Board of Directors

Leanne has been supporting people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to achieve their dreams since 1999. In her previous career as a corporate trainer and business manager Leanne hired someone who used a job coach and that experience completely changed the course of her life.  She spent the next 15 years at a traditional agency in a variety of roles ranging from job coach to QIDP, Day Services Manager to Director of Employment and Advocacy, and everything in between.  Leanne believes that the key to meaningful lives for people who receive services is to encourage, empower and enlighten the staff who work for them.  As co-director of Blue Tower Solutions, Inc. Leanne fulfills that dream as a national speaker, writer and consultant improving organizations and systems supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and serving as President on the Board of The Arc of Illinois. Additionally, Leanne works as a Quality Enhancement Specialist for The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL). Leanne holds a BA in Psychology and Master’s in Healthcare Administration.

Kim Zoeller is the President and CEO of Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities. Ray Graham Association (RGA) supports more than 2,000 children and adults with intellectual and other developmental disabilities through DuPage County and the surrounding communities.  RGA provides a variety of services and supports that include residential, life skills development, recreation, and family support that empower people to reach, grow, and achieve.  With more than twenty-five years of experience, Kim has worked to create positive change with a focus on innovation and transformation.  Kim is the managing Board member for Life’s Plan, a pooled trust option for people with disabilities. Presently, Kim is a past Chair of the Institute on Public Policy for People with Disabilities and continues to serve on the executive committee.  Kim is a founding member and leader of They Deserve More which unified advocacy efforts in IL around the DSP crisis and need for increased rates. She serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, she is a past chair of The Arc of Illinois Executive Forum, and Vice Chair of The Arc of Illinois Board of Directors.  For years, she chaired the Statewide DHS Division of Developmental Disabilities Quality Committee.  Kim also worked for CQL for more than fifteen years as a Quality Enhancement Specialist.   Kim holds a BS in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Kimberly is the President of Chicagoland Autism Connection, a 501c3 nonprofit community support group serving and supporting families living with disabilities in underserved communities.

Kimberly has been involved in the Chicagoland Autism Connection Parent Support Group for over 17 years and served eight years as President of the Board of Directors.  

Professionally, Kimberly is a Parent Involvement/Engagement Specialist for Chicago Public Schools, Office of Diverse Learners where she works dilligently to provide training to educators, related service providers, and parents/guardians so that families with lived experience have a voice and a healthy knowledge of policy, IDEA, and ADA laws to make informed decisions concerning their family members.

Previously, she was employed as a Ligas Family Advocate for The Arc of Illinois/Family Support Network.  During her time with the Arc of IL, Kimberly was involved with the Going Home Coalition and other legislative reform, spending time in Springfield with legislators to bring family stories to the forefront.  

She serves on several Boards and Committees including The Arc of IL., The State of IL. Development Disability Advisory Council, Founder, CAC Trailblazers-Self-Advocate group,  State of IL.,  Criminal Justice Task Force, Q Source Kidney Advisory Board and served as a Faculty Member for Illinois Partners and Policy Making (2018-2021), NAMI Mental Health First Responder (2017), National Disability Institute Financial Wellness Trainer (2021), Community Residential Services Authority. 

Prior to her second career as a full-time advocate, Kimberly worked for two associations, the American Dental Association (ADA – 10 years) and the Illinois CPA Society (6 years) as a Membership Marketing Manager She is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in Marketing. 

Kimberly is the proud mother of William, her adult son who enjoys baseball (White-Sox), hip-hop & R&B soul music, dancing, socializing with friends, driving, and being independent, and was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder at age 5. Grassroots advocacy is where her passion began when she realized that state funding, resources, and services for persons with disabilities were limited or non-existent in marginalized communities.   Kimberly’s primary focus is the transition pipeline from high school to accessing adult services for persons living with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Tavarus Wesley is a former President of the self advocacy group PossABILITY Partners and chair of the Illinois Self Advocacy Alliance. Tavarus is a member of The Arc of Illinois board of directors, executive committee and also served on the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities.  Tavarus is a graduate of Partners in Policymaking-IL. Tavarus is an accomplished presenter regularly speaking at the Illinois Speak Up and Speak Out Summit, and has presented at the National Self Advocates Becoming Empowered Conference, and at the Tennessee Mega Conference.  In addition to his advocacy work Tavarus is a long time staff member on the maintenance team at New Star in Chicago Heights IL.

As a board certified behavior analyst, Anna consults with CILA agencies and provides behavior support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities all around Southern Illinois. In 2020, she co-founded Fern Leaf ABA to further pursue her values of contributing to and shaping the field of behavior analysis and adult services in Illinois. She specializes in trauma-informed care and loves to support the unique values and needs of each of her clients.

Anna’s life has been shaped in big ways by her big brother Daniel, who has developmental disabilities, and her mom Charlotte, who worked in disability advocacy and family support.

Anna earned her Master’s in Behavior Analysis and Therapy from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2014 and became a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) in 2015.

