Board of Trustees

As Head of School at Morgan Park Academy since 2009, Dr. Catherine Raaflaub has brought her vision, passion, and commitment to global education to one of the top schools in the Chicago area.

Dr. Raaflaub possesses a wealth of organizational and interpersonal skills, including expertise in governance, facilities planning, teacher development, technology in education, leadership capacity building, and curriculum and classroom design for teaching 21st century skills.

She has been nominated for a Prime Ministers' Award for teaching excellence and last year was awarded a fully-funded fellowship to the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership’s 2012 Heads of Schools program at Teachers College, Columbia University, a distinguished award granted to just 20 heads of school annually.

After gaining a breadth of experience at four independent schools in Canada, Dr. Raaflaub has led Morgan Park Academy through a period of strategic planning, rebranding, and identification of core values, which included right-sizing the Academy’s employee base in response to changing market demographics.

Under her leadership, the Academy created a Teacher’s Institute at the school and incorporated more leadership development opportunities for faculty; created additional, sustainable revenue streams; increased annual giving more than four-fold, establishing a major gifts program that resulted in several campus refurbishment initiatives; developed a student and faculty exchange program with schools on four different continents; created an international home-stay program with students from China; expanded co-curricular offerings; and established advisory programs to better serve students.

During her tenure at Appleby College, Dr. Raaflaub's team planned and launched a $20 million capital campaign that surpassed its goal. She oversaw new admissions initiatives and coordinated a new communications strategy, including a website redesign and print and email communications. She also spearheaded the school’s environmental sustainability initiative. She served as Dean of Students, Upper School Director, and Residential Life Director.

While active as a biology teacher, she facilitated the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) program, developed parent relations programs, reorganized student government and leadership, and instituted a student and faculty committee to examine retention strategy for both of these groups.

Dr. Raaflaub presents widely internationally, speaking on topics ranging from her academic research on technology-rich learning environments to issues of school leadership and philanthropy. She has taken leadership roles in a number of organizations, including the Board of the Beverly Area Planning Association, the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, The Community Foundation of Oakville, and the YMCA of Oakville.

Dr. Raaflaub holds a Ph.D. in science education from Curtin University of Technology in Australia, a Master of Science degree in Education from Niagara University in New York, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada. She and her husband, Brian, are parents of three daughters: Hannah, Emma, and Madeline.

Mr. Mitchell, the Board Chair, is an alumnus of the class of 1961. His attendance at the academy spanned the all boys era of Morgan Park Military Academy and the co-ed prep school of today.

He received his Psychology Degree at Lake Forest College and went on to a 38-year career at Northern Trust, where he retired as the President of Worldwide Operations and Technology. Mr. Mitchell is also Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Roosevelt University, and recently retired as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Voices for Illinois Children.

He and his wife, Mrs. Linda Mitchell, have three grown children.

Beverly Biggs is a native Chicagoan who makes her home in the Beverly neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and an M. Ed at the University of Illinois at Chicago-Circle.

Beverly taught for Chicago Public Schools for five years and then at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools for 15 years before being appointed Lower School Principal. She served as Lower School Principal for 16 years (including one year as Interim Director of the Laboratory Schools) before her retirement in June of 2010. Beverly served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Independent Schools of the Central States (ISACS).

She is married to retired Attorney James Biggs, and they have two children.

David C. Jensen is senior partner in the law office of Eichhorn & Eichhorn, LLP, where he practices in the areas of litigation, both trial and appellate, with special emphases on professional liability and commercial litigation. He earned his B.A. degree from DePauw University and his J.D. degree from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Jensen is a member of the Lake County, Indiana State, Illinois State and American bar associations and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, and a Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has been designated an Indiana Super Lawyer since 2004. He has also been listed in the Best Lawyers in America for 25+ years, including the designation as a Bet-the-Company attorney since 2009. He is admitted to practice in Indiana and Illinois, and before the U.S. Federal Court for the Southern and Northern District of Indiana, U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Mrs. Jucewicz joined the Board of Trustees in 2008. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Knox College with a B.A. in German, she began a 30-year career with AT&T/Ameritech after graduation and retired as a Human Resources executive.

She and her husband, Mr. Jack Jucewicz, a retired police officer, have two children who graduated from the Academy: Michael '06 and Melanie '08. Mrs. Jucewicz enjoys traveling, baking, and catching up with her children.

Linda McCarthy Klawitter, a resident of Beverly, is the Student Services Director for a public school district in the western suburbs, serving students ages 3–22.

Prior to assuming this position, Linda worked within the Chicago Public Schools as a teacher, a school psychologist, and as the principal of the Lenart Regional Gifted Center. While working in Chicago, Linda was one of the coordinators of citywide gifted programs, a position which afforded her the opportunity to work with the Midwest Academic Talent Search, the Advanced Placement Program, and also the International Baccalaureate Program. She also served on the selection committee for the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.

