Bob Helle, Board Chair
Principal, Woodland Development
Bob is delighted to bring his extensive experience and passion for affordable housing to CPAH’s Board. Bob is a principal of Woodlane Development, a developer of senior and affordable housing. Prior to Woodlane, Bob was a principal and chief development officer of Pathway Senior Living. Bob received an MBA from Northwestern, a Master of Architecture from UIC, and an undergraduate degree from Notre Dame. He is also an adjunct professor at DePaul’s graduate business school.
Lee Smith, Vice Chair
Retired Senior Planner, City of Highland Park
Lee is thrilled to be CPAH’s Vice Chair after having spent much of his career working on planning issues, including affordable housing, most recently as the City of Highland Park’s Senior Planner for 17 years. Lee was instrumental in establishing the Community Land Trust. Lee lives in Evanston with his wife Wendy and their two very enthusiastic dogs, Duchess and Polly.
Gregg Handrich, Treasurer
Principal, FIDES Capital Partners, LLC
Gregg brings an extensive background as a real estate developer and investor to CPAH’s Board. He is a principal with TLP/FIDES where he founded the multifamily investment platform which has resulted in over $200 million of apartment investments. Prior to FIDES, Gregg was a founding officer of Pritzker Residential Equities (“Centergate”). Gregg has a BBA in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics and an MS in Real Estate Appraisal and Investment Analysis from University of Wisconsin-Madison, and lives in Libertyville with his wife and family which includes Libby, the 8-year old Golden Doodle.
Nadine Johnson, Secretary
Senior Vice President, Old National Bank
Nadine is delighted to bring her finance expertise and her passion for service to CPAH’s Board. She has more than 25 years of banking experience, joining Old National Bank in May 1995. Nadine is a graduate of Columbia College of Missouri, with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and earned her MBA from Webster University. She received her Certified Treasury Professional Certification in 2007. In addition to serving on CPAH’s board, Nadine sits on the Executive Advisory Council of Governors State University Foundation and the Finance Committee of the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, where she was a former Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee.
Beth Alberts
Realtor, Compass
Beth is excited to continue her work on the Board of Directors because, as a realtor for Compass in Highland Park, she sees the impact of housing on her clients, and understands the importance of access to safe, affordable housing in the community. Before becoming a realtor, Beth worked in television advertising sales for The Weather Channel. She lives in Highland Park with her husband and two kids.
Jessie Carmona
Amazon Employee, Rideshare Driver
Jessie is a husband and proud father of five children between the ages of 2 and 18. He works for Amazon and rideshares for Lyft and Uber. His passion and purpose in life is his family. They love spending time together watching movies, shopping, playing basketball, video games, and watching or attending WWE events.
Gillian Derbyshire
President, Acorn Homes
Gillian Derbyshire has long been devoted to the cause of affordable housing. Gillian founded Acorn Homes to provide high-quality rental housing for lower income tenants in Chicago’s far north suburbs. Prior to her foray into housing, Gillian was the Senior VP and General Manager of Plastic and Metal Container Packaging at US Can Corp. She received her BA from Wellesley College, an MA from University of Illinois and an MBA from The Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University . She lives in North Chicago with her dog Butch who, much to her fellow Board members delight, often accompanies her to Board meetings.
Zenia Espinal
Preschool Teacher, JCYS Lutz Family Center
Zenia is a Community Land Trust (CLT) homeowner who lives in Lake Forest with her four children. She originally didn’t qualify for the program but persevered for many years to eventually put herself in the position to buy a CPAH home. She is excited about sharing her perspective and life experience to help put other people in a position to benefit from CPAH’s programs.
Eve B. Lee
President, Eve B. Lee & Associates
Eve was a founding member of the Lake County Residential Development Corporation (now CPAH), and continues to dedicate herself to improving lives and communities through affordable housing. She is President and Managing Broker of Eve B. Lee & Associates which specializes in land acquisition, planning, development entitlements, and marketing in Lake County, IL. She lives in Antioch with her beloved therapy dog Charity—a favorite in libraries and nursing homes—and Dakota, her Papillion.
Laurence Marks
Paraprofessional, School District 112
Laurence joined the CPAH Board in 2016 as a resident representative and, knowing first hand the impact of having affordable housing. When not working to help others secure affordable housing, Laurence is a paraprofessional in Highland Park School District 112. Laurence lives in a CPAH apartment along with three of his children, and they all love living in Highland Park, where Laurence grew up.
Greg Moisio
Retired Teacher & City Council Member
Greg is a lifelong resident of Waukegan and former 3rd ward alderman who served as the Judiciary Chairman, Public Works Chairman, Public Safety Chairman, and Economic Chairman over his 20 years of service. He is also a retired educator with Waukegan Schools where he spent 34 years.
Nia Montoute
Social Worker, Legacy Reentry Foundation
Nia holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and a Master of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. Nia is currently a Licensed Social Worker and Adult Case Manager at the Legacy Reentry Foundation where she provides clients with employment assistance, group therapy, referrals to community resources, and aids with social service applications. She has a passion for helping and serving individuals in underserved communities. Nia is also a United States Army Veteran and an active member of the Lambda Nu Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, incorporated in Lake County, IL. She lives in North Chicago and is a devout member of North Shore Church of Christ.
Bill Powers
President, RTO Property LLC
Bill brings extensive experience to the CPAH board, including having been president of the board of the Affordable Housing Corporation. Bill is a partner at RTO Property where he manages sales and marketing, and owns and manages over 100 properties. Prior to working in real estate, Bill was a sales and marketing executive in the publishing industry for a Fortune 500 company. He attended Arizona State and Clemson University. Bill, his wife Roseann and their 3 children have lived in Gurnee for over 15 years.
Kim Stone
Councilwoman, Highland Park
Kim embraces public service, from her dedication to serving on CPAH’s Board to serving as a member of the Highland Park City Council. Prior to Kim’s election to the Council, she served on the Highland Park Transportation Commission and the Active Transportation Alliance. Kim has over 20 years of environmental and management experience, including as Associate Director of the Midwest Pesticide Action Center. She also serves on the National Advisory Board of the Union of Concerned Scientists and is passionate about environmental issues. Kim graduated from Middlebury College and received an MA in Population Planning and Public Policy from the University of Michigan. She lives in Highland Park with her husband Ken and their two sons.
Fred Wilson
Principal, Morgante Wilson Architects
Fred, an architect, is a longtime supporter of affordable housing. He is a Principal at Morgante Wilson Architects, a firm he co-founded in 1987 with his wife, Elissa Morgante. Fred was named a National Finalist in the “40 Under 40” architect’s award sponsored by The Architectural League of New York, and was the winner of the “Young Architect Award” from the American Institute of Architecture Chicago Chapter in 1988. He received his BS degree in Architecture from The Ohio State University and his Master of Architecture from UIC, where he has served on the Alumni Advisory Board.
Jeanie Znidersic
Securities Communication & Awareness Analyst, Zebra Technologies
Jeanie is a former library professional with a long-standing passion for public service. She is currently employed with Zebra Technologies and holds a BA in History with a Minor in Data Science from Lake Forest College. Jeanie describes herself as a data enthusiast who is committed to uplifting the Latino community on the North Shore.