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.

Bruce Palmer was born in Southern Illinois, attended Assumption High School in East St. Louis and graduated with a Business Management degree from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.  Retired from McDonnell Douglas / Boeing after 37 years of service in which he lead numerous teams and coached and mentored teammates in Supplier Management & Procurement.  Bruce is currently a board member of Region 2 Team, an organization founded to support individuals with intellectual disabilities. Bruce has been involved with Region 2 Team for over 25 years, either as a parent or athletic coach.  Bruce is past Board Chair and current board member of Socially and Educationally Engaged Community (SEEC) cooperative.  Bruce’s son has an intellectual disability and, as a parent, was concerned about how his son was going to live outside the home and integrate into the community.  Bruce and other board members established SEEC to resolve roadblocks and find acceptable solutions to issues.  SEEC pursued various opportunities and eventually was selected to participate in a state sponsored pilot supported housing project (May Apartments).  Bruce is passionate about helping individuals with disabilities in Southern Illinois find solutions to their needs or help navigate the procedures and systems that can be so confusing and cumbersome to them.

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.

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.

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.

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.