Board of Commissioners
Board function
The Board of Commissioners is made up of 26 members elected from thirteen Board Districts that comprise Will County. The Board approves Forest Preserve District resolutions that come out of the Board's Finance Committee, Operations Committee, and Ad Hoc Rules Committee. It is also responsible for establishing all rules and regulations that govern the Forest Preserve District of Will County.
Board membership
President: Joe VanDuyne
Vice President: Rachel Ventura
Treasurer: Tyler Marcum
Secretary: Mica Freeman
Board meetings
The Board of Commissioners meets the second Thursday of each month (unless changed by the Board) at 9:30 a.m.
Board meetings are held on the second floor of the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St. in Joliet. View a Google Map of the meeting location.
Board meetings are open to the public, and anyone who wishes to address the Board may do so at these meetings.
View Board meeting documents, including agendas and minutes.
You may also view meeting schedule for 2022 or view meeting documents for the Board’s two standing Committees, the Finance Committee or the Operations Committee.
View Ad Hoc Rules Committee meeting documents, including agendas and minutes.
Board of Commissioners directory
The Forest Preserve District's Board of Commissioners consists of 26 members, two each from 13 Board Districts. Below is each of the Commissioners' contact information and Committee assignments.
If you are unsure what Board District you live in, visit the Will County Clerk's website.
District 1
Judy Ogalla
28560 S. Will Center Road
Monee, IL 60449
708.710.3701 (Cell)
jogalla@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Ogalla has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2012.
She serves on the Operations Committee.
Sherry Newquist
3511 Union Avenue
Steger, IL 60475
708.280.9453 Cell
snewquist@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Newquist has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2019.
She serves on the Finance Committee and as Vice Chairwoman of the Operations Committee.
District 2
Amanda Koch
21480 English Circle
Frankfort, IL 60432
708.480.2455 Cell
akoch@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Koch has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2018.
Jim Moustis
7516 Windmill Drive
Frankfort, IL 60423
815.405.3771 Cell
815.469.4907 Business
jmoustis@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Moustis has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 1992.
He serves on the Operations Committee and on the Ad Hoc Rules Committee.
District 3
Margaret Tyson
1802 Marne Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60490
630.234.4598 Cell
mtyson@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Tyson has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2019.
She serves on the Finance Committee and as Chairwoman of the Ad Hoc Rules Committee.
Raquel Mitchell
553 Sonoma Drive
Bolingbrook, IL 60490
630.936.9578 Cell
rmitchell@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Mitchell has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2020.
She serves on the Finance Committee.
District 4
Jacqueline Traynere
1109 Jennifer Lane
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
630.783.0929 Home
630.240.9178 Cell
jtraynere@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Traynere has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2008.
She serves on the Operations Committee and as Vice Chairwoman of the Finance Committee.
Saud Gazanfer
255 Claridge Circle
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
630.346.7040
sgazanfer@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Gazanfer has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2022.
He serves on the Operations Commitee.
District 5
Meta Mueller
2280 Shiloh Drive
Aurora, IL 60503
630.854.3473 Cell
mmueller@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Mueller has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2018.
She serves on the Finance Committee and on the Operations Committee.
Gretchen Fritz
P.O. Box 1354
Plainfield, IL 60544
779.205.9437 Cell
gfritz@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Fritz has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2014.
She serves on the Finance Committee.
District 6
Donald Gould
21339 S. Redwood Lane
Shorewood, IL 60404
815.744.2669 Home
815.725.7665 Business
dgould@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Gould has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2002.
He serves on the Operations Committee.
Joe VanDuyne
841 Wilshire Court
Wilmington, IL 60481
815.530.4388 Cell
jvanduyne@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner VanDuyne has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2018.
He serves as Board President.
District 7
Mike Fricilone
14644 Park Place
Homer Glen, IL 60491
708.310.9831 Cell
mfricilone@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Fricilone has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2012.
He serves on the Operations Committee.
Steve Balich
12259 Derby Lane
Orland Park, IL 60467
815.557.7196 Cell
sbalich@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Balich has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2012.
He serves on the Operations Committee.
District 8
Denise Winfrey
1108 Richards Street
Joliet, IL 60433
815.258.2403
dwinfrey@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Winfrey has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2009.
She serves as the Chairwoman of the Operations Committee.
Herbert Brooks Jr.
15 Longwood Drive
Joliet, IL 60432
815.726.7080 Business
hbrooks@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Brooks has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2008.
He serves on the Finance Committee.
District 9
Annette Parker
1620 Clement Street
Crest Hill, IL 60403
815.955.9778 Cell
aparker@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Parker has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2014.
She serves on the Finance Committee.
Rachel F. Ventura
617 N. Raynor Avenue
Joliet, IL 60435
815.954.1981 Cell
rventura@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Ventura has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2018.
She serves as Vice President of the Board.
District 10
Natalie Coleman
P.O. Box 572
Plainfield, IL 60544
815.530.8687 Cell
ncoleman@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Coleman has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2020.
She serves as Chairwoman of the Finance Committee.
Tyler Marcum
2315 Douglas Street
Joliet, IL 60435
815.600.3985 Cell
tylermarcum@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Marcum has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2016.
He serves as Treasurer of the Board.
District 11
Julie Berkowicz
405 Gateshead Drive
Naperville, IL 60565
630.881.3139 Cell
jberkowicz@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Berkowicz has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2018.
She serves on the Finance Committee and as Vice Chairwoman of the Ad Hoc Rules Committee.
Mimi Cowan
3354 Rosecroft Lane
Naperville, IL 60564
331.472.0491 Business
mcowan@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Cowan has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2018.
She serves on the Operations Committee and on the Ad Hoc Rules Committee.
District 12
Frankie Pretzel
348 E. Joliet Highway
New Lenox, IL 60451
815.405.9054 Cell
fpretzel@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Pretzel has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2020.
He serves on the Finance Committee.
Tom Weigel
2730 Gifford Place
New Lenox, IL 60451
815.722.0881 Home
tweigel@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Weigel has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2004.
He serves on the Finance Committee.
District 13
Mica Freeman
16134 S. George Court
Plainfield, IL 60586
217.474.5565 Cell
mfreeman@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Freeman has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2020.
She serves as Secretary of the Board.
Debbie Kraulidis
2200 Dunmore Street
Joliet, IL 60431
708.557.9876 Cell
dkraulidis@willcountyillinois.com
Commissioner Kraulidis has been a member of the Board of Commissioners since 2020.
She serves on the Operations Committee.
Mission
The Forest Preserve District protects and enhances Will County’s natural and cultural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.
Motto
Bringing People and Nature Together
Guiding principles
- Staying true to our purpose.
- Being good stewards.
- Connecting people and nature.
- Focusing on wellness.
- Working with others.
- Promoting sustainability.