Michael Glanz currently serves as the Executive Director for The Arc of the Quad Cities Area.  The Arc of the Quad Cities Area provides services and supports to people with disabilities by empowering them to believe in their own unique abilities and achieve their full potential.  Currently over 250 staff provide unique opportunities for 400 people to live, work and play together in the Quad Cities Area.  Previous to The Arc Michael Glanz served as the Vice President, Community Services for Melwood. Melwood is dynamic nonprofit serving more than 2,000 people in the greater Washington DC area by empowering them to transform their own lives through employment, various community services and recreational opportunities.   Michael currently lives in Rock Island, Illinois and serves his community by being an active board member with the Kiwanis Club of Rock Island, The Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF), The Arc of Illinois, the Autism Society of the Quad Cities and The Quad Cities Open Network. Michael provides leadership to agencies by ensuring they deliver person-directed services while fostering a culture of growth and innovation.

Michael earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a Master’s in Nonprofit and Association Management from the University of Maryland University College, a BS degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Iowa, a Certificate in Leisure Studies from the University of Northern Iowa and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Nora is a committed sister to her brother Marty who is on the Autism Spectrum.  She honors the memory of her brothers Patrick and Michael who were also on the Autism Spectrum.  Michael also had a serious mental illness.  She shares the story of her family’s experience and the consequences of their lack of future planning.

Nora is a founding member and board member of S.I.B.S., Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters.  S.I.B.S. Is the Illinois Chapter of the Sibling Leadership and she serves on their board.  She is a member of Consumer Advisory Committee of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with Developmental Disabilities (RRTCADD) and The Institute on Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Randall is a Principal with the firm and serves as KYR’s President.  Randall is a data-driven Senior Executive and Consultant with more than 30 years of success in the financial services and real estate industries.  Leveraging extensive experience in financial leadership for service-focused organizations, Randall is a valuable asset for startup to established companies seeking guidance in numerous areas such as regulatory compliance, enterprise risk management, international business, due diligence, regulatory investigations, internal controls, privacy, RFPs, among others, specializing in investment advisor and broker dealer regulations throughout the globe.

As an experienced Board Member, Randall has held various officer level positions including Treasurer of The Arc of Illinois and the President of Community Support Services, Inc.  Randall participates on ExecRanks’ International Expansion Advisory Council and the Real Estate Advisory Council.  Randall has also received ExecRanks’ Certification for Continued Board Education.  Randall is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society.  Randall obtained his degree from the University of Iowa specializing in Accounting and Finance.

Attorney Benjamin (Benji) Rubin, Brian’s youngest son and Mitchell’s “little/big” broth-er, has been a member of the Law
Firm since 2010 and is now President of the professional corporation.

Benji graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law, Magna Cum Laude, received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, and his Graduate Law Degree, an LLM (Tax), with honors, also from Northwestern University.

Benji is a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners, a member of the national Board of Directors of the Special Needs Alliance, national, non-profit, association of experienced special needs planning attorneys (membership is by invitation only), is Vice-Chair, American Bar Association Elder Law and Special Needs Planning, and Prior Chairman of the American Bar Association Special Needs Planning Committee.

Benji serves as the President of SIBS (Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters), the Illinois chapter of the national Sibling Leadership Network, an organization of adult siblings of individuals with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities and/or mental illness. Benji is a member of the Board of Directors of The Arc of Illinois, and is a member of the Clearbrook Associate Board, an organization serving more than 8,000 individuals with disabilities, including his brother, Mitchell. He also serves on the Board of Directors NSSRA (Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association) which facilitates and provides year-round recreation programs and services to individuals in Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Northbrook, Northfield, Wilmette and Winnetka; Highwood and Lake Forest, and Riverwoods.

Benji also serves on the Board of Directors of DayOne PACT, which serves as Trustee of Special Needs Trusts as well as Guardian for individuals with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities and/or mental illness, serves on the Board of Directors of the Foundation of The Special Education District of Lake County (SEDOL Foundation), served previously on the Advisory Council of Encompass (Encompass in partnership with Jewish Child & Family Services, Jewish United Fund, JVS Chicago, JCC Chicago, Keshet, and The Center for Enriched Living and Center for Inde-pendent Futures).

Benji is a Faculty Member for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) on the topic of special needs planning, as well as a Speaker for the American Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association on those topics.

Having Mitchell as a brother profoundly shaped who Benji is today, and thus the type of law he chose to practice. His firsthand experiences as a sibling offer a unique perspective into the responsibilities that come with caring for a sibling with special needs. Now as an adult, those sometimes present and future responsibilities he has regarding his brother’s care are a concern that he shares with all brothers and sisters of individuals with special needs.

Hi everyone!  My name is Vincent Smith and I am a graduate of Chicago Public Schools.  I am an outspoken advocate and have served in a variety of settings including the PACE ADA Paratransit Advisory Board and as a past member of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD) Board of Directors.  I have presented in Illinois (Speak Up and Speak Out Summit, Going Home Rally, DDD Provider Webinars) on supportive housing, assistive technology and transportation.  I have also presented for self-advocates in Ohio on rights.  I am passionate about supportive housing and present often about my experience.  In my free time, I enjoy traveling to visit family in Virginia, California, Minnesota, and North Carolina.

Lieke van Heumen is a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Disability and Human Development. She teaches undergraduate and graduate students about disability and works on inclusive research projects together with co-researchers with disabilities.