Staff

Mary Ellen Guest – Executive Director

As executive director of HCBA, Mary Ellen Guest oversees all of the association's activities, from planning and organizing the monthly seminar series to facilitating and distributing grant funding for homeowners. Mary Ellen comes to HCBA from a long career of advocacy work and political and community outreach, with a special focus on public education reform. Most recently, Mary Ellen managed the A+ Illinois campaign, an effort to increase education funding in the state. Previously, Mary Ellen spent eight years as executive director of Working in the Schools, a nonprofit organization that promotes literacy among Chicago's youth.

Faith Rackow – Deputy Director

Faith Rackow holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Indiana University and a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While pursuing her graduate degree, she worked for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Midwest Office, assisting preservation grant applicants and organizing and developing preservation conferences. As deputy director for HCBA, Faith oversees the grant program for energy efficient technologies and works to promote the preservation and certification of Chicago bungalows through community outreach and program development.

Emily Bailey Burns -- Grants Manager

Emily Bailey Burns hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy from DePaul University and a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  While persuing her Masters, she worked as a preservation intern for HCBA.  Previously, she worked with the City of Chicago as a legislative intern.  As the grants manager for HCBA, Emily oversees grant distribution and implementation.

 

Gillian Wiescher -- Assistant Grants Manager

Gillian Wiescher holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology with a social/cultural emphasis, and a minor in spanish from Indiana University.  As the assistant grants manager for HCBA, Gillian assists in grant distribution and implementation, and acts as a translator and liaison for Spanish speaking homeowners.  Previously, she worked at the University of Notre Dame Physics Department as an administrative assistant.    

 

 

Cathy Reed – Membership Coordinator

Cathy Lynn Reed is responsible for bungalow certifications, order fulfillment and, with the rest of the HCBA staff, community outreach. She has an extensive nonprofit background and has volunteered for a local hospice organization, an HIV / AIDS support group and a substance-abuse hotline. As a program representative for Midwest Palliative and Hospice Care Center prior to joining HCBA, she helped families in need of assistance for hospice and other support. She has also worked at Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, an organization that has had a longstanding partnership with HCBA. Cathy has worked for the Alzheimer's Association and Prevent Child Abuse America.