La Grange D102 Board of Education

The Board of Education and Its Duties

The Board of Education consists of seven members. They are elected by residents of the District to serve as representatives and to oversee the operation of D102. Members participate in committees and serve as liaisons with members of D102's Administration Team. Board members are elected to four-year terms. State law does not limit the number of terms Board members may serve. Members serve without pay and elect their officers.

LaGrange School District 102's Board Meetings are open to the public. Meetings are generally held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Park Junior High School in the LRC, located at 325 North Park Road in LaGrange Park. Formal action is taken only at board meetings with advanced notice given. When necessary, special, adjourned, or committee meetings are held throughout the year.

Types of Board of Education Meetings

Regular Board Meeting
The purpose of board meetings is for the Board Members to conduct its business. The meetings are open to the public and include a variety of board action items, reports, and presentations to the Board. All meetings follow this format unless otherwise noted.

Committee of the Whole Meetings
LaGrange School District 102 also holds three Committee of the Whole Meetings per school year. Committee of the Whole Meetings provides Board Members the opportunity to engage in focused conversations on specific topics. The meetings are open to the public and include a variety of reports and presentations made to the Board. The Board does not typically take action at these meetings and complies with the Open Meetings Act before taking action. The Board requests these meetings and scheduled accordingly.

Public Comment

The Board welcomes and encourages the community to engage with them at all board meetings, and therefore, time is available at each meeting for audience members to address the Board. The Board has set aside two specific times in the Agenda for Public Comment. We kindly ask that you limit your comments to 3 minutes. Also, please understand the Board will not respond to your questions and concerns during the meeting but will follow up with you regarding them.

2023-2024 School Board Meeting Dates

*Committe of the Whole Meetings

You are able to access LaGrange D102's policy regarding board meetings by clicking the Board of Education Meeting Procedure.

August 21, 2023 *Special Board Retreat Meeting - Closed Session Agenda Minutes	August 24, 2023 *Meeting location changed. The meeting will be in the Auditorium* Agenda Recording Minutes	September 21, 2023 Agenda Recording Minutes
October 5, 2023 - COW Agenda Recording Minutes	October 19, 2023 Agenda Recording Minutes	November 16, 2023 Agenda Recording Minutes
December 14, 2023 Agenda Recording Minutes	January 18, 2024 Agenda Recording Minutes	February 8, 2024 - COW *Start Time 6:00 p.m.* Agenda Recording Minutes
February 22, 2024 Agenda Recording Minutes	March 14, 2024 Agenda Recording	April 10, 2023 - COW Agenda
April 11, 2023 - COW Agenda	April 25, 2024 - The meeting will take place in the Kyle A. Schumacher Auditorium Agenda	May 16, 2024
June 13, 2024

Previous Board Meetings

Board Information

General Board of Education Email Address: 102board@dist102.k12.il.us

School Board of Education Members

Dr. Edward Campbell, President

Term: 2017 - 2025
Email: campbelled@dist102.k12.il.us

Dr. Edward Campbell completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Illinois, at the Champaign-Urbana and Chicago campuses, respectively. With his Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology, Dr. Campbell undertook postdoctoral research and training at Northwestern University in the Feinberg School of Medicine, in the lab of Tom Hope, before joining the faculty of Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago in 2008, where he is now an associate professor with tenure.

Dr. Campbell’s research investigates the underlying mechanisms of human diseases, which currently include HIV-1 infection, neurodegenerative diseases, and diseases of inflammation. Dr. Campbell has published over 40 peer-reviewed publications, including publications in Nature Reviews and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His research has been funded by eight grants from the National Institute of Health, two grants from the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and a Distinguished Investigator Award from the Emerald Foundation. Dr. Campbell is currently a standing member of the AIDS Molecular and Cellular Biology (AMCB) study section, which reviews grant applications for the NIH. Dr. Campbell has served as a primary mentor to 2 Ph.D. students, 2 M.D./Ph.D. students and 9 M.S. students and has twice been awarded the Faculty Member of the Year award in recognition for outstanding mentorship and teaching by the graduate students at Stritch School of Medicine.

Ed and his wife have three children, two of which attend Congress Park Elementary School. He currently serves on the Leadership and Communication Council, Parent Advisory Council, and is the Policy Update Liaison.

Jessica Mandra, Vice President

Term: 2021 - 2025
Email: mandraje@dist102.k12.il.us

Jessica Mandra received a B.A. from the University of Michigan, BFA from Columbia College of Chicago, and her Master of Management in Higher Education from Robert Morris University.

Currently, Jessica serves as part of the marketing and communications team at Harper College and has been with the college for 12 years. Jessica has taught as an adjunct professor and also serves as vice-chair of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Shared Governance Committee at Harper and has been a member for the past three years.

Jessica was elected to the LaGrange School District 102 Board of Education in April 2021. Jessica and her husband live in LaGrange Park. They have two children, one at Forest Road and the youngest starting Barnsdale in the fall of 2021. Jessica has been very active in the community and school district. She currently services on the Financial Advisory Committee and the Strategic Plan Committee.

Tiz Lambert, Secretary

Term: 2021 - 2023
Email: lambertti@dist102.k12.il.us

Tiziana (Tiz) Lambert earned her B.A. in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism from Western Illinois University and her M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also went on to earn a Master’s in Reading from Concordia University. Tiz has been an educator for 21 years.