Linda has a Certficate of Advanced Study and a Master's of Science from National Louis University, in the area of school psychology. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of Illinois at Chicago, earning a Bachelor's in Elementary Education. Linda is a recipient of the Mary Kooyumjian Award, presented by the Illinois Council for the Gifted, recognizing service to gifted students in Illinois.

Colin McFarland, who lives in Beverly, is the Chief Compliance Officer at Harris Associates L.P., an investment advisory firm in downtown Chicago.

Prior to this, he worked at Deloitte & Touche LLP from 1997 to 2005 in their New York and Boston offices consulting in their investment management and bank advisory service groups. He was also a National Bank Examiner from 1991 to 1997 for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency where he served regulating many large regional and global banks.

He has a Master's in Business Administration with a focus in International Finance from Northeastern University in Boston, and a Bachelor's of Science from Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

He has two children who attend Morgan Park Academy and enjoys spending weekends in Fennville, Michigan, with his family at their weekend home.

Mr. Rathi is Senior Vice President of Investments at UBS. Prior to joining UBS, he worked as a Managing Director in Investment Banking for Lehman Brothers and as a Senior Vice President at J.P. Morgan.

Mr. Rathi earned his B.A. degree in 1988 and graduated with honors in economics from the University of Chicago. He has a M.B.A. from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. He also serves on the Visiting Committee for the College at The University of Chicago.

Mr. Rathi graduated from Morgan Park Academy in 1984, and has a daughter, Nina '15, who now has followed in his footsteps.

Dr. Ranieri is a periodontist practicing in Highland, Indiana. He graduated from Loyola University School of Dentistry in 1975 and completed his periodontal residency in 1979. Dr. Ranieri is a leader in both dental education and organized dentistry in Northwest Indiana. He is the founder and director of the Northwest Indiana Dental Society's Foundation for Education, Inc., as well as the Dental Study Club of Northwest Indiana.

He has coached and umpired Little League teams in his community. He holds membership in Omicron Kappa Upsilon dental honor society and the Blue Key National Honor Society.He is a fellow of the Pierre Fachard Academy, American College of Dentistry, and International College of Dentists. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Indiana University School of Dentistry.

Dr. Ranieri has a daughter, Dominique '10 and son Nikolas '13. Maureen Ranieri is his spouse of 21 years.

Mr. Ribet is a Liberal Arts graduate of Colgate University, where he majored in history. After graduation, he worked for Pillsbury and Union Underwear in sales and marketing. In 1978 he began a career in the metals trading industry with Commercial Metals Company in Dallas, Texas and in 1991 he joined Hunter Douglas Metals, Inc., where he became President in 1995.

Mr. Ribet and his wife Bonnie have three daughters, Barrie, Carley, and Jessica '12.

Dr. Carlos F. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director for Smith Centers for Foot and Ankle Care, overseeing three locations in the Chicagoland area.

He is a 1994 graduate of Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and completed his internship and residency from the University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio (1994-95) and Harris County Podiatric Surgical Residency in Houston (1995-97). He is a Fellow of both The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and The American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine.

Dr. Smith also is a 1990 graduate of Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, where he has served on the Board of Trustees since 2001, serving as a member of the Student Affairs Committee and Admissions Committee. He is also on the Executive Council as Treasurer of the Illinois Podiatric Medical Association. He is a past President of the National Podiatric Medical Association and Cook County Podiatric Medical Association.

He and his wife, Debra, are residents of Beverly and have two daughters attending Morgan Park Academy, Carla '22 and Juanita '27. This year, the Smith family is also hosting a 10th-grade Academy student from Germany.

Marc Sokol is an attorney at Jenner & Block LLP, a national law firm of approximately 450 attorneys with its headquarters in downtown Chicago.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University in economics and political science in 1992. Mr. Sokol obtained his law degree from Indiana University-Bloomington in 2001, and earned a Master's in Business Administration from Duke University in 2003.

He is the former Chair of the Securities Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and is the current Vice Chair of the Class Action Committee of the CBA. He maintains an active pro bono practice, and advocates for victims of domestic violence through the Domestic Violence Legal Clinic of Chicago.

Mr. Sokol is a 1988 alumnus of Morgan Park Academy’s Upper School, and previously served on the Academy's Visiting Committee. He currently lives in Elmhurst, Illinois with his wife and two young children.

Mr. Stonitsch is a Managing Director in the Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan in Chicago specializing in tax credit investments. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, he was a tax attorney with Kirkland & Ellis. He lives in Beverly with his wife, Helen Witt, and his daughter, Meredith '13.

He has a B.S. in Accountancy (1980, High Honors) and a J.D. (1983, Magna Cum Laude), both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and his wife serve on the Executive Council of the Parents Campaign Philanthropy Board at The George Washington University, where his two sons (Tom '09 and Mark '11) are undergraduates.