktown because we value its character and sense of community, and all three of our children have attended schools here. We've developed strong relationships with our neighbors, and I've become an active participant in BCO events over the past few years. My experiences with our schools, neighbors, and community organizations have reinforced my belief that neighborhoods thrive when residents are engaged with one another and invested in the community around them.

I'd like to take a more active role in shaping Bucktown's future, particularly by bringing residents together around shared priorities such as thoughtful growth and preservation, public safety, and fostering a strong sense of identity and belonging among those who call Bucktown home.

What do you think you can add to the BCO and Bucktown through bring on the board?

I would bring a combination of professional experience, organizational leadership, and a genuine enthusiasm for community involvement to the BCO board. My professional background is in education and educational assessment, where I developed skills in communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and welcoming different perspectives.

In the past few years, I've lent my leadership and experience to several community endeavors. I'm currently serving on the planning committee for Love Moves Us, a local nonprofit supporting foster and adoptive families, an organization I've been involved with for more than ten years. I'm also heavily involved in the school communities at St. Mary of the Angels and St. Ignatius, serve as a leader of a local Girl Scout troop, and most recently served on the planning committee for the inaugural Bucktown Yard Sale. These experiences have given me opportunities to organize projects, coordinate volunteers, build relationships, and work collaboratively toward shared goals.

I enjoy approaching challenges with both an analytical and creative mindset, whether evaluating information to make thoughtful decisions or developing new ideas and bringing them to life. I have the time and energy to be an active and engaged board member. I would welcome the opportunity to learn from those who have helped shape Bucktown over the years and to lend my own voice and experience to conversations about the future of the neighborhood.