Currently, Tiz teaches English and Reading to 9th and 10th-grade students with moderate to severe learning disabilities at Lyons Township High School. Prior to teaching, Tiz worked as a recreation therapist at a long-term substance abuse facility in Chicago’s Englewood area.

After commuting from the city to LT for 15 years, Tiz, her husband, and their daughters finally decided to make the move to La Grange in 2015. All three of her daughters currently attend Cossitt Elementary. Tiz currently participates on CEMA, Strategic Plan Committee and is one of the Board Liaisons for Curriculum.

Molly Knott

Term: 2023 - 2027
Email: knottmo@dist102.k12.il.us

Molly Knott is an educator who received her B.A. in elementary education from BradleyUniversity. She previously taught Talent Development and Fourth Grade in District 102. She now teaches science to elementary students in Berwyn.

Molly and her family have been Brookfield residents for over twenty years. They owned a custom catered bakery for several years and have been active members of the community in many capacities. Both of Molly's daughters attended Congress Park Elementary School and Park Junior High. They are now students at Lyons Township High School.

In her spare time, Molly enjoys hiking, and biking with her family and is an avid reader. She also volunteers with a variety of community organizations.

Molly is a part of the Leadership and Communications Committee and is one of the Board Liaisons for Curriculum.

Katy McQuiston

Term: 2023 - 2027
Email: mcquistonka@dist102.k12.il.us

Katy McQuiston holds a Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies & Higher Education Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Katy is a highly skilled Program and Project Management professional with a passion for driving results and enhancing business operations. With a strong background in external engagement and training and development, Katy has successfully executed projects across diverse industries, including higher education, business and automotive.

Throughout her career, Katy's strengths have been in her continuous learning mindset, ability to find common ground among differing views, strong sense of responsibility, knack for arranging and improving processes, and commitment to meaningful work. Her expertise in project management, external engagement, and training and development has made her a valuable asset in driving success and growth in various organizations.

Kate is involved in the Parent Advisor Committee and CEMA.

Michael Melendez

Term: 2017 - 2025
Email: melendezmi@dist102.k12.il.us

Michael G. Melendez received his B.A. from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from the University of Iowa. Currently, Michael serves as an in-house attorney for the University of Illinois System and has been with the University for over 7 years. In September 2017, Michael was named the Assistant Campus Legal Counsel, where he helps manage the Chicago legal office. Michael is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and serves on the Association’s Strategic Planning Committee. He currently serves on the University’s Chicago campus Compliance Committee and is a member of its student response team, which is part of the University threat assessment program.

Before attending law school, Michael taught U.S. History and World Studies to high school students at Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, where he also helped coach soccer and baseball. During law school, he interned with the Chicago Public Schools, working on student disciplinary issues and conducting research in the area of constitutional law. After law school, he held the title of Associate University Counsel, and his responsibilities included managing a significant portion of the Chicago based litigation and advising on matters relating to: student issues, including Title IX; first amendment, and other constitutional concerns; FOIA, FERPA, and OMA; intercollegiate athletics; real estate and other transactional matters. Michael began his legal career as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois.

Prior to joining the University of Illinois, Michael worked on his own and specialized in civil and criminal defense litigation. While in private practice, he also did work for the Chicago Public Schools, serving first as a hearing officer for various administrative proceedings and then in the External Relations Office, where he helped train over 100 local school councils on issues such as OMA and FOIA compliance, school budget management, and principal selection and retention.

Michael was elected to the LaGrange School District 102 Board of Education in April 2017. Michael and his wife reside in Brookfield and have lived there since 2012. They have three children, and the oldest two attend Congress Park Elementary School. Michael stays active in the community. He coaches his son and daughter’s AYSO soccer teams and their recreational basketball teams and manages his son’s Brookfield Little League team.

Mike serves as the Board Liaison for Technology, Special Education, and Communication.

Cathy Murphy

Term: 2023 - 2027

Email: murphyca@dist102.k12.il.us

Cathy Murphy has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from Texas Tech University and is also currently working on her Master’s in Project Management from George Washington University.

Cathy is a highly accomplished Sales Executive known for her strategic leadership and consistent track record of surpassing goals while fostering high-performing sales teams. Her career is characterized by a commitment to customer-centric solutions, market expansion, and adept navigation of complex industries. Cathy excels in building lasting client relationships, identifying emerging market trends, and driving innovation in sales, all driven by her unwavering dedication to achieving and surpassing sales objectives to propel businesses to new heights of success.

During her career, Cathy has consistently demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning, a talent for facilitating consensus among diverse perspectives, a strong sense of responsibility, and a knack for optimizing processes. Her proficiency in project management, external engagement, and executive relationships has proven invaluable in advancing success and fostering growth within various organizations.

Cathy was elected to the LaGrange School District 102 Board of Education in April 2023. Cathy and her husband have lived in La Grange since 2010. They have a daughter who attends St. Francis Xavier and a special needs son who attends Cossitt Elementary. Cathy also coaches her daughter’s volleyball team and volunteers as a parent advocate at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Cathy currently serves as a member on the Financial Advisor Committee and SNAP.

LaGrange District 102