JAMIE O'MEARA (President) has been a volunteer for many years with WMS and was elected President in December of 2011. She has served as Chair of the Organization Committee as well as general board member and Treasurer and is currently the Chair of the Economic Restructuring Committee. Jamie lives in the 6th ward and is the Chief Accountant for the Waukegan Port District.

ROBERT SOBOL (Vice President) holds an MBA from DePaul University and is the proprietor of Green Town Tavern. He has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry in downtown Waukegan and has lived here for over 15 years. Bob is looking to be a part of business development and economic recovery of downtown Waukegan.

DR. AL BALDWIN (Secretary) currently serves as the Dean of the Lakeshore campus of the College of Lake County. A native of Detroit, he began his career in health care because of the job opportunities and the chance to help people. After earning an A.S. in respiratory therapy from Highland Park Community College, he received a B.S. in Allied Health management from Madonna University in suburban Detroit. He later earned a M.S. in health services administration from Central Michigan University, and a M.A. in adult and higher education from Kentucky’s Morehead State University. He earned his Ph.D. in health services administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Dr. Baldwin has been involved in community action activities wherever he has lived. These activities included coordination of asthma education camp for the Kansas branch of the American Lung Association, construction of an inner city health clinic, securing funding for HIV/AIDS testing and education, and securing funding for substance abuse and mental health issues. He has been published in numerous professional journals on the topics of health, diversity, and enrollment of minorities in higher education.

MATTHEW BURLESON (Treasurer) is a 1993 graduate of Waukegan High School, where he was enrolled in JROTC. He entered the Illinois Army National Guard in December 1992, beginning a decorated military career. In March of 1999 Matthew Burleson became a Waukegan Firefighter and was promoted to Lieutenant in June of 2010. In January 2002 Matthew Burleson was mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to headquarters in Heidelburg, Germany, and deployed to Afghanistan in August 2008. Matthew Burleson received his Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University- Carbondale in August 2007. Matthew Burleson is married to Nadine Eva Burleson with one daughter Isabella Navina Burleson.

BRIAN SMITH grew up in Waukegan and has spent all but 7 years of his life in the city. He now lives downtown and works as an attorney, representing, among other clients, the City of Waukegan in criminal prosecution and police/fire discipline matters. His primary interest in downtown Waukegan is developing a plan to help new and prospective business owners understand the economic climate of the downtown area so that they are better able to plan and build businesses that will thrive downtown.

BRENDAN ALVIANI is a life-long Waukeganite who recently graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN with a degree in English and Teaching. He currently manages Joplin's Java, which means that he has the necessary youthfulness AND caffeine to help get things done.

NADINE BURLESON is the owner of Beyond Expectations professional event planning. She is married to Fire Lieutenant and Army Sergeant first class Matthew Burleson. Originally Nadine is from Germany and moved to the US seven years ago. Nadine and Matthew have a 2 1/2 year old daughter named Isabella.

THOMAS O'CONNELL JR. received his Master of Architecture degree at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 1983 and moved to the Waukegan area in 1985. He has a strong interest in Urban Planning and has contributed significantly to downtown Waukegan’s growth and progress. Tom developed and taught the "Genesee Street Renaissance" program at CLC Lakeshore campus 1989 – 1990, served as former Vice President of Waukegan Downtown Association 1990 – 1991, chairman of the New Harbor City Renaissance Commission 2002 - 2004 (Overseeing development of the Waukegan's Downtown and Lakefront Master Plan), and chairman of the Waukegan Renaissance Commission 2004 - 2006 (Overseeing implementation of Waukegan's Downtown and Lakefront Master Plan). He is currently a member of the Pleasant Prairie Village Green Technical Advisory Board (Overseeing plans for development of a new (green site) downtown for the Village of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin) and member of the Rotary Club of Kenosha West. Tom was a past board member of the Rotary Club of Kenosha West, Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce and Southeast Wisconsin Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and today is president of Partners in Design Architects, Kenosha, Wisconsin and Riverwoods, Illinois.

