Board of Directors

Jacob Ringer loves Chicago. He is fifth generation Chicagoan and has fond memories of his father walking him around Lincoln Park as a young boy sharing stories about the houses, restaurants and people in the community. Jacob always knew he was going to return to Chicago after attending college at Tulane University and he settled in Lincoln Park 15+ years ago. Jacob has spent his career trying to improve the community in and around the city. He began his career as Chief of Staff to the CFO in the Office of the Mayor at the City of Chicago. In that role he drove high impact projects in finance, pension reform legislation, public-private partnerships, municipal marketing, municipal bonds and public policy. He also helped deliver over $250 million in new revenues to the City through innovative partnerships and coordinated the first of its kind biannual Municipal CFO Forum conference. In 2018, Jacob wanted to do more and as such, decided to run for Alderman of the 43rd Ward. Block Club called Jacob ‘an active force in the community’ during the election and Jacob ran because he believes the most change and impact a person can make is at the local level.

Outside of work Jacob supports many local nonprofits including Access Living as a board member, as well as The Night Ministry and Lincoln Park Zoo, where he helped raise over $500,000 in two years as President of the Auxiliary Board. Jacob is also currently President of the Bauler Park Advisory Council where he helps organize events to bring the neighborhood together including the first annual movie in the park as well as a Glow-stick dance party that brought over 200 Lincoln Park families together. Jacob is committed to this neighborhood and is always striving to make it better.

Currently, Jacob is co-owner and developer of Sushi Hall, a family-friendly neighborhood sushi restaurant on Clark and Wrightwood, which is scheduled to open early 2022. Jacob lives in Lincoln Park with his wife Dana and their three children, Leo, Henry, and Sunny. You will see them often at the local parks like Bauler and Oz and frequenting their favorite neighborhood spots. 

Paul moved to Chicago in 2001 with his wife, Terry, from New England and chose the Lincoln Park neighborhood for its vibrancy and closeness to all things Chicago, while still maintaining the look and feel of a place you could call home. Along with their nephew Russell, they live on West Dickens. They take part in many of the activities that the local community has to offer. Paul is an avid marathon runner and has competed in the marathon in Athens, Greece, the world’s oldest.

He is currently a Senior Project Manager for a global software company and has been a director / manager for larger manufacturing companies for over 20 years. In that time, he’s run various large capital projects that involved coordination with contracts, governmental agencies, and building trades.

He was a volunteer member of the Personnel Planning Board for Granby, Massachusetts, a small town in Western Massachusetts before making the move to Chicago. He received an MBA in Business from the University of Rhode Island and is a Certified Associate Project Manager.

Paul is a Lifetime Member of LCA.

Dan Haffner is a finance and operations executive at a boutique investment bank in Chicago, where he oversees regulatory compliance, financial reporting, and strategic capital management. A resident of Lincoln Park and Lifetime Member of the Lincoln Central Association, Dan brings a strong commitment to transparent governance and neighborhood stewardship. He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has lived in the neighborhood for several years. Dan and his wife have chosen to make Lincoln Park their long-term home, drawn by its walkability, green space, and strong community spirit. Outside of work, he is a wine enthusiast, avid cyclist, and passionate observer of both local and national politics.

Dennis is a native of the Beverly neighborhood. He has resided in Old Town since 1977, raising three children in the community. He lives across from Bauler Park and served on the Bauler Park Advisory Council. 

Dennis is the third generation of his family in the steel business in Chicago. He heads two steel service and processing companies: Standard Steel and D.D. Hack & Co. 

Dennis served on the LEED Council, a local nonprofit that advocates for industrial retention, and was named by Mayor Richard M. Daley as a Commissioner of the Chicago Economic Development Commission, to work with DPD and business leaders to retain industry. 

Dennis is an avid cycler who rides the lakefront. In summer he swims Lake Michigan and enjoys the beach. 

Dennis looks forward to bringing his talents to advance the goals of LCA. 

Debra Dobbs first discovered Lincoln Park in the late 1970’s and fell in love with the neighborhood. She opened Baci Gelateria in 1982 at the corner of Clark and Arlington. In 2003, Debra bought the home she currently lives in with her daughter Katharine and their three lovable dogs.  Debra has been an active member of the community, personally and professionally, with a passion for supporting local businesses. Debra sits on the LCA board,  has been a member of the LCA Zoning Committee since 2015, and currently heads up the LCA Membership Committee.

Professionally, Debra began her real estate career in 1984, representing developers for some of Chicago’s earliest loft conversions. Beginning in 1987, Debra moved from development to representing buyers and sellers within the residential real estate market. Debra is recognized by her clients and colleagues for her professionalism and integrity – recipient of the Five Star Real Estate Agent Award each of the past 14 years, granted to a select group of agents rated highest in overall satisfaction by clients, peers, and industry