Jeff serves as chairman of the board of ECPA. Jeff is Principal Architect and Managing Member at Architects’ Studio, based in Elmhurst. He serves as Board President of Elmhurst City Centre. Jeff brings a wealth of experience in working with city and state planners, community representatives, and real estate developers.

Laura is Treasurer, serving on the board of ECPA. She was the guiding force and co-founder of Stage 773, a large vibrant performance complex in the Belmont Theater District of Chicago. Laura is the owner of The Michaud Group, one of the country’s leading business experts specializing in family-owned businesses. The bulk of her business career prior to founding The Michaud Group was with Beltone Electronics, an international manufacturer of Hearing Aids where she rose to the position of Executive VP of Sales and Marketing and was responsible for international and domestic sales, customer service, marketing and their in-house advertising agency. She currently serves on boards as a director or an officer of for several profit and not-for profit entities. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in mathematics and a Masters in Business from Loyola University. Her not-for-profit activities has included serving as Chairman of the Board for Lukaba Productions, Vice President on the board of Elmhurst Children’s Theater and membership chairman for Standing Room Only (a not for profit theater support group for York High School Drama). In addition, she is on multiple committees for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and is secretary/treasurer for the Posen Foundation.

Dan VanEekeren is the Vice President of Purchasing for Vanee Foods. Founded in 1950 in Chicago, Vanee Foods remains family-owned and managed. Dan grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended DePaul University earning his B.S. in Accounting and Finance.   After living in Elmhurst for more than twenty years, Dan has recently relocated to Hinsdale.

His enjoyment of live theater was sparked by his first Broadway experience “Starlight Express” during a childhood family vacation to New York City.  Dan especially enjoys live music and ranks Phil Collins and Coldplay as his favorite concerts (though he may be a secret Swiftie!).

Dan is the proud father of three children.  In his free time he enjoys boxing, traveling, collecting bobble heads (more than 75!) and supporting the Chicago White Sox, Blackhawks and Bears.

Rebecca is Choral Director and Theatre Director at York Community High School. An award-winning educator, she also serves on the board of Spirito!, an Elmhurst-based organization dedicated to music and choral training and performance for young women. Rebecca has spent her entire career as a champion of the arts and keeps her finger on the pulse of Elmhurst’s burgeoning talent scene.

Nicole Roti Alvarez is a life-long Chicagoland resident. She graduated from DePaul University in 2000 and received her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2004. Following law school Nicole was Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, where she defended the City of Chicago in premises liability, civil rights and wrongful death claims.

Currently, Nicole is of counsel to Duncan Law Group, LLC, handling personal injury and wrongful death claims. She is also active in the business that her husband, Peter Alvarez, has been operating for the past 10 years, Auto Gallery Chicago, in Addison.

Nicole has lived in Elmhurst with her husband and their three young children for nearly 10 years. She’s active in her community, serving on various boards and associations, including Elmhurst Pride Collective.

As a child, Nicole gravitated towards dance and her passion led her to dance competitively through high school.  She appreciates the value that the performing arts can have in developing the whole self and building confidence in those who perform.

Mark Hale is an Executive Vice President with Wintrust and former board member of DuPage Habitat for Humanity, as well as a former board member of the Catholic Charities Housing Development Corporation.  Mark is an Illinois Attorney and was educated at the University of California at Berkeley and the DePaul University College of Law.  Mark’s career has been focused on Commercial Real Estate with over $ 1 Billion in transactions as an Asset Manager, Fiduciary Owner or Lender.  Mark Hale is also distinguished by his role as founding manager for Chicago’s “legendary mod/glam/punk/power-pop band Green.”

Cheryl Peterson grew up in Addison, attended Elmhurst University, and completed her graduate studies at DePaul University.  She is a Certified Public Accountant with the DuPage Water Commission.  Cheryl enjoys supporting the arts and was most recently on the Board of Directors for Elmhurst Children’s Theatre.  She admires the creative talent and bravery of those in the performing arts world and looks forward to helping ECPA achieve its goals.  Cheryl, her husband, and her son reside in Elmhurst.

Francine Pepitone Erenburg grew up in the city of Chicago and recently moved to the western suburbs.  Francine brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in sales and marketing. She is Business Development Director with HH Global (previously InnerWorkings), a marketing execution firm. Prior to this position, she owned her own marketing and branded merchandise firm which was acquired by InnerWorkings.  Her career also included chapters at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International. Francine loves the theater and looks forward to bringing her high level of energy and dedication to ECPA.  She, her husband Stephen, and their beloved Shih-Poo, JoJo, are happy to call Elmhurst their new home.

It’s hard to think of any musician who’s had a more varied career than Elmhurst-based singer Cathy Richardson; from scrappy indie rock singer selling albums out of her car to commercial jingles; off-Broadway stage productions to a variety of side projects. Grammy-nominated, Cathy Richardson is the voice of Jefferson Starship since 2008.

The twists and turns of her career feel impossible to follow, and incredibly unlikely, but are owed to the vast range of Richardson’s dynamite-packed vocal cords and her dogged perseverance to achieve goals she set as a teenager. Richardson grew up in west suburban Burr Ridge, and graduated from Hinsdale Central High School where she was recently inducted to their alumni Hall of Fame. An Elmhurst resident since 1995, Richardson is not only thrilled to bring her array of skills and experience to the EPCA board, but also to see this incredible vision come to life for her community.

Monica Shah grew up in Wood Dale, Illinois and attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she received her Bachelor of Science in Business degree with a focus on Management Information Systems.  Monica’s impressive career encompassed consulting and project managing for influential companies such as Accenture and McMaster-Carr.  “I have enjoyed being an active part of the Elmhurst community, making friends and connections.  I look forward to contributing in a bigger way to Elmhurst, bringing the joy of the arts, especially live music and theater, to the western suburbs.”  Monica, her husband, Baiju, and their two sons have lived in Elmhurst for eleven years.

Tom is the newest member of the ECPA Board of Directors. As a life long resident of Elmhurst and its longest serving Mayor he possesses a deep understanding of the community. During his 16 years in the Mayor’s office Tom focused his attention on issues of economic develop. He concentrated on the central business district as part of an overall approach to Elmhurst’s revitalization. He retains a vigorous understanding of how to build city wide consensus to achieve great things for our community. He brings his “Can do” spirit to the goal of developing the ECPA as an outstanding asset for our beloved Elmhurst and the entire region.

Shawna is an Elmhurst resident and brings a wealth of experience in project management, hospitality, and tourism. She has worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Hyatt Hotels, and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau. Shawna sees the value of the performing arts to all as it shapes, changes, and enhances our lives, allowing us to learn, grow, and empathize as we move through life.  Closer to home you may have seen Shawna volunteering at her four children’s three schools or teaching Pilates throughout Elmhurst. Shawna has been instrumental with ECPA’s growth since 2017 and is proud to be a founding principal.