Danielle Loevy, Board President. Danielle is currently a student at Northwestern's Masters in Learning and Organizational Change (MSLOC) program. Danielle previously served in the role of People Practices and Operations for Loevy and Loevy. She is the Immediate Past President of the Board of Directors at Rogers Park Montessori School in Chicago and is the founding Board President at Beacon Academy, a Montessori-based, independent high school in Evanston, Illinois, which she and other dedicated parents and educators helped launch. Danielle’s career began as a lawyer in the areas of employment discrimination and civil rights law, after which her focus shifted to the prevention of lawsuits and disputes through mediation, facilitation, and training. She started a dispute resolution firm, Stone and Loevy, LLC, and was elected President of the Association for Conflict Resolution in Chicago, and Vice President of the Mediation Council of Illinois. Danielle designed and led diversity and inclusion workshops with Kaleidoscope Group, a national Diversity and Inclusion consulting firm based in Chicago, and worked with the Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR) in many different capacities. Twice she received the honor of CCR’s Trainer of the Year award. Danielle earned her JD from Chicago Kent College of Law in 1995 and her BA with honors from Indiana University in 1992. Danielle is also trained in restorative justice peace circles through Community Justice for Youth Institute and has done circle keeping as a volunteer at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago.

Sarah Katz, Board Vice-President. Sarah is a senior manager at Deloitte, a provider of audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands. Sarah works within the Advisory practice and leads Forensic marketing. Her business helps clients predict, detect and respond to matters arising from global crises, controversies, and transactions. Deloitte hosts an annual Impact Day to celebrate the company’s commitment to community-powered social impact, and Sarah came to know and develop a passion for PACTT through that volunteer experience. Sarah is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, with an MBA and a BA in Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

William Stapel, Board Treasurer. Bill is a senior vice president for MB Business Capital and is involved with many aspects of the asset based lending business. From 2009 until the merger with MB in 2014, Mr. Stapel was group senior vice president of Cole Taylor Business Capital. In addition to updating Cole Taylor Bank’s asset based lending policy, Mr. Stapel authored Cole Taylor Business Capital’s white paper on retail lending and is responsible for that product line. He also underwrites and manages the Bank's investments in SBIC licensed mezzanine funds and manages an asset based lending portfolio. Mr. Stapel has more than 25 years of experience in commercial banking and asset based financing, particularly in the field of credit administration, policies and procedures.

William Ryan, Board Secretary.  Bill has worked in the financial services sector for over 25 years and has been an executive director at JP Morgan in Chicago since 1998. Bill was raised in Weymouth, MA in the Boston area. He is a 1980 graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife Lisa Detlefs Ryan have resided in River Forest for the last twenty-five years and have three adult children; Henry 22, Ann 22 and Billy 21. Bill volunteers at North Lawndale College Prep, and is affiliated with Old St. Patrick's in Chicago and the Depauw University Parents Council.

Lanie Adair, Board Member. Lanie Adair works as a strategic organizational consultant for both profit and non-profit businesses. She started her career working in market development and management in the digital communication industry, substantially expanding the US market for an international corporation. Locally she worked to re-structure the governance and management of Rogers Park Montessori School in advance of the $10M dollar construction project of the new Rogers Park Montessori School, which she project managed. The building was the recipient of the Chicago Builder’s Association Award. Her current focus is on developing business-based profit centers for non-profits in order to develop new and sustainable revenue streams.

Kenneth Avick, Board Member. Ken is a former Social Worker, Program Planner, Specialist in Adolescent Services and Administrative Case Reviewer at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. He is a Former member of the Inclusion and Accessibility Committee of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston. Ken is a member of the Art Encounter Artist Critique group and is a painter himself, often with his children and autism as the subject of his art. He is a parent of two adult children with autism. Ken earned a BFA from Carnegie- Mellon University and also a MFA from the University of Chicago and resides in Evanston, IL.

Jennifer Herman, Board Member. As the sole proprietor of Ascent Advisers LLC, Jennifer provides accounting, consulting and tax services to small businesses, individuals and not for profits. This work allows her to do what she enjoys most: educate owners, managers and financial staff and help teams to develop best practices and procedures and implement the right technology tools to obtain relevant information and create efficiencies.

As part of a talented, creative team that started a successful high school, Jennifer created and implemented financial and human resource systems, accounting policies and procedures. She also implemented innovative technology to streamline costs and minimize administrative staffing. Jennifer developed budgets and forecasts for the board and administration to support decisions about growth, facilities and opportunities.

During her 25 year career with Ostrow Reisin Berk & Abrams, Ltd. CPAs, Jennifer advised privately held companies, business owners, families and individuals in a variety of accounting, auditing, consulting and tax services. She enjoyed assisting business owners with their financial and business needs through all stages, from planning and start up to sale and wind up. Jennifer’s extensive experience in a variety of industries - manufacturing, distribution and services, including construction, finance, marketing, software and information technology - provides a solid base for her current consulting work.

Jennifer has served as the Treasurer for the following not-for-profit organizations: Rogers Park Montessori School; Anthropocene Alliance (start-up organization) and the Lakewood Balmoral Residents’ Council and as campaign treasurer for Friends of Eileen Dordek, in the 2019 aldermanic race. Jennifer lives in Edgewater with her husband, Joel, and her two dogs. Jennifer and Joel have three twenty-something children who revisit the nest on occasion.

Kathy Lunsky, Board Member. Kathy is a collaborative leader with over 25 years of experience in operations, administration and human resources. She has worked in national, local, private, public and nonprofit organizations, bringing her business acumen, commitment to effective problem solving, and people management skills to meet the needs of the companies she supports.

