Board members may be reached by calling the district office 847-838-8401, sending correspondence to the district office, or e-mailing
BoardOfEducation@antioch34.com.
Pictured left to right: Tiffany Cappel, Angela Baronello, Lori Linck, Mary Beth Hulting, Mechelle Casey, Nicolino Di Benedetto, Paul Green
IASB SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE RECOGNITION: 2017-2018, 2022-2023
Inspiring Personal Excellence
Mary Beth Hulting, President
Term: 2015-2023
Mary Beth Hulting has resided in Antioch since 2002. Upon receiving her B.A. in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University, Mary Beth began her career teaching middle school Math, Science, and Humanities, going on to receive her Masters in Educational Leadership/Administration from Northern Illinois University, in addition to a post Masters +38 hours focused on Special Education and Psychology. Currently a middle level ELA educator for Northbrook District 31, Mary Beth served as the district's long-time Service Learning Coordinator, mentoring schools throughout the nation.
Mary Beth and her husband Scott are the parents to three boys - all who have attended or currently attend Antioch CCSD 34 schools. Mary Beth has been an active volunteer, serving on the Hillcrest Outdoor Classroom Committee, providing mentorship for incoming educators, and volunteering her time both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to this work, Mary Beth was an assistant Boy Scout Leader and currently volunteers her time to the Antioch Traveling Closet Foundation and The Maddox LoPriore Butterly Foundation. In her personal time, Mary Beth enjoys attending her sons' lacrosse, football and baseball games, playing the piano, spending time outdoors, and rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks and Cubs.
Board Committees: Curriculum, Negotiations, SEDOL, Facilities (alt.)
Lori Linck, Vice President
Term: 2013-2023
Lori Linck joined the District 34 Board of Education in 2013, and has served as Vice President since 2017. Prior to joining the Board, Lori was an active member of the D34 community. She spent 8 years as a weekly classroom volunteer, was active in the D34 PTOs, organized fundraisers for AUGS, and was a volunteer at many District events, including her personal favorite - the AUGS Warrior Mile. Lori was also a member of the Strategic Planning Committee both before and after she joined the Board, and championed the formation of the D34 Data Committee. She believes in giving back to the community, and has been a long-term supporter of the Open Arms Mission. She and her husband are also United Way Pillars, and long-term supporters of St. Jude Children's Hospital. Lori holds degrees in Chemistry and Business, as well as numerous professional certifications in the cyber/privacy domain. Lori has a depth and breadth of experience in STEM roles, from her first job as a Formulation Chemist, to leading the Cybersecurity Architecture team for a Fortune 100 company. She currently serves as Data Privacy Officer for Medical Devices at Abbott. Lori is deeply committed to ensuring that D34 offers rigorous courses of study to all students, and ensuring that D34's curriculum evolves as the career landscape evolves.
Board Committees: Medical Advisory, Data Review, Educational Technology
Angela Baronello, Secretary
Term: 2019-2025
Angela Baronello has been an active part of the Antioch CCSD 34 community since moving to Antioch with her family in 2006. Angela served on the District 34 Foundation for seven years and has been a part of two previous Strategic Planning Committees and the Special Education Parent Network, supporting the local community. Angela's path to advocacy began at home while trying to navigate the best outcome for her dyslexic son, Lucas. Seeing a need for greater awareness at the local level, she created Lake County Parents of Children with Dyslexia to support other parents facing the same challenges, in addition to co-founding Decoding Dyslexia Illinois, which advocates for legislation change in schools across Illinois. Her work in this group led to an appointment to the Illinois Reading Instruction Advisory group for the Illinois State Board of Education from 2014 to 2016 and an appointment by Governor Rauner to the Illinois State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities from 2017 to 2021.
Angela received her B.A. in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University and worked for Boys & Girls Clubs of America before leaving to stay home with her three children, John, Lucas and Evie. She loves to find quality family time for camping, hiking, great food, and hanging out with their dogs, Lucy and Dakota.
Board Committees: SEDOL, Parent-Teacher Advisory, Wellness, Equity, Board Policy, Curriculum
Paul Green, Member
Term: 2019-2023
Board Committees: Facilities, Medical Advisory, Educational Technology, AEEA Negotiations, Insurance
Mechelle Casey, Member
Term: 2021-2023
Mechelle Casey moved from her beloved hometown of Evanston, IL to Lindenhurst in June 2020. She and her husband have four amazing children: a current 8th grader and 7th grader at AUGS, a high school sophomore, and a sophomore who attends college at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Mechelle received her B.S. in Children/Family Services and Administration and her M.S. in Organizational/Social Services from Purdue University Global.
Mechelle has devoted over 25 years serving as a professional/behavioral specialist assistant for SEDOL, Warren Township, and Rice Educational Center in Evanston/Skokie School District 65. She volunteers to support survivors of sexual abuse at Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center in Gurnee and the Children's Advocacy Center in Chicago - Keeping Children Safe. As a former Foster Care Case Manager for a few child welfare agencies in Lake/Cook Counties, Mechelle witnessed many disparities where supervised visitations were held. She took action and in May 2021 founded DrinkWater Family Services, Inc., a non-profit located in Lindenhurst that provides a safe environment for children and caregivers fulfilling court-mandated supervised visitations, parenting exchanges, and other impactful services toward healthy family reunification. She is an active member of the Supervised Visitation Network and a proud member of the first Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Lambda Nu Omega Lake County Chapter. She appreciates the opportunity to serve the students and families within the Antioch CCSD 34 school community.
