Our Board

Matt Ward

Board of Directors, Chair

Senior Consultant, Incoho Consulting Group
BS Business Administration/Marketing, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Growing up in a family of educators, Matt always appreciated the intrinsic value of an education, but also understands that education can establish healthy relationships, grow self-confidence, and increase self-reliance. He has 25+ years' experience as a corporate strategist, focusing on positive social change through energy sustainability, micro-financing or financial services accessibility, and education.

Veronica Bowen

Board of Directors

Associate Legal Counsel, Aviva Investors Americas LLC

BS Business Administration/ Marketing, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign

Juris Doctorate, University of Illinois-Chicago Law School/ LLM Yeshiva University

Veronica first joined Foster Progress as mentor. Watching her mentee grow through the program and excel in her college studies, Veronica decided she wanted to do more to help the program have the greatest possible impact for even more students. Veronica serves as part of the North American Legal team at Aviva which focuses on responsible investments for a sustainable future or society and the world around us. Veronica maintains an active presence in her community and seeks opportunities to be of service to those around her.

Cristina Ortega

Board of Directors, Treasurer

Compliance Officer, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Juris Doctorate, Northern Illinois University College of Law

Cristina's career centers on public service, from a United States Marine to Compliance Officer with the NLRB, effectuating a statute that protected private sector employee rights. As a former foster parent and longstanding mentor with Foster Progress, Cristina joins the Board to continue empowering and advocating on behalf of the youth that Foster Progress serves. 

Prashant Srivastava

Board of Directors

MBA, Strategic Management and Marketing, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business
PhD, Chemical Engineering, Michigan State University
BE, Chemical Engineering, Dharmsinh Desai University

Prashant Srivastava's personal journey vividly illustrates the transformative power of education. In 1997, he ventured from India to the United States, embarking on a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. Hailing from a middle-class background, Prashant's professional trajectory led him to significant roles in healthcare with Pfizer and Focused Health Solutions. In 2006, he established Evive, shepherding its growth from a team of 2 to a robust workforce of 200 over 15 years.

Having transitioned from the CEO position at Evive, Prashant now dedicates his time to empowering others to achieve their aspirations through education. In 2023, he briefly took on the role of teaching high school sophomores at GCE Lab School before contributing his expertise as a tutor and adjunct lecturer at City Colleges of Chicago. 

Rosa Maria Toubal

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Senior Vice President, Northern Trust

BA International Studies, DePaul University

At Northern Trust, Rosa is responsible for business management functions and acts as a trusted advisor and consultant to management to identify, escalate, and mitigate business risks and help drive key business initiatives forward. In her free time, Rosa is passionate about empowering young students to succeed in college and career. She spends time mentoring first generation high school students and is active in her local school community. She is excited to serve on the Board for Foster Progress, contributing her skills and expertise to help achieve the organization’s goals.

LeDeidre S. Turner

Board of Directors

Assistant General Council, ComED

Juris Doctorate, The John Marshall Law School
BA Sociology, Spelman College

LeDeidre has spent her career as a dedicated public servant. In her current role, she resolves complaints of discrimination filed under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Additionally, LeDeidre is chair of the youth initiative in which she is tasked with developing programs centered around youth outreach. She has always been passionate about supporting underserved and underrepresented youth, but her interest increased when she worked in juvenile court. She is excited to work with Foster Progress to help increase our visibility and further our mission. 

Stacy Warden

bOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chief Marketing Officer, Brightly

BA Professional Writing, Grand Valley State University 

Stacy is the Chief Marketing Officer of Brightly. In her role, she is responsible for developing creative marketing strategies that strengthen the company's brand recognition and establish meaningful connections with diverse audiences. Her leadership in the organization also extends to overseeing Brightly's nonprofit initiatives, which aim to generate support and raise awareness for causes that align with the company's core values of social responsibility and community service. Stacy is enthusiastic about leveraging her experience to further amplify the Foster Progress mission around the importance of education and its potential to create opportunities, change lives, and foster resilient communities.