Board Members
To contact the 112 BOE call 224-765-3001 or send an email to boardmembers@nssd112.org
Lisa Hirsh - Board President
lhirsh@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2019
Term expires: April 2027
Lisa Hirsh grew up in Highland Park and attended Red Oak Elementary School, Northwood Junior High and Highland Park High School. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in communications from Illinois State University. Professionally, Lisa is the co-owner of a local medical billing service. Prior to being elected to the Board of Education, Lisa was appointed to the Superintendent’s Long-Range Planning Committee in 2018 and was the Vice President of the Elm Place PTO 2017-2018. Lisa is a former Elm Place and Edgewood parent.
Dan Jenks - Board Vice President
djenks@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2017
Term expires: April 2025
Dan Jenks has lived in Highland Park since 1997. He is a former commercial banker and corporate/finance attorney, with an A.B. from Brown University and a J.D./M.B.A. from Northwestern. Dan co-chaired CLEAR 113, the grassroots community group that successfully advocated for the improvements at Highland Park and Deerfield high schools in 2013, and is the former chair of the HPHS Advisory Group, a joint District 113 and City of Highland Park committee.
Dan has a long record of volunteering in District 112, including his service as Lincoln PTA Treasurer, Lincoln Science Night chair and as a member of the District 112 Curriculum Action team. More recently, Dan served on the Reconfiguration 2.0 Launch Team and co-chaired the 2.0 Finance Committee. Dan is a former Lincoln and Edgewood parent.
Melissa Itkin - Board Secretary
mitkin@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2019
Term expires: April 2027
Melissa Itkin is a creative professional with experience across the financial, hospitality, publishing and education sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an associate degree in Graphic Design from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. In 2016, she joined the NSSD112 Reconfiguration 2.0 Community Team and served as co-chair for the education subcommittee and tri-chair for the committee as a whole. In addition to her graphic design and photography businesses, she worked as a teacher's aide and contributing photographer for the Park District of Highland Park and volunteered with the District 112 Education Foundation in a rebranding of the annual FUN(d) Run. Melissa is a former Braeside and Edgewood parent.
Alexander Brunk - Board Member
abrunk@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2017
Term expires: April 2025
Alexander Brunk is a data scientist with a background in analytics and market research in the retail, health care, and public affairs sectors. He holds a bachelor's degree in public policy from Georgia Tech and a master’s in political science from Virginia Tech. Prior to his election to the board, he was a member of the NSSD112 Reconfiguration 2.0 Committee, where he served on multiple subcommittees and chaired the survey task force. He is also active in the Georgia Tech Alumni Association and is a past member of its Young Alumni Council. Alex has children that attend Red Oak.
Jenny Butler - Board Member
jbutler@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2023
Term expires: April 2027
Jenny Butler is a management consultant with experience in the banking, insurance, pharmaceutical, and telecommunications industries. She graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. Jenny moved to Highland Park in 2004. Over the last decade, Jenny has volunteered as president of Lincoln PTA, Indian Trail PTO, and Edgewood PTO and also served two years as president of the District 112 PTO Presidents’ Council. She has participated in District 112 long-range facilities planning committees, the District 112 Caucus and she led the communications and social media committees for the Yes to Invest in D112 referendum campaign. Jenny is a current Edgewood parent.
Art Kessler - Board Member
akessler@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2017
Term expires: April 2025
Art Kessler is an entrepreneur who has successfully owned and operated several businesses, most recently an ecommerce supplier of restaurant supplies. He grew up in Highland Park and attended Braeside, Edgewood, and Highland Park High School. After graduating from Colgate, he earned an MBA from Northwestern University. Art was active in the Leadership of the Reconfiguration 2.0 Community Team. Art is a former Edgewood parent.
Bennett Lasko - Board Member
bwlasko@nssd112.org
Elected: April 2017
Term expires: April 2025
Bennett Lasko grew up in Highland Park and attended Ravinia, Edgewood, and Highland Park High School. His three children attended Lincoln and Edgewood Schools for sixteen years, from 1998 to 2015. Prior to being elected to the Board of Education, Bennett served on the Superintendent’s Citizens Finance and Facilities Advisory Committee (SCFFAC) and other advisory committees and working groups for the District.
Professionally, Bennett is a business litigation attorney. He has practiced law as an Assistant Corporate Counsel for the City of Chicago Law Department, with the law firms of Mayer Brown LLP and Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, and most recently as the founder of Lasko Legal Services, Ltd. He is an honors graduate of both Grinnell College and Harvard Law School.