Board Committees: Board Policy, Strategic Plan
Tiffany Cappel, Member
Term: 2021-2023
Tiffany Cappel and her husband Craig reside in Lake Villa, where they have raised their three grown children in District 34 and District 117. With their youngest child committed to attend the University of Illinois in the fall, they are now raising three foster children who attend Oakland Elementary. Tiffany holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Master's degree in Special Education from Concordia University. Tiffany taught in District 34 for many years before moving on to Special Education Advocacy.
In addition to raising a family, Tiffany is a member of The Mosaic Players and serves on its Board of Directors. Tiffany has volunteered for numerous committees during her 18 years living in Lake Villa, including referendum work, strategic planning committees, and hosting many student activities for the former PTO. Her family enjoys theatre, sporting events and all things Cubs (they are split in their household for favorite football teams) and her children participate in Lake Villa baseball, Antioch Viking Football/Cheerleading, and Lindenhurst Soccer. Tiffany loves spending time with her beautiful granddaughter and appreciates and values the opportunity to serve the Antioch CCSD 34 community as a school board member.
Board Committees: Parent Teacher Advisory (SB 100), Behavioral Interventions, IASB Governance Representative
Nicolino Di Benedetto, Member
ndibenedetto@antioch34.com
Term: 2021-2023
A resident of Antioch since 2009, Nick brings a wealth of business and management experience to the Antioch CCSD 34 Board of Education. After earning a degree in psychology and a minor in journalism, Nick made his passion his career. His career in sports business spans over two decades, having directed communications departments, television and radio broadcast teams, local and national media, as well as team and product strategy entities. While Nick's previous experience includes working as a team executive in both communications and player/team evaluation, and as a sportswriter for a major wire service, he has worked closely in sports analytics with an array of professional and collegiate soccer teams, including the United States Men's and Women's national teams. Nick currently works in video game design and product management for Out of the Park Developments, creators of the award-winning OOTP series.
In his personal time, Nick can be found coaching for Antioch Youth Little League, fundraising for the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network - an organization his wife Jenny founded - and helping families in the Down Syndrome community. A native of New Jersey, Nick has made Antioch his home, and currently resides with Jenny and their three children, all Antioch CCSD 34 students.
Board Committees: Facilities, ASP Negotiations, Wellness
Pictured left to right: Tiffany Cappel, Angela Baronello, Lori Linck, Mary Beth Hulting, Mechelle Casey, Nicolino Di Benedetto, Paul GreenIASB SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE RECOGNITION: 2017-2018, 2022-2023Inspiring Personal Excellence
Mary Beth Hulting, PresidentTerm: 2015-2023Mary Beth Hulting has resided in Antioch since 2002. Upon receiving her B.A. in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University, Mary Beth began her career teaching middle school Math, Science, and Humanities, going on to receive her Masters in Educational Leadership/Administration from Northern Illinois University, in addition to a post Masters +38 hours focused on Special Education and Psychology. Currently a middle level ELA educator for Northbrook District 31, Mary Beth served as the district's long-time Service Learning Coordinator, mentoring schools throughout the nation.Mary Beth and her husband Scott are the parents to three boys - all who have attended or currently attend Antioch CCSD 34 schools. Mary Beth has been an active volunteer, serving on the Hillcrest Outdoor Classroom Committee, providing mentorship for incoming educators, and volunteering her time both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to this work, Mary Beth was an assistant Boy Scout Leader and currently volunteers her time to the Antioch Traveling Closet Foundation and The Maddox LoPriore Butterly Foundation. In her personal time, Mary Beth enjoys attending her sons' lacrosse, football and baseball games, playing the piano, spending time outdoors, and rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks and Cubs.Board Committees: Curriculum, Negotiations, SEDOL, Facilities (alt.)
