Board of Directors

Martin Pierce 

President

Martin Pierce comes from a background of accounting, having been a partner at Ernst & Young for twenty-two years. He and his wife, Mari, now own a local print and marketing business, AlphaGraphics. Martin is a native of Indiana, graduating from Indiana University with a B.A. in Accounting. He has called St. Charles home for almost twenty years now. Martin took over the role of President of the board last year.

Scott Green

Scott Green brings a unique perspective and skill set to the board of directors for the Fox Valley Food for Health organization. Scott has a deep understanding of the day to day kitchen operations and finances of running an operation at both the ground level and top-down perspective. Scott is currently a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, where his fiduciary practice focuses on personal and small business finance. Prior to working in the finance industry, Scott spent nearly two decades as a Pastry Chef running high-level kitchens around the country where he achieved both national and international accolades for his work. His desire to give back to the community and his own personal experiences with family illness led him to Fox Valley Food For Health. “Community and nourishment are so essential when you’re battling illness. They can be literal lifelines during the darkest time in someone’s life. The fact that I can be a part of that support for people in our community through FVFFH is what drives my passion and commitment to the organization.” Scott lives with his wife, Madeline, and their rescue cat, Fox, in Batavia.

Heather Houston

Heather Houston is currently the Brand Director for Guittard Chocolate Company. As a native Texan, she earned a BS in Psychology from Tarleton State University then later went on to earn a L’Art de la Patisserie certificate from The French Pastry School in Chicago, transplanting her to the Midwest. For the past 18 years she has put her passion for good food to work, specifically within the chocolate industry, as well as earning her Masters in Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California. In 2013 Heather joined FVFFH as a volunteer mentor chef to work alongside the teens and found a passion for the mission. Heather has called Elgin her home town where she enjoys baking, sharing food with friends and time spent with her two dogs Ella and Charlie.

Vera London

Vera London is a dedicated real estate professional with Baird & Warner, bringing a strong background in sales and marketing. Prior to her real estate career, she served as an Area Manager, leading marketing initiatives for one of the largest retail chains in the Midwest. Vera holds a B.A. in Community Health from the University of Nebraska and an A.S. in General Education from Snead State Community College. In 2024, she joined the Board of Directors for Fox Valley Food for Health, driven by her passion for nutritious food and its positive impact on wellness. Outside of work, Vera enjoys cooking, running, cycling, and spending quality time with her husband, Frank, and their three children—Kenadie, Francesca, and Frank III.

Meera Atkins

Dr. Meera Atkins is a physician and long-time member of the Fox Valley healthcare community. After many years in clinical practice, she transitioned into healthcare leadership, holding executive roles focused on advancing whole-person care and addressing social determinants of health to improve outcomes. She is passionate about the mission of Fox Valley Food for Health — supporting families during times of medical crisis while teaching local teens how to cook nutritious meals and give back to their community. Dr. Atkins holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Jerry Perez

Jerry J. Perez, a recently retired Senior Vice President, brings more than four decades of sales and leadership expertise to Fox Valley Food for Health. His career has spanned three industries—beginning at Frito-Lay, continuing as managing partner of Thatcher Tubes, and culminating as SVP of Sales at Follett Solutions—providing the strategic insight he now lends to our board. A St. Charles resident for over thirty years, Jerry and his wife Kay raised their three sons here and remain deeply rooted in the community. Serving both as a weekly meal-delivery volunteer and a board member, he witnesses first-hand how our volunteer-powered program nourishes neighbors fighting cancer and is committed to expanding that impact.

Sue Carey

Sue Carey graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL with a Bachelor of Art in Business Administration. After retiring from a 30-year career at ADP, a Payroll, HR and Benefits company, Sue was seeking an opportunity to give back to the community with an organization that aligns with her passion for healthy eating and the belief in the power of food to heal. She brings a broad level of management experience in the areas of implementation/project services, client services and training. She is excited to be part of Food for Health and further its mission. Sue has called Batavia her home since 1999, raising her 3 sons with her husband, John. Over the years Sue has been an active volunteer in the Batavia schools, sports organizations, and church community supporting her sons and all their activities, as well as volunteering for various other community organizations. She enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, biking, travelling, and spending time with family.

Staff Members

Chris May 

Executive Director

Chris May is an MBA with 18+ years of successful sales and marketing experience. He began his career in 1995 for Husqvarna before joining Hilti Corporation in 2009. Chris built a strong reputation within a niche market in the construction/infrastructure industry. Chris left his for-profit career in 2012, to pursue a growing desire to help non-profit organizations in need of business operations expertise. This journey began in DuPage County, but continued in assignments in Midtown Manhattan, and Colorado Springs. His expertise is in operations and development. Chris’s love and care for people is a primary passion. His heart for coming alongside staff, and guiding a diverse group of people toward a shared mission, is what drives him. Chris lives in Oswego with his wife and three children.

Tim Kline

Executive Chef

Tim Kline is Executive Chef at Fox Valley Food for Health. Tim has a unique background well-suited for the mission, where he is able to combine a passion for cooking and nutrition to help our community thrive. He earned a BA in Culinary Arts from The French Culinary Institute in New York City and a BS in Nutrition Science from Purdue University. He and his wife, Jessica, have been married since 2012, and are the proud parents of three beautiful daughters: Grace, Paige, and Rosie.

Laraine DeSoto

Associate Chef & Procurement Coordinator

Laraine began her Food For Health journey in October 2018 as a volunteer. She then transitioned into the role of being the Associate Chef & Procurement Coordinator. Laraine’s first job was for a family friend who did catering for large events. She went on to get her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition/Food Service Management from Iowa State University and worked at hospitals in the Chicago area. Fox Valley Food for Health melds together her two life passions into one place: making nutritious food for clients who are facing a health crisis. Laraine resides in Saint Charles with her husband and son, along with a daughter who lives in PA.

Carrie Barley

Volunteer and Marketing Coordinator

Carrie Barley has been a part of the Food for Health family since 2017, volunteering as a Delivery Angel. She delivered her last meals to her 20th recipient, before transitioning into the role of Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator. Carrie’s experience with FFH, along with her passion for the organization, has allowed her to build strong relationships with our 175+ volunteers.  Carrie’s Advertising Degree from Michigan State University, along with years of experience in advertising and marketing is a valuable asset to our organization. She lives in St. Charles with her husband and two children, where they enjoy being active in the community and enjoying the outdoors.

Stephanie Marnell

Recipient Care Coordinator

Stephanie Marnell comes to Food for health with a background in nursing and experience in home health care for years which has provided for a smooth transition for her current role as a recipient care coordinator. But most importantly, Stephanie was a previous recipient after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. Stephanie decided to give back to Food for health and volunteer for 3 years in the kitchen and was a delivery angel before she stepped into her current role that provides her the opportunity to meet and set up recipients with our services.

Sandy Kling

Recipient Care Coordinator

Sandy began her journey with Food For Health in 2019 as a Delivery Angel and part of the Admin Team. She was thrilled to transition to the role of Recipient Care Coordinator, as it enabled her to merge her understanding of the organization, her passion for helping others, and her strengths cultivated from her business background. She has witnessed firsthand the positive impact that Food For Health has on recipients’ lives and the knowledge and skills it imparts to the teens volunteering. Sandy resides in Geneva with her husband and three children.

Cynthia Victor

Recipient Care Coordinator

Cynthia began volunteering with Food For Health in 2016, as a mentor chef in the Caring Cooks program. When the opportunity to join the Food For Health team as a Client Care Associate came up, it was a natural fit for all of her passions, as well as her desire to give back to her community. he was initially drawn into Osteopathic Medicine as a Family Practitioner so she could teach her patients about how to prevent illness and disease. She then decided to expand her knowledge to community-based populations by getting a degree in Public Health and Health Promotion from Northern Illinois University. When she is not volunteering at Food for Health you can find her cooking, working in her yard, reading books, and getting active with her family and two dogs.

Tracy Noel

Organic Garden Program Coordinator

Tracy grew up in Chicago. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from a small environmental College in Northern Wisconsin before embarking on a journey of work and travel throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Her career has defined by a passion for sustainable farming, teaching, and advocacy. She is driven by an internal drive to serve people in need and environmental health. She is deeply committed to living simply, caring for family, and using resources wisely.

In addition to managing the production of the Food for Health Organic Garden Program, Tracy inspect farms for organic certification, and she has the privilege of working with farmers at historic Kline Creek Farm.

Ruth Groven

Event Coordinator

Ruth is from the upper peninsula of Michigan and lived in Utah, California and England before returning to the midwest when she settled in Geneva. She holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University (1990). She joined Amoco Oil Company out of school and worked for 10 years at the Salt Lake City refinery holding various positions including project engineer, operations engineer and commercial analyst. After a 3 year stint in La Palma, California working for BP/Amoco’s Arco acquisition, she went on leave when their family moved to London for her husband’s position. Ruth, Chris and their 3 children moved to Geneva in 2006 where she has been an active volunteer in the Geneva 304 school district, her church and more recently, Food For Health.

Theresa Arends

Administrative/Development Assistant

Theresa’s son, Leo, volunteered as a Teen Chef, which sparked her interest in joining the FFH team in the fall of 2025. Previously, she was a seasoned compensation analyst with extensive experience in compensation research, market analysis, and data driven reporting in both consulting and research environments. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University with a strong quantitative foundation and brings advanced Excel skills and a detail-oriented, analytical approach to her work. In addition to her professional experience, she has demonstrated a sustained commitment to community service through volunteer leadership, education, and fundraising efforts, reflecting a strong alignment with nonprofit missions and values. Theresa lives in St. Charles with her husband and two sons.

Our Volunteers

Connect with Us!

Have a question, idea, or want to get involved? Reach out — we’d love to connect and support you on your journey with Food For Health.