Board of Directors
Jill Wagner, PresidentJill Wagner joined the historical society board in 2014 . She earned a Bachelor of Science at Loyola University where she studied Anthropology, History and Women's Studies. Jill has a special interest in early American history (pre colonial) and local Civil War history. She lives in Forest Park and writes once a month for the local newspaper Forest Park Review, where she works as the Circulation Manager.
Daniel Cross, TreasurerDaniel and his family have recently moved into Forest Park and love the community. Daniel is passionate about local history and understanding how past conditions shape the present. Daniel has a BS in Automotive Technology and a minor in Music. He has worked for Cummins, Inc. since May of 2007.
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Gwen Gregory, SecretaryGwen recently moved to Forest Park, has found it to be a welcoming and fun community. She values preserving all parts of our community's history and sharing it with everyone. Previously she was involved with the Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society in Chicago. She works at the University of Illinois at Chicago as a library faculty member and was named the 2019 Illinois Academic Librarian of the Year.
Kristen Marie LyonsKristen and her husband John have lived in Forest Park since 2014 and Kristen joined the historical board in 2019. After receiving receiving her degree in history from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, she attended John Marshall Law School and has practiced law since 2004. When not running her own law firm, Kristen joys gardening and cooking. Kristen also enjoys learning about the history of the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears and the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893.
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Carol Gulyas, Vice PresidentCarol recently retired from a career in advertising, marketing, communication, and
librarianship. She earned her BA from Indiana University and a Masters of Library Science at Dominican University in River Forest. She lived with her family in Oak Park for 18 years and moved to Forest Park in 2018. She enjoys being involved in helping communities grow and thrive. Uli LeibUli Leib joined the Historical Society Board in 2020. Uli and her husband Rich have resided in Forest Park since 1998. Uli came to the US from Austria as an exchange student and earned BA and MA degrees from the University of Illinois. She has a special interest in Forest Park’s German roots and how the town’s history impacts its current culture. Uli is self-employed as Destination Services Consultant and Intercultural Coach. She provides support to multi-national companies, helping their expat employees settle in the Chicago area and adjust to life during their international assignments.
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Friends of the Historical Society
Nancy Cavaretta, Oral Historian |
Terry Steinbach, Quilt Project Lead |
Chris Everett |
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Nancy spear-headed the Forest Park Oral History Project, "Our Neighbors: Our Heroes," Nancy has interviewed Forest Park residents who have served in the military. Nancy lived in Forest Park as a child and returned in recent years with the intention of enjoying the town and making a contribution by preserving its history. Nancy is a professor at Concordia University.
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Terry is her fifth decade of living in Forest Park. She's a proud graduate of Garfield School, Forest Park Junior High School and Proviso East High School. She currently serves as an Associate Dean at DePaul University's College of Computing & Digital Media. Terry is an avid quilter and would like all Forest Park businesses and residents to participate in the society's quilt project.
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Chris Everett is President of Everett Wealth Solutions, Inc. a Registered Investment Advisor and Fiduciary Financial Planning Firm located at 407 Marengo. She and her husband have been residents of Forest Park since 1999. Chris is passionate about Forest Park and hopes you’ll consider membership if you are not already a member. Please help us preserve our rich history.
Brian KuhrBrian Kuhr has lived in Forest Park for 20 years. He has a BA in English Literature from DePaul University and an MA in English and American Literature from New York University, where he is proud to have studied under the great American novelist Ralph Ellison. He currently works as a Research Education Analyst, and is an avid collector of books, records and miscellaneous ephemera.
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| HSFP Constitution |