Executive Board of Directors
The YOS Board of Directors is an integral part of furthering the agency's mission, vision and goals, helping to ensure the safety and well-being of youth and families served. The Board is responsible for a variety of functions, including, but not limited to:
For more information on joining the YOS Board of Directors, please contact Rick Velasquez, Executive Director, at 773.777.7112, ext. 7270, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
FY13 Membership
- Jesse Spungin, President
- ConAgra Foods
Jesse Spungin is a Vice President & General Manager of Popcorn Brands for ConAgra Foods and is currently responsible for managing and growing Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn, Act II Popcorn, Crunch 'N Munch and other brands. Mr. Spungin has served on the YOS Board since 2007 and is on his second term as Board President. Mr. Spungin holds an Executive MBA from Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University. Mr. Spungin is originally from the East Coast and currently lives in Chicago with his wife Tracy, triplets Brooklyn, Kennedy and Jesse Jr. and his dog Scoop.
- Michael Hessling, Vice President
Gallagher Bassett Services
Michael Hessling is Chief Client Officer with Gallagher Bassett Services. Mr Hessling joined the Board of Directors in 2006 and served as Board Treasurer before becoming Vice President in 2011. At the 2012 Annual Meeting, Executive Director Rick Velasquez presented Mr. Hessling with the Targeted Impact Award in recognition for his outstanding efforts in support of the agency's mission. Mr. Hessling holds an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Hessling currently resides in Elmhurst with his wife and their five children, three of which were adopted from the Chicago-land area.
- Russell Monco, Treasurer
- PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Russell Monco is a manager in the Transaction Services and Business Recovery Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Monco provides business advisory services to underperforming companies and stakeholders. Mr. Monco received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame. He currently serves on the YOS Finance Committee and Audit Committee.
- Sandra Williams, Secretary
- ConAgra Foods
Sandra Williams is currently a Brand Director at ConAgra Foods. She previously worked with M&M/Mars as a Franchise Manager and at Nabisco as a Marketing Manager. Ms. Williams received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University of Maryland. Ms. Williams currently serves on the YOS Development Committee.
Robert Kelly was elected as President/Business Agent of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 in 2008. Mr. Kelly is responsible for protecting the collective bargaining rights of over 4000 active and retired Chicago Transit Authority workers who work on the rail side. Mr. Kelly serves as a Vice President of the Illinois AFL-CIO and is President of the ATU Local 308 Scholarship committee. He is the proud father of 11 children. 
As a management side labor & employment attorney & human resources counselor, Charles Krugel has 17 years of experience in the field and has been running his own practice for 12 years. Charles has been lead litigator & negotiator for hundreds of labor and employment cases, agreements and contracts. Charles received his law degree from Ohio Northern University, a Masters Degree in I/O psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Bradley University. Charles also serves on the Board of Directors for the GOA Regional Business Association, the Young Professionals Board of the Chicago Bar Foundation, Child Serv, Kelly Hall YMCA & Lakeside Community Committee.
Michelle Menconi is an Account Executive at Henricksen. Ms. Menconi's responsibilities include maintaining existing clients and prospecting new clients, as well as working with a large team on logistics, schedules and complete installation. Ms. Menconi attended the Harrington College of Design, where she received a Bachelor's degree in interior design. Ms. Menconi also served as a volunteer tour guide at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park. She enjoys cooking, baseball and spending time with her 6 nieces and nephews.
Jessica Murray is a JD-MBA candidate at Northwestern's School of Law and Kellogg School of Management, concentrating in finance and social enterprise. Ms. Murray joins the Board of Directors as a Kellogg Board Fellow. She previously worked in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch & Co., and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Spanish from Middlebury College. Upon graduation, Ms. Murray will be joining the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Ms Murray is originally from New York and currently resides in Evanston.
Joyce Perry has served on the Youth Outreach Services Board of Directors since 1988. Dr. Perry served as Board Vice-President from 2002 - 2006 and as President from 2006 - 2010. During her 30-year career as an educator, Dr. Perry has been a special education resource teacher for grades kindergarten through eighth grade, a special education grade and middle school teacher for fifth through eighth grade students, as well as a grade school administrator. After serving River Forest School District 90 for nearly 11 years, Dr. Perry retired in 2008. Dr. Perry received her doctoral degree in educational leadership from DePaul University. Dr. Perry has two children and is the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren.
Don Rubin is the Managing Member of the Law Firm Rubin & Norris, LLC., concentrating in the area of law pertaining to real property tax assessment matters. Mr. Rubin is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Chicago and the John Marshall Law School. Mr. Rubin is the immediate past President of the Illinois Property Tax Lawyers Association and recently completed a 1-year term as chair for the Illinois State Bar Association's State & Local Taxation Section Council. Mr. Rubin is a member of the John Marshall Alumni Association Board and also serves on its Scholarship Committee. From 2002 - 2006, Mr. Rubin served as President of the Board of Youth Outreach Services and has remained an active member of the YOS Board. In 2005, Mr. Rubin and his family founded Operation Welcome Homes, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit charitable corporation dedicated to providing free vacations to military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Karl Stark is the co-CEO and founder of Avondale, a strategic advisory firm focused on building value-creating partnerships with growing companies. Mr. Stark leads Avondale's partnerships with investors and management teams across three areas: strategic advisory, M&A advisory and principal investing. Mr. Stark is also a frequent columnist for Inc.com, the website for Inc. Magazine, where he writes a column with Bill Stewart on strategic and financial issues for growing companies. Karl holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Northwestern University. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Kristin, and two sons. 
Silvia Talavera is currently a Program Manager at UGN Inc. and is responsible for managing the development of new awarded products from concept to mass production for two Automobile OEM customers. Ms. Talavera holds an MBA from Loyola University Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Ms. Talavera currently lives in Elmwood Park and joined the YOS Board in September 2012.
Meredith Tierney is an Associate Consultant at Waterstone Management Group, a strategy consulting firm that works with executives and private equity investors in the technology sector. Ms. Tierney earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia. Ms. Tierney served on the YOS Board as the Kellogg Board Fellow in FY11 and joined the Board of Directors as a voting member in 2012.
