Staff 

 

Bill Sullivan, Lake Katherine’s executive director, brought a 13 year background in non-profit management, fundraising and communications to Lake Katherine. Bill served as a senior external relations advisor for Catholic Charities USA.  Prior to serving at Catholic Charities USA, where he helped coordinate the agencies response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Bill served for nine years as director of public relations and communications for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

 

Gareth Blakesley, Lake Katherine’s natural resources manager, served as a field supervisor for a restoration ecology firm before coming to Lake Katherine. Prior to his field experience, Gareth spent nearly four years employed as a Biology Laboratory Supervisor & Aquatic Invertebrate Specialist at the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum. Gareth received a Master’s Degree in Tourism and Conservation from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England and a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology from the University of Wales in Aberwystwyth, Wales.

 

Marian Sinkus, Lake Katherine’s environmental educator/naturalist, has served as the program coordinator for Lake Katherine for over six years. During her tenure, the number of schools participating in field trips doubled, and as a result three times as many students have experienced Lake Katherine.  Marian also developed the field trip tour guide volunteer program and created a number of new programs, including a new “Little Explorers” program for preschoolers and their parents. Marian received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Governors State University.

 

Bridget Provost, Lake Katherine’s business coordinator is a graduate of Moraine Valley Community College.  Bridget worked in accounting for both a large construction company and the regional distribution center of Dunkin Donuts.  Bridget also managed operations for an area McDonalds.

 

In addition to the outstanding full-time professional staff at Lake Katherine, committed part-time staff includes Naturalist Brenda George, Natural Resources Aide-Dick Thomas. Our rental facilities are staffed by Marilyn Breen, Marcie Szjkovics , Joan Carlson and Denise Rosecrants.