Lori Linck, Vice PresidentTerm: 2013-2023Lori Linck joined the District 34 Board of Education in 2013, and has served as Vice President since 2017. Prior to joining the Board, Lori was an active member of the D34 community. She spent 8 years as a weekly classroom volunteer, was active in the D34 PTOs, organized fundraisers for AUGS, and was a volunteer at many District events, including her personal favorite - the AUGS Warrior Mile. Lori was also a member of the Strategic Planning Committee both before and after she joined the Board, and championed the formation of the D34 Data Committee. She believes in giving back to the community, and has been a long-term supporter of the Open Arms Mission. She and her husband are also United Way Pillars, and long-term supporters of St. Jude Children's Hospital. Lori holds degrees in Chemistry and Business, as well as numerous professional certifications in the cyber/privacy domain. Lori has a depth and breadth of experience in STEM roles, from her first job as a Formulation Chemist, to leading the Cybersecurity Architecture team for a Fortune 100 company. She currently serves as Data Privacy Officer for Medical Devices at Abbott. Lori is deeply committed to ensuring that D34 offers rigorous courses of study to all students, and ensuring that D34's curriculum evolves as the career landscape evolves.Board Committees: Medical Advisory, Data Review, Educational Technology
Angela Baronello, SecretaryTerm: 2019-2025Angela Baronello has been an active part of the Antioch CCSD 34 community since moving to Antioch with her family in 2006. Angela served on the District 34 Foundation for seven years and has been a part of two previous Strategic Planning Committees and the Special Education Parent Network, supporting the local community. Angela's path to advocacy began at home while trying to navigate the best outcome for her dyslexic son, Lucas. Seeing a need for greater awareness at the local level, she created Lake County Parents of Children with Dyslexia to support other parents facing the same challenges, in addition to co-founding Decoding Dyslexia Illinois, which advocates for legislation change in schools across Illinois. Her work in this group led to an appointment to the Illinois Reading Instruction Advisory group for the Illinois State Board of Education from 2014 to 2016 and an appointment by Governor Rauner to the Illinois State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities from 2017 to 2021.Angela received her B.A. in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University and worked for Boys & Girls Clubs of America before leaving to stay home with her three children, John, Lucas and Evie. She loves to find quality family time for camping, hiking, great food, and hanging out with their dogs, Lucy and Dakota.Board Committees: SEDOL, Parent-Teacher Advisory, Wellness, Equity, Board Policy, CurriculumPaul Green, MemberTerm: 2019-2023Board Committees: Facilities, Medical Advisory, Educational Technology, AEEA Negotiations, InsuranceMechelle Casey, MemberTerm: 2021-2023Mechelle Casey moved from her beloved hometown of Evanston, IL to Lindenhurst in June 2020. She and her husband have four amazing children: a current 8th grader and 7th grader at AUGS, a high school sophomore, and a sophomore who attends college at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Mechelle received her B.S. in Children/Family Services and Administration and her M.S. in Organizational/Social Services from Purdue University Global.Mechelle has devoted over 25 years serving as a professional/behavioral specialist assistant for SEDOL, Warren Township, and Rice Educational Center in Evanston/Skokie School District 65. She volunteers to support survivors of sexual abuse at Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center in Gurnee and the Children's Advocacy Center in Chicago - Keeping Children Safe. As a former Foster Care Case Manager for a few child welfare agencies in Lake/Cook Counties, Mechelle witnessed many disparities where supervised visitations were held. She took action and in May 2021 founded DrinkWater Family Services, Inc., a non-profit located in Lindenhurst that provides a safe environment for children and caregivers fulfilling court-mandated supervised visitations, parenting exchanges, and other impactful services toward healthy family reunification. She is an active member of the Supervised Visitation Network and a proud member of the first Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Lambda Nu Omega Lake County Chapter. She appreciates the opportunity to serve the students and families within the Antioch CCSD 34 school community.Board Committees: Board Policy, Strategic PlanTiffany Cappel, MemberTerm: 2021-2023Tiffany Cappel and her husband Craig reside in Lake Villa, where they have raised their three grown children in District 34 and District 117. With their youngest child committed to attend the University of Illinois in the fall, they are now raising three foster children who attend Oakland Elementary. Tiffany holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Master's degree in Special Education from Concordia University. Tiffany taught in District 34 for many years before moving on to Special Education Advocacy.In addition to raising a family, Tiffany is a member of The Mosaic Players and serves on its Board of Directors. Tiffany has volunteered for numerous committees during her 18 years living in Lake Villa, including referendum work, strategic planning committees, and hosting many student activities for the former PTO. Her family enjoys theatre, sporting events and all things Cubs (they are split in their household for favorite football teams) and her children participate in Lake Villa baseball, Antioch Viking Football/Cheerleading, and Lindenhurst Soccer. Tiffany loves spending time with her beautiful granddaughter and appreciates and values the opportunity to serve the Antioch CCSD 34 community as a school board member.Board Committees: Parent Teacher Advisory (SB 100), Behavioral Interventions, IASB Governance RepresentativeNicolino Di Benedetto, Memberndibenedetto@antioch34.comTerm: 2021-2023A resident of Antioch since 2009, Nick brings a wealth of business and management experience to the Antioch CCSD 34 Board of Education. After earning a degree in psychology and a minor in journalism, Nick made his passion his career. His career in sports business spans over two decades, having directed communications departments, television and radio broadcast teams, local and national media, as well as team and product strategy entities. While Nick's previous experience includes working as a team executive in both communications and player/team evaluation, and as a sportswriter for a major wire service, he has worked closely in sports analytics with an array of professional and collegiate soccer teams, including the United States Men's and Women's national teams. Nick currently works in video game design and product management for Out of the Park Developments, creators of the award-winning OOTP series.In his personal time, Nick can be found coaching for Antioch Youth Little League, fundraising for the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network - an organization his wife Jenny founded - and helping families in the Down Syndrome community. A native of New Jersey, Nick has made Antioch his home, and currently resides with Jenny and their three children, all Antioch CCSD 34 students.Board Committees: Facilities, ASP Negotiations, Wellness