Since 2020, Kathy has served as the Chief Operating Officer for Carylon Corporation, a national environmental infrastructure maintenance and repair company. She oversees corporate functions including marketing, communication, environmental-health and safety, fleet management, human resources and recruiting. Prior to that, Kathy ran Brentwood HR Advisors providing operational and HR consulting service. Previous experience includes: leading the administrative and business functions for Rogers Park Montessori School as the Chief Operating Office during a period of significant growth and expansion; running a complex HR function for a national restaurant chain; assisting a national executive services consulting firm build and manage a national recruiting function; and holding progressive positions within BP (Amoco).

 Kathy has a BA from American University in Washington, DC and is a certified senior Human Resources professional through the Society of Human Resource Management.  She has been a volunteer for Taproot Foundation providing pro bono consulting services to nonprofit organizations, and served on the Board of Directors for Rogers Park Montessori School.

Michelle Sakayan, Board Member. A native of Washington, DC, Michelle has lived in Chicago for 29 years. She completed her architectural undergraduate degree at Miami University of Ohio in 1988 and went on to receive a Master of Architecture from The Catholic University of America in 1993, after working for 3 years for Angelos Demetriou Architects in Washington, DC.

Michelle received her Master of Architecture with an award of distinction for her thesis titled “Place of Shelter for the Displaced”. This project challenged the architect’s role in the event of a natural disaster and launched her view of architecture as a social act. It has been a motivator in all her work since. Michelle began working at Nagle Hartray Architects in Chicago in 1993 and became an Associate Principal in 1999, working there until February 2007.

During her 14 years at NHA, Michelle managed and specialized in K-12 education projects fostering long term relationships with top independent schools in Chicago; the culmination of her career at NHA was as the US architectural liaison and project manager for the 26-building campus of The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Michelle’s extensive experience and passion for K-12 school design, community projects and socially responsible work resulted in the creation of the consulting firm Sakayan Inc. in March of 2007. Sakayan Inc. is a company driven by a primary focus and commitment to creating inspiring environments that improve the lives of children. Michelle and her husband Michael Wilkerson reside on the North Side of Chicago and have two adult children, Aram and Vincent.

Debbie Senoff-Langford, Board Member. Debbie is currently the principal of Jarrow Montessori in Boulder, Colorado and serves as treasurer on the national board of the American Montessori Association. Debbie was principal of Rogers Park Montessori School, Chicago for 21 years following her tenure at WaOra Montessori in Wellington, New Zealand.  At both schools Debbie helped to facilitate major building projects, secure funding and worked on capital campaigns. Additionally, Debbie has served as president of the Association of Illinois Montessori schools, Illinois representative on the Council of American Private Education in Washington D.C., chaired the Illinois Coalition of Non-Public Schools, served on the board of the regional Independent School Association (LMAIS),  participated in governmental advocacy work and as an advisor on various educational boards. Debbie has a BS in History, Masters Degree in Early Childhood Special Education, Illinois Public School Administration endorsement, certification in Non-profit School Leadership from Northwestern University and course work on organizational systems and structures.

Robert White, Board Member.  Bob is a managing director at Deloitte, one of the largest professional services organizations in Chicago. With over 4,000 employees, Deloitte serves many of the top public and private companies in Chicago.  With over 30 years of experience with Deloitte, Mr. White consults with corporate clients including VP of tax, tax directors, CFOs & controllers in solving complex tax matters. He also assists Deloitte colleagues and clients manage the project process--from needs analysis through execution of the engagement. Mr. White has experience as both a valuation consultant and auditor at Deloitte,  bringing a unique skill set to his clients.

Kristen Huffman-Gottschling, Ph.D., LCSW, Executive Director.  Kristen Huffman-Gottschling has been Executive Director at the PACTT Learning Center since 2013.  In addition to her Executive Director responsibilities, she works as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Illinois Chicago, Jane Addams School of Social Work.  

She received her doctorate in 2016 from the Jane Addams College of Social Work. She attained a Master of Social Work and is a graduate of the University of Michigan.  She was formerly Director of Horizons Clinic-World Relief Chicago.

Dr. Huffman-Gottschling brings knowledge, clinical expertise and empathy to her position as Executive Director.  She has been instrumental in guiding the organization and establishing a vision for the immediate future and long term.  Working with numerous senior staff and employee groups, she has engendered a culture of mutual respect and commitment to PACTT's mission.

She is responsible for the daily management of PACTT operations. In addition, she works closely with the Board of Directors to facilitate organizational success, including financial, development and short and long-range planning.

Lisa Fegert, B.A., Director of Program Services. Lisa is the Director of Program Services. Ms. Fegert works with our participants and teams to assure the quality of all programs and works to establish strong links between the work done at PACTT and the communities we serves.  Focusing on the quality and growth of the day to day operations of PACTT, Ms. Fegert works to make sure that adults and children with autism can live, learn and work in their communities.  Ms. Fegert has over twenty years’ experience in social services and educational organizations serving people with developmental disabilities.  She has been with PACTT since 1999 and helped found the Vocational Services Program.  She has a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from The University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Terry Herbstritt, B.A., Director of Development & Communications. Mr. Herbstritt has primary responsibility for oversight of all fundraising initiatives and activities at PACTT.  As a member of the leadership team at PACTT, Terry participates in strategic planning and budgeting initiatives with the Board of Directors. His duties include securing financial support from individuals, foundations and corporations by developing and maintaining ongoing relationships with donors as well as overseeing organization and implementation of special events. Terry has over fifteen years of experience in development and has been with the agency since 2002.  Mr. Herbstritt is married with three children including his son Matt, who has been a participant at PACTT since 1994. He has a B.A. in Finance and Marketing from St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI.