District 214 Hires Three New Administrators

The Township High School District 214 Board of Education has approved several administrative appointments.

Dr. Marcella M. Reca Zipp, director of resource development and planning at McHenry County College, to director of grants and special programs; Jessica Thunberg, director of creative and strategic development at Jasculca Terman & Associates, Inc., to director of community engagement and outreach; and Erin M. Holmes Brooks, media relations manager at Harper College, to assistant director of community engagement and outreach. 

Zipp will succeed Jeff Jerdee who retires June 30, and Thunberg and Brooks are assuming new positions as part of a reorganization that will save the district $50,000-$60,000 annually.           

Zipp has extensive experience developing grant proposals for public, private, and corporate entities. She has served in her current role since May 2012 where she has developed grant proposals in collaboration with faculty, identified external funding from federal, state, and private sources for institutional advancement and faculty research, and served as an expert consultant on all research projects. Prior to working at McHenry County College, she served as a field coordinator/research analyst for Northern Illinois University. In that role, she administered and managed multi-million dollar federal grants awarded to school districts and government agencies. Over the past five years, she has been awarded millions of dollars in federal and state grants for secondary and post secondary initiatives.

Zipp has presented at the state level and published in numerous publications. She has a bachelor's degree in animal science and a master's degree in vocational education from the University of Kentucky and a doctorate in curriculum leadership from Northern Illinois University.

As a strategic communications professional, Thunberg has worked at Jasculca Terman and Associates, Inc., for the past 10 years helping clients tell their story and build their brand. She has extensive experience in media relations, crisis communications, event management, new business development, project management, and campaign management and execution. She has provided strategic communications counsel to more than 25 school districts and has had continued success with diverse clients. Thunberg has a bachelor's degree in public relations from Marquette University.

Brooks has served in her current position at Harper College since 2008. During that time, she has executed the college's community relations efforts and served as interim associate director for annual giving and special events. One of her many successes is garnering increased coverage of students and programs by successfully forging new relationships with local, regional, and national media. Prior to this position, Brooks worked at the Daily Herald for nearly 10 years as a legal affairs reporter, education reporter, and assistant weekend editor. During this time, she covered primary, secondary, and post secondary issues with a focus on District 214. She has a bachelor's degree in English from University of Michigan.

— Submitted by School District 214