MEET OUR 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS…AKA–TEAM of WORLD-CHANGERS…

Meet Christine Leeb, Founder & Director

Front Porch Family Photo Challenge Cell Phone
  • Mother of 3 children, married since 2000
  • Child Development Specialist & Parent Coach
  • BS in Education–Middle School Endorsement, MS in Psychology–Child & Adolescent Development
  • Author of Go Family: 31 Ways to Create Team Unity In Our Homes
  • Member of the Community Violence Response Team of Champaign County
  • Special Trainings in:  Bullying Prevention, Suicide Prevention, Childhood Trauma and Epigenetics, Supporting Minorities in Mental Health, and Impacts of Father-Child Relationships
  • Creator of the Teamwork Parenting Approach with culturally adaptable Teamwork Parenting Tools and 25 Character Songs for kids
  • Hobbies:  Hiking, watching funny TV shows, family time
  • Real Life Moment: When my oldest was a toddler, I let a cuss word slip and he started repeating it over and over!  Oooops!!!

Meet Kim Smith, President and Outreach Team

Kim Smith Family

  • Mother of 4 children
  • Manager of Client Support and Implementation at Health Alliance
  • Way to Make the World Better: End racism
  • Real Life Moment: Realizing I left my wallet at home after being on the road for 3 hours.

Meet Emily Hurth, Vice President.

Hurth Family

  • Mother of 2 children, married since 2014
  • Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science (Major: Human Development and Family Studies)
  • Master of Social Work (Concentration: Children and Families)
  • Certified Child Life Specialist at Carle Hospital
  • Favorite Food: Cookie Dough!
  • Real Life Moment: Too many to pick one!
  • Meet Tom Carlson, Treasurer and Grants/Fundraising Team

  • Father of 1 daughter
  • Materials Engineer at US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory
  • BS in Materials Science and Engineering; MS in Engineering Mechanics
  • Fun Fact: I can ride a unicycle.
  • Real Life Moment: My daughter successfully flipped a cheese quesadilla that didn’t have a top tortilla. I was impressed but then not so much by the burnt cheese smell.

Meet Jennifer Aggio, Board Member and Graphic Design Team

  • Mother of 4 daughters, Married since 2010
  • Owner of Designs on the Go
  • Favorite Quote:  Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of any kind. James 1:2
  • Real Life Moment: Working with my girls on loving unconditionally and understanding not everything has to go their way for it to be ok that they can accept others where they are at in life and its ok.

Meet Melorene Grantham, Board Member and Outreach Team

  • Mother of 2 children
  • Client Resource Coordinator at WIN (Women in Need) Recovery
  • Degree in Restaurant Management, Culinary Arts Management with a certificate in Culinary Arts
  • Favorite Quote:  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3: 5-6
  • Real Life Moment:  The Indifference Tool becomes my inner conscience…my toddler will do something and I will bubble up inside and begin to react and then I stop and use my calm words and ask myself why I’m not letting her do something. Then I correct myself to give her permission.

Meet Rachael McKinney, Board Member and Outreach Team

  • Mother of 3 children, married since 2006
  • Family Support Specialist at The Baby Fold
  • Certified Doula and Childbirth Educator
  • BS in Business Administration
  • Favorite Food: Mexican food!!
  • Real Life Moment: Once I hired a babysitter to put the kids to bed while I sat in our driveway eating ice cream and watching Netflix until the kids were asleep.

Meet Chuck Simpson, Board Member and Fundraising/Grant Team

  • Father of 2, Grandfather of 2, Married Since 2009
  • Operator/Radio Operator/Line Instructor/Road Trainer/Classroom Instructor; Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD),
  • WRFU FM, On-Air Personality
  • One Goal: To reach every corner of our community with the help they need.
  • Real Life Moment: Getting to watch my grand boys sitting in the same seats on the bus that their mom and uncle rode when they were 5 and 3