Mary Gibson, a Naperville resident since 2014, was elected to the Park Board in 2021. She grew up in Lisle, and after living in several different places for school and work, she and her husband knew that they wanted to raise their family in Naperville. She and her children actively participate in a variety of Park District programs, which have become an important resource for her family. She chose to run for Park Board to help ensure that the District continues to be a strong community asset for all of Naperville.

Mary is a mother of three young children and a former director at a data analytics firm where she advised Fortune 500 companies, government entities, and non-profits on public sentiment, unforeseen risks and strategic opportunities. After being a working parent for a while, she made the decision to pause her career to stay home with her growing family. She has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History and a master’s degree in Social Science from the University of Chicago.

Mary’s community involvement includes being a trained member of Naperville’s Community Emergency Response Team, facilitating a book group at Anderson’s Bookshop that is designed to foster civil discourse among people with differing political views, and being enrolled in Naperville’s Citizen Police Academy.

The Naperville Park District is one of Mary’s favorite things about the City of Naperville. She appreciates that the District has provided her family with so many ways to get moving, learn, and socialize. She loves the accessibility and inclusivity of our parks and green spaces; that anyone can go out and enjoy nature without traveling far from home.

Reflecting on Naperville as a community, Mary is impressed by how much time and energy so many people devote to making the city a better place for everyone.

Term Expires 2025
mgibson@napervilleparks.org

Leslie Ruffing was elected to the Park Board in 2021. A Naperville resident since 2012, she appreciates Naperville as a special town with much to offer both its residents and visitors. Since moving here, she has served her community through a variety of volunteer roles and that passion for public service is what led her to run for the office of Park Commissioner. She believes that the Park District has the ability to serve the community as a whole in endless ways and feels fortunate to be a part of that growth and development.

Leslie is a Structured Settlement Annuity Broker with Ringler Associates and has been with them for over 15 years. She and her husband enjoy raising a family in Naperville with its first-class schools, parks, and services. Her involvement in the community includes volunteering with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and serving as a PTA Committee Chairperson. She believes her most significant accomplishment is being a mother to her two daughters and is thankful for the lessons she continues to learn through her relationships with them.

Term Expires 2025
lruffing@napervilleparks.org

Rhonda Ansier, a Naperville resident for six years, was elected to the Park Board in 2021. She and her family are active participants in Park District programs and have enjoyed the parks and facilities ever since they moved here. When Rhonda looked for a way to get more involved in the community, she was naturally drawn to the Park District, choosing to run as a park commissioner.

Rhonda believes that the Park District is a unifier in the community, bringing people together around shared activities and common concerns, including our need for recreation, health and wellness. She wants to see the Park District continue to serve everyone in our diverse community with its amazing events, programs and facilities.

Rhonda is a nurse practitioner and is proud to have finished her master’s degree in 2019 while working and raising two children. She feels fortunate to be able to do what she loves and values Naperville as a great place to raise a family, with a sense of community, good schools and an active downtown area.

Rich Janor, a Naperville resident and business owner since 2005, was first elected to the Park Board in 2011 and has served two terms as President of the Board.  Rich owns and operates Janor Sports, a team sports apparel business based near downtown Naperville.  He has also served as a Head Varsity Baseball Coach for fifteen years, and currently is Head Baseball Coach at Montini Catholic High School in Lombard.  During his tenue, the Broncos won three consecutive IHSA Regional Championships in 2015, 2016 and 2017.    

Janor is an avid sports and recreation enthusiast and operates amateur sporting events nationwide, including several events in partnership with Major League Baseball organizations.  Specific areas of expertise include sports event management, sports marketing and programming, and designing custom sports apparel.  Janor is a supporter of the local sports community, sponsoring several Naperville youth programs and teams on an annual basis.

A proponent of teaching life lessons through athletics, Janor would like to help move Naperville forward by focusing on continued enhancement of recreation programming and facilities. He believes the Park District plays a critical role in inspiring residents of all ages to be active in recreation with their families, neighbors, and friends. He also enjoys cycling, and hopes to see continued improvement and connectivity of Naperville’s trails and paths.

Rich serves as Regional Director for USA Baseball’s National Team Identification Series in the Great Lakes Region, and is an active member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association and the Wheatland Athletic Association Board of Directors.  He has completed two Chicago Marathons, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Term Expires 2023
rjanor@napervilleparks.org

Josh McBroom discovered Naperville when he and his wife rented an apartment here shortly after his wife began a teaching job in District 204. They have lived in Naperville ever since, appreciating the schools, the neighborhoods and the parks and can’t imagine a better place in which to raise their three boys.

Josh was elected to the park board in April 2019 for a four-year term. He has volunteered as a coach with the Park District for over a decade and believes the Park District makes Naperville feel a little smaller by bringing families together through common interests. He appreciates the Park District’s ability to offer a diverse range of programs for all levels of economic means.

Prior to his election to the park board, Josh served on the KidsMatter board for seven years and as president for three years. He is active in the community, currently a member of the KidsMatter advisory board, the Linden Oaks board, the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, Maplebrook II Swim and Racquet Club, the YMCA and Naperville Little League.

Josh is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, having built his practice over the past 13 years. He is grateful for being able to work locally and see the rewards of his early years of hard work establishing his business, which now allows him flexibility to be more involved with his sons’ activities.

Term Expires 2023
jmcbroom@napervilleparks.org 

Alison Thompson was elected to the Park Board in 2021. Growing up in Naperville, Alison experienced the excellent schools, parks and the community feel of Naperville. In 2018 she and her husband decided to settle here and were able to move into the same house where she was raised, after her father retired. She appreciates Naperville as a community of caring, passionate individuals of diverse backgrounds and loves how the city feels like a quaint town, but also has the resources and expansive power of a large city.

When considering how to serve the community, Alison decided that the Park District is the place where she could contribute the most. She is excited to bring to the board the perspective of a young parent who also has been familiar with the Park District throughout her life. She believes that the Naperville Park District can bring diverse communities together and that individuals can find common ground through play and recreation, bridging some of the societal divides that exist.

Alison serves as a volunteer with Home and School and is proud to be a self-taught photographer and a small business owner of Alison Thompson Photography, as well as working for Stern, Cassello and Associates. She is passionate about her career and enjoys finding new ways to enhance and expand her skills and business.

Marie Todd, a long-time Naperville resident, was first elected to the Park Board in 2005 and most recently was re-elected for a four-year term in 2019. Marie served as Park Board President from 2006-2007 and in 2021. Marie is also a member of the Illinois Distinguished Accreditation Committee for the Illinois Association of Park Districts.

Marie brings to the Park Board a background in education, mathematics and computer science. After graduating with a B.S. in mathematics from Illinois Benedictine College (now Benedictine University), Marie taught high school mathematics for four years and also served as a coach and school athletic director. She then moved on to AT&T Bell Laboratories (which became Alcatel-Lucent and is now Nokia), where she managed a team that developed telephone features and switch retrofits. During her career, Marie earned a master’s degree in computer science from Purdue University, served as a member of the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Career Advisory Council, and served as a representative for a business partnership with Naperville North High School.

Marie feels that the Naperville Park District adds to the quality of life in Naperville by offering a place for people to refresh themselves in whatever way is best for them.

Term Expires 2023
mtodd@napervilleparks.org