Marcella Wozniak
Occupation: Recruiting and staffing
consultant
Education: Wozniak is a graduate of DePaul University, where she obtained a bachelors of arts degree in human resources. She also attended North-ern Illinois University where she studied special education.
Involvement: Wozniak is a community activist, organizer and speaker. She is a founding member of Citizens United in Forest Park (CUinFP) and an active board member. She also campaigned for candidates in the 1998/1999 and 2002/2003 election cycles. She is a participant in Forest Park’s Relay for Life and a volunteer for several Park District programs, including the Easter egg hunt, girls softball, pumpkin patch and softball tournament. She was also an aerobics instructor, water aerobics instructor and monitor for the Teen Center. Wozniak is a Religious Education Facilitator for St. Bernardine’s and a PADS and Chicago Marathon volunteer. She is also fundraised for the American Cancer Society and was a participant in the Danskin Triathlon.
Issues to address: Accommodating the increasing population and changing demographics in Forest Park by considering the future needs of the community. Strategizing to increase the funds available to the park for future programming and ensuring that incoming funds from the past referendum are used to the satisfaction of all members in the community. Land availability: working with the village to acquire village-owned park land for use and maintenance by the Park District.
Cathleen McDermott
Occupation: Special Investigator
Education: McDermott is a graduate of Triton College and obtained a bachelors
in science in business degree from
DePaul University. Involvement: Mc-Dermott was a Park Commissioner from 1989 to 1999. She is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Forest Park and was club president from 1994 to 1995. She is also a Park District volunteer and a key communicator in the Forest Park schools. McDermott is a member of CUinFP.
Issues to address: Establishment of policies to ensure fiscal restraints by building adequate reserves, determining realistic funding levels and spending within the district’s means. To adopt a proactive position with regards to community planning by improving the district’s relationship in the village and community. Addressing the recreational needs of the underserved population in the village by assessing their needs
and wants.
Michael A. Espinosa
Occupation: Retail Administration Manager for ATMs in the banking industry
Education: Espinosa graduated from Kirkman Technical High School in Chattanooga, Ten. He attended Triton College in River Grove and Elmhurst College.
Involvement: Espinosa is an incumbent board member, having served there from 1999 to the present. He was a Cub Master for Pack 108 for three years and has been a coach for the Forest Park Youth Soccer Association since 1991. Espinosa also served as vice president and treasurer of the Forest Park Youth Soccer Association. Espinosa was a member of the Forest Park Plan Commission from 1998 to 2004 and has been an active volunteer at St. Bernardine’s Church since 1990, participating in their bingo program, food preparation for St. Joseph’s feat and in St. Bernardine’s Day, as well as their annual pancake breakfast.
Issues to address: Land acquisition, lobbying the village administration to examine the possibility of imposing impact fees on the developers that want to build in town. The fee he proposes could be in the form of usable land or cash used to acquire open space in town for inclusion in the park’s holdings. Determining the policies that need to be re-written or creating new policies that would be written, such as developing a process for selecting a new director for when Dave Novak retires. Partnering with the community to determine a need for a new recreation center. Developing a long-term budget and a program for complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the administration building at the park. Developing programs that encourage family participation and serve the different cultures in the
community.
Roy J. Sansone
Occupation: Proviso East Maintenance Department
Education: Sansone is a graduate of Proviso East High School (1980) and
a graduate of the College of DuPage, where he earned an associate in arts degree. He also attended the University of Illinois Chicago for two years.
Involvement: Sansone was appointed to the Park Board in January of 2004 and has been a member since. He is a past member of the Forest Park Auxiliary Police for four years and a Forest Park Little League Manager for 10 years. He was also a part of the Forest Park High School Task Force, a coach for Boys and Girls Basketball and a member of his neighborhood watch. He volunteered at the Forest Park Animal Ark and at the Park District in the 16-inch Softball Tournament. He was also a Forest Park Kiwanis football coach for two years. He lead the Receiving Department Quality Production Committee for W.W. Grainger for two and a half years.
Issues to address: Completion and implementation of the Park District of Forest Park’s Comprehensive Plan. Continuing to support staff members and to develop family-oriented events. Working to bring about the creation of a skate park for the village.
Mary Buckley
Occupation: Homemaker and real estate sales person.
Education: Buckley attended Portage Park Elementary School in Chicago and Carl Schurz High School in Chicago. She attended Wright Junior College and Triton Community College.
Involvement: Buckley recently got her real estate’s broker’s license. She started volunteering in Forest Park through the lunch program at Field-Stevenson and went on to be a teacher’s aide at Betsy Ross and Garfield Elementary Schools. She left there to work at Score Board Sports Bar and has volunteered at the village and at the Park District.
Issues to address: To give back to the community that has supported her throughout her residency in Forest Park and to work with and come up with new ideas for programming for the Park.
