UNITED WAY OF ROCK RIVER VALLEY - Key Persons
As a Rockford resident, Angela is passionate about making a difference in her community. She has her BA in Communications and Leadership & Management from Judson University. She loves children and makes the Rockford area a better place to live. She volunteered with Rockford Sharefest for over ten years, serving RPS 205 schools, green spaces in downtown Rockford, and the Park District. Having homeschooled her two boys, who are now thriving adults, she knows the importance of literacy and its impact on children, their family, and the community. She is excited to learn more about her community as a Director of Development and the impact we can have if we join hands and serve our young people to increase literacy.
In her free time, she enjoys quiet moments with her husband, working in the garden, and spending time with family and friends. She also hopes to do more international traveling.
Carol Brigham joined United Way's team as the Director of Finance in June 2024. She brings more than 30 years of progressive accounting experience to her new role, where she oversees all accounting and finance functions. This includes developing the financial infrastructure and systems needed to safeguard financial assets and accurately and properly report financial outcomes.
As a lifelong resident of the area, Carol has deep roots in the community where she resides with her husband, Bill, and their adult son. Carol finds joy in various hobbies and activities. She is an avid reader who firmly believes in the power of literacy to broaden horizons and foster personal growth. In her free time, she tends to her garden, enjoys boating and fishing adventures, and hosts gatherings to entertain family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Manager
Born and raised in Rockford, Cherice is passionate about making a lasting impact in her community. Cherice earned her Masters of Education in 2013 and has spent the last 14 years working in private secondary education. During this time she also led student community service initiatives at the high school level. She is excited to form new relationships and engage others in making a collective impact.
In her free time, you can find her shopping at a local thrift store, working on a house project, singing in a cover band, or reading a good book. She and her husband have three young children.
Cherice joined United Way in September of 2023.
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Digital Content Specialist
Emily was born and raised in Rockford and is passionate about accessibility, storytelling, and making the community a better place. She is an award-winning designer with agency and freelance experience, and she hopes to apply her design, marketing, and business skills to help United Way take on local issues.
An alumnus of Northern Illinois University, Emily earned her BFA in Visual Communication with a minor in Marketing and a Social Entrepreneurship certificate. She has experience working with everyone from local small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and global non-profit organizations.
In her free time, Emily can be found hiking, playing video games, reading, or making art. Her dream is to one day live on a farm and grow a field full of chamomile.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Impact
Julie has over 30 years' experience in the nonprofit sector and desires to see the community work together for the good of everyone. She has her BA from Valparaiso University and her Master's in Public Administration from NIU. Julie is a Midwest girl having lived in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana. She returned to Rockford in 1989 and is proud to call Northern Illinois her home (except in the winter when snow becomes a four-letter word for her). She is grateful for the opportunity to serve at United Way and started in June 2021.
Kay is passionate about the work United Way of Rock River Valley is doing through its United for Literacy initiative. She says the positive impact it has on the children of Winnebago County energizes her to engage community members in supporting this vital work. Kay has a Master's in Nonprofit Administration (MNA) from the University of Notre Dame and 30+ years of experience in nonprofit administration. She and her husband, Roger, have five adult children and four grandchildren. Spending time with them and friends and volunteering at Holy Family Catholic Church are her favorite after-hours activities.
Linda provides administrative support to the President/CEO, staff, and Board of Directors of United Way of Rock River Valley. Linda has been providing her strong organizational skills and attention to detail for United Way since June 2010.
In her spare time, Linda likes to read fiction, take walks, and spend time with family. She is a strong advocate for organ donation, being the recipient of a kidney transplant from a living donor in 2019.
Job Titles:
- Director of Pledge Processing
Maria joined United Way of Rock River Valley in 2005 after moving to Belvidere from her hometown of Palatine, IL. Prior to joining United Way, Maria worked in Finance and Operations for a vending company in the Chicago suburbs. As Director of Pledge Processing, she works to maximize efficiencies while supporting the fundraising and engagement efforts of United Way. She is responsible for the timely and accurate processing of all donor and corporate contributions.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and watching true crime documentaries.
Job Titles:
- Rockford United Labor AFL - CIO
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications & Marketing
Tom is an award-winning marketer and communications professional who thrives off a good challenge. He brings more than two decades of experience to United Way in his current role as Director of Communications and Marketing.
Tom began his career in marketing at United Way, spent more than 17 years in healthcare marketing at SwedishAmerican (UW Health) and nearly three years as manager of marketing and communications at Prairie State Legal Services, a civil legal aid nonprofit with 11 offices in northern and central Illinois. Now, 25 years later, Tom is thrilled to be back with United Way to help significantly impact our community.
Tom holds a BS in marketing and an MBA (emphasis in marketing) from Rockford University, an AOS in music and video business from the Institute of Art in Colorado, and digital marketing certificate from Cornell University in September 2022.
Tom is a husband and dad of two boys. When he's not working, he's probably playing guitar.