STAFF
Associated Colleges of Illinois is supported by a dedicated professional staff, including specialists in nonprofit management and finance, institutional advancement, marketing/communications, special events, and specific program areas, including student support services and teacher preparation.
Mick Weltman
Executive Director
312-263-2391, ext. 0523
Email
For more than 25 years, Mick Weltman has served local, national, and international nonprofits and associations as executive director, interim executive director, and consultant. Drawing on substantial skills in leadership development, building collaboration, mentoring, professional development, and communications, he created the model for and facilitated executive director roundtables engaging more than 230 nonprofit leaders in more than 280 meetings during the past 15 years. These roundtables support participants’ professional growth, improve their leadership effectiveness, and positively impact the communities they serve. Mick earned a BA in Liberal Arts, an MA in International Development Administration, and an MBA in Finance.
John Brooks, APR
Director, Communications
312-263-2391, ext. 0550
Email
John Brooks joined Associated Colleges of Illinois in 2015, and is responsible for ACI’s communication strategy and messaging. He has worked in communication roles in several higher education institutions and with the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. John has also served as an adjunct instructor in public relations at three Chicago universities. He formerly served as a board member for the Public Relations Society of America, Chicago chapter, and the Publicity Club of Chicago. John earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Christian University and a master’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University.
Lauren Holhut
Director, Advancement
312-263-2391 ext. 0538
Email
Lauren Holhut comes to Associated Colleges of Illinois as the director of advancement with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector. Lauren’s professional background encompasses experience in several industries–higher education, the arts, social services, and health care–where she has utilized strong skills in philanthropy, management, and strategic planning. Lauren earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Master of Business Administration.
Barbara Jolliff
Bookkeeper
312-263-2391, ext. 0539
Email
Barbara Jolliff brings to ACI a wealth of experience in accounting and human resources management, including managing grants, developing budgets, forecasting and planning, preparing financial reports, and supervising HR operations. She joined ACI in 2011 after more than a decade managing the financial and human resources functions of The Inner Voice, a Chicago social service agency addressing the needs of homeless individuals. At ACI, Jolliff maintains the financial records associated with donor and member relations, ensures compliance with all donor reporting and grant requirements, oversees payroll and benefits for ACI staff, and coordinates documentation for ACI’s annual audit.
Mercedes Lake
Administrative Assistant
312-263-2391, ext. 0001
Email
Mercedes Lake was born in raised in rural Vermont, where she graduated from Marlboro College in 2012 with a thesis in the American Cold War. She graduated from Northwestern University’s Writing for the Screen + Stage MFA program in 2016, where she had plays performed through the Chicago Dramatists and the Araca Foundation. She is an activist, administrator, educator and artist who’s delighted to be a part of the ACI team.
Leslie Joan Millenson
Director, Special Projects
Email
Leslie Joan Millenson has worked with Associated Colleges of Illinois for nearly two decades. Millenson is founding principal of The Millenson Collaborative, a consulting practice dedicated to strategic and hands-on marketing/communications for nonprofit organizations. Millenson established that practice in 1998, after a decade as a founding partner at Lipman Hearne Inc. Her assignments address strategic planning for program development, institutional marketing and advancement, institutional identity, grant writing, web development, video production, print materials and special events. Currently, Millenson manages ACI’s signature Peer Mentoring Program and provides counsel for a variety of special projects.
Tom Rubey
Chief Financial Officer
773-239-0304
Email
Tom Rubey has more than 30 years’ experience in accounting, finance, and administration for small-to-mid-sized nonprofits and has served as ACI’s chief financial officer since 2013. Rubey is a principal with Thomas Rubey & Associates, the accounting and financial management practice he established in 1999. Previously, he held financial and administrative positions at various organizations, including American Red Cross of Greater Chicago and Northwestern University. Rubey earned both a bachelor’s in accounting and an MBA from DePaul University, in Chicago. He is a registered Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and a member of the Illinois CPA Society.
Constance Willoughby
Director, Conferences and Scholarships
312-263-2391, ext. 0526
Email
Constance Willoughby joined ACI in early 2016. With a strong administrative background, she manages ACI’s Scholarship Program, organizes ACI’s professional development conferences and coordinates a variety of member services. Constance earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Science and Disorders from Howard University, Washington, D.C.