SAINT MARY SCHOOL BOARD
The Saint Mary School Board consists of men and women who volunteer their time to the school, in an advisory role. These individuals have expertise in varying fields, participate in the school community in many ways, and bring diverse perspectives and vantage points to the Board.
School Board MEMBER’S Bios
COURTNEY CHIANELLO, CHAIR
Courtney joined the School Board in 2020. She and her husband Jeff are the parents of JJ (Class of 2026), Patrick (Class of 2029), and Blake (Class of 2032). They moved to Buffalo Grove in 2010 and joined the parish in 2017 when JJ joined Saint Mary School in first grade. Courtney has a B.S. in Accounting from Miami University and is a registered CPA in the state of Illinois. Courtney has many years of accounting and auditing experience and currently works as an accounting consultant.
MARIANNE SUTCLIFFE - VICE CHAIR
Marianne joined the School Board in 2022. She and her husband Mike have been parishioners at St. Mary Parish since moving to the area. They are the parents of Isabella (SMS Class of 2028) and Brianna (The Cove School Class of 2030). Marianne has been active in volunteering for school activities. Marianne has a B.S. in Finance and Accounting from DePaul University and an M.B.A. in Marketing and Strategy from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. Marianne brings to the Board a 20+ year career in Marketing, Strategy, Finance, and Business Management and multiple years of non-profit board experience from The Cute Syndrome Foundation where she is the Secretary.
LISA CARLSON
Lisa joined the board as an ex-officio member representing the SMS FSO in 2019 and as a voting board member in 2023. She attended St. Norbert College and has her BA with a double major in Psychology and Communications. She worked in Human Resources and sales/recruitment before taking on the role of a full-time parent while assisting with HR and marketing for her family’s business. She and her husband, Bill, have seven children, ALL of whom are SMS alum -Hayley (2008), Kyle (2010), Katie (2012), Michael (2015), Mia (2021), Chad (2022), and Kelly (2023). Being an active member of Saint Mary Parish and a school parent for 24 years, Lisa has experience in volunteer roles within the parish community, the Religious Ed program, and all areas at St. Mary School.
JENNIFER REE, SECRETARY
Jennifer joined the School Board in 2021. Her family has been a member of Saint Mary Parish since 1983 and she has continued her parish membership into adulthood. Jennifer previously taught CCD at Saint Mary's and is a mother to Olivia (Class of 2029). She volunteers with the FSO and runs her father's point-of-sale company in Rolling Meadows. Jennifer volunteers her photography services to many annual events including golf outings for The Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Association, The Lazarus House, and Chip in for Vets. She brings experience in HR, sales, accounting, and marketing, as well as many years of event/catering planning to the Board.
BRIAN COSTIN
Brian joined the school board in 2023 and has been a part of Saint Mary School since his daughter Abby first started attending preschool in 2016. He attended Illinois State University and has a BS with a double major in Politics & Governance and Economics. He earned his Masters in Management of Nonprofit Administrations from North Park University before starting a career in public policy and government relations. He previously worked as a policy advisor to the Governor and Lt. Governors of Illinois on local government and anti-corruption efforts in between working at various Illinois public policy non-profits on issues such as working to expand educational opportunities and options for families across Illinois. Brian has volunteered as an SMS’s basketball coach. He and his wife, Dawn, have two children who have attended SMS - Abigail and Connor.
MIKE MURPHY
Mike joined the School Board in 2022. Mike was baptized, confirmed, and married at Saint Mary. His wife Heidi is an active participant in many volunteer positions with Saint Mary, and their sons Thomas (10) and Benjamin (8) go to the school. Mike is the CEO of Epoch IT Solutions, an IT services firm he started in 2020, and brings with him extensive experience in all areas of technology, finance, and business operations.
LISA SCHWABE
Lisa joined the School Board in 2024. She and her husband, David, are the proud parents of Ally (Class of 2015), Colton and Sarah (Class of 2019), and Kenzie (Class of 2021). Their journey with Saint Mary School began when Ally started preschool. Lisa holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University and an MBA with a concentration in Operational Management from DePaul University. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Business Data Analytics at Loyola University. As the Director of Marketing and Development at Frassati Catholic Academy, Lisa focuses on marketing, enrollment, and fundraising for the Catholic elementary school.
VINCE VASQUEZ
Vince joined the School Board in 2022. He and his wife Janella are the parents of Fulton (Class of 2026), Xander (Class of 2031), and Vaughn (future Bison!). Their family moved to the area in 2013, and have been active parishioners since. Vince has a B.A. in Psychology and an MBA from DePaul University. Vince has expertise in transformation and change management.
ANA MARIA GRADY
Ana Maria joined the School Board in 2023 and has been a part of Saint Mary School since her daughter Emilia (Class of 2031) started Pre-School in 2020. Ana Maria received her M.D. degree from Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia, South America where she grew up and where she travels frequently to visit family. She has dedicated her career to Healthcare Management and has worked extensively in leadership positions within several medical associations and hospitals in Chicago, Washington D.C. and Alexandria, VA. She has over 20 years of experience in managing multispecialty teams, operations and practice management solutions.
MELANIE DOLAK
Melanie Dolak joined the Board in 2023 and has been a member of St. Mary parish since her family moved to Buffalo Grove in 2016. She and her husband, Bill, have two daughters in high school who serve as peer ministers for the EDGE/Confirmation prep religious education program. Melanie has previously taught CCD classes for St. Mary’s, and she volunteers for parish activities as a member of the Women’s Club.
Melanie has BA degrees in Biology and Chemistry and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Indiana University. She brings to the Board many years of experience working as a non-profit executive including governance, policy, budgeting and negotiation skills.
MARTYNA KOLAREV
Martyna Kolarev is a mother of 3 and a wife of 10 years. She is a founder of New Era Healthcare and a Vice President of ALTEAS Health helping physicians and mid-level providers with streamlining processes and improving their workflows. Martyna specializes in operations, finance, and identifying new initiatives. In her free time, Martyna loves to participate in her kids activities, travel and ride a bike. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, always organizing get to-gethers and celebrating all big and small family achievements.
To contact the School Board, please email us at: schoolboard@stmarybg.org
“Together We Will Do Great Things”
Faith - Community - Academics
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING INFO
School Board Minutes August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024
