CU Kiwanis Committees

Board of Directors

The 2025-26 board of directors includes Janet LeRoy, president, Sara Connolly, president elect, Danda Beard, past president, Celeste Eichelberger, secretary, and Greg Fink, treasurer. Current board members serving through 2026 include Jim Campbell, Paige Hall, Dr. Dan Krier, and Steve Morck. Incoming board members serving through 2027 include Alison Dupre, Martez Miller, Bob Segebart, and Jim Sheppard.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana is responsible for the oversight, development, and publication of external and internal communications for and about the Club.

Chair: Doug Fink. Administrator(s) and Members: Dan Krier, George Willhite, Rick Schoell, Marianne Downey, Steve Svendsen, Brian Barnhart.

Events and Fundraising Committee

The Events and Fundraising Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana is responsible for the oversight of the fundraising activities of the Club.

Co-chairs: Rick Schoell and Marianne Downey. Administrator(s) and Members: Marc Changnon, Sara Connolly, Doug Fink, James Sheppard, Dick Bauer, Danda Beard, Darrell Boege, Al Boehm, Clark Breeze, James Brusatte, Javaite Burton, Pat Drake, Thomas Grey, Louis Liay, Dave Mies, George Miley, Betsy Rider, Steve Zahos.

Sub-committees include the annual Pancake Breakfast (Chair: Marianne Downey), U of Basketball Tip-Off event (Chair: John Thies),, and the Social Committee (Chair: Sara Connolly).

Finance & Endowment Committee

The Finance & Endowment Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana is responsible for the oversight of the Club’s budget and financial matters, as well as for the management and investment of the CU Kiwanis Welfare Foundation endowment and other funds.

Chair: John Thies. Administrator(s) and Members: Greg Fink, Darrold Kennedy, Clark Breeze, Marc Changnon, Marianne Downey, Celeste Eichelberger, Amy Lewis, George Miley, Justin Overstreet.

Financial Review Committee

The Financial Review Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana is responsible for the oversight of the financial activities of the Club.

Chair: Sara Connolly. Members: Brian McPheters, Steve Wanzek.

House, Reception, and Membership Committee

The House, Reception, and Membership Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana is responsible for the oversight and planning of activities for the weekly meetings, recruiting and cultivating new members, and securing and hosting guest speakers for the Club.

Chair: John Thies. Administrator(s) and Members: Danda Beard, Darrell Boege, Steve Zahos, Dick Bauer, Al Boehm, Clark Breeze, James Brusatte, Javaite Burton, Stephanie Ceman, Marc Changnon, Pat Drake, Celeste Eichelberger, Greg Fink, Cynthia Haymon-Coleman, Joyce Johnson, Amy Lewis, Louis Liay, Brian McPheters, George Miley, Betsy Rider, Robert Segebart, John Thies, Steve Wanzek, George Willhite, Robert Woodward.

Subcommittees include House and Reception (chair: OPEN), Music and Song Leaders (chair: Danda Beard) Club Meeting Sites (chair: OPEN), Programs (chair: Danda Beard), Spiritual Aims (chair: Darrell Boege), and Membership (chair: Doug Fink).

Scholarship Committee

The Scholarship Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana is responsible for the oversight of all activities that are associated with the three scholarship funds. Activities would include, but are not limited to, communicating with appropriate audiences detailed information about each scholarship, reviewing all applications and then awarding the scholarships to selected recipients.

Chair: Marc Changnon. Members: Al Boehm, Clark Breeze, Pat Drake, Celeste Eichelberger, Joyce Johnson, Janet LeRoy.

Subcommittees exist for three club scholarship funds: The Vic Shaul scholarship for high school seniors (chair: Marc Changnon), the By Vedder Camp scholarship for local youth (chair: Clark Breeze), and the Q.L. Snook Career and Entrepreneurship fund for career development curriculums at local high schools.

Youth and Community Service Committee

The Youth and Community Service Committee of the Kiwanis Club of Champaign-Urbana (“Club”) is responsible for the oversight of the child and youth service activities of the Club as well as those functions that are of benefit to our community as a whole.

Chair: Doug Abbott. Administrator(s) and Members: Dick Bauer, Thomas Grey, Rick Schoell, Steve Svendsen, Darrell Boege, Al Boehm, James Brusatte, Stephanie Ceman, Marc Changnon, Sara Connolly, Paige Hall, Lawrence Craig, Marianne Downey, Pat Drake, Greg Fink, Joyce Johnson, Janet LeRoy, Amy Lewis, Brian McPheters, Dave Mies, Robert Segebart, Gary Stephenson, George Willhite.

Subcommittees include Young Children Priority One (responsible for assigning donations to local non-profit partners), C-U Little League, Tom Jones Challenger League, and Little Free Libraries.

The Board of Directors meets monthly to conduct club business including approval of all expenditures, review of club correspondence, current and proposed projects, and to oversee all club activities. The club president presides, members include club officers and eight members-at-large elected by the club.