RICK LARSEN was born and raised in Waukegan and has been the Alderman of the 8th Ward since 2003. With a Bachelors in Journalism from NIU (1972) and an MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (1986), plus USMC(R) service (1972-78), Rick has used his experience and knowledge to serve several leadership positions in the community. He has been a boardmember for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, and has been a member of advisory groups for Waukegan Unit School Dist. 60 and Warren Township High School Dist. 121. He is currently a corporate sales consultant for American Outfitters, Ltd. of Waukegan.

LUIS F. CORREA describes himself as an immigrant whose first stop in U.S. soil was Waukegan in 1989. He moved to California, where he spent most of his childhood and early adulthood . He received a Bachelors in History with a minor in Spanish from California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) in 2003. He moved back to Waukegan in 2004 to teach Bilingual Education at Thomas Jefferson Middle School and completed a Master’s degree in Education from Rockford College in 2006; he obtained a second Masters degree in Educational Leadership in 2008 from Aurora University. He now serves as the Student Services Coordinator for Waukegan High School and is currently working on a doctorate in Education through National Louis University.

MADELYN SERGEL is a playwright and the Artistic Director of Clockwise Theatre. This past fall she directed the world premier of her play Special Needs at Clockwise, she has acted as producer for Clockwise productions Kita y Fernanda and goodness, and will be serving as producer for Clockwise's upcoming 2011-2012 season. A graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in theatre, Madelyn Sergel acted professionally for many years in theatres throughout Chicago. She has been very actively involved in helping promote the arts in downtown Waukegan.

MARY CLARE JAKES first became involved with WMS as a volunteer for Mardi Gras in 2005. She was asked to join the board in 2006 and served as president in 2010 and 2011. She graduated from University of Illinois in 1977 with a BS in Geology and BA in Physical Geography. She received an MS in Geology from Oregon State University in 1979 and then worked ten years for Shell Oil Company as an Exploration Geologist. Mary Clare left Shell in 1989 to do full-time volunteer service work for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and continued in the social service administration field until 2001. She received an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 2002. She is actively involved with Prisoner Visitation and Support, a national volunteer group visiting prisoners in the federal prison system as both a visitor and a national trainer. She is currently a business consultant for Glunz Family Winery and Cellars of Grayslake. Mary Clare is a potter and her studio in her home is Play in the Mud.

BRET SCHROEDER was born at Victory Hospital here in Waukegan moving to our 8th Ward in 1997. Although a relatively new face to Waukegan Main Street, Bret has been an active volunteer for a variety of community projects including Waukegan City Public Events, Park District Events, a Waukegan Homeowners Association Board and has ties to the Waukegan BMX Track.  He is currently a Quality Systems Analyst at NOSCO (since 2003) in Waukegan and brings a business sensibility to the table.  He received from Bachelors from Northern Illinois University in Graphic Arts Technology in 1990, and has continued to receive various professional certifications and education in Management, Information Technology and Quality Assurance.

ALDERMAN LISA MAY is a lifetime resident of Waukegan. She returned to her hometown after graduating from Marquette University and spent 25 years building a career in the real estate industry with a broad base of experience including management and sales. Lisa is one of the founders of the community group, Friends of Waukegan Beach and was recently elected to be the 7th Ward Alderman in the City. Lisa has 2 sons, James Epperson (20) and Evan Epperson (16) and she is married to Michael May who teaches middle school in Waukegan.

DAVID VARGAS has been a tireless volunteer for Waukegan Main Street, especially on Promotions Committee. He recently won Volunteer of the Year Award (alongside Faith Clark) for 2011. He graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2003 with a bachelors in biology.

MIKE PURTELL (Ex-Officio Board Member) received a Bachelor’s Degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University, and is currently enrolled in the Masters Degree Program in Community Development at Iowa State University. He has worked in the Planning & Zoning Department for the City of Waukegan since 2004. Mike has also been volunteering with Main Street since 2004 and is a member of the Design Committee. He believes that improving the downtown Main Street district is of great benefit to Waukegan as a whole and something that the entire community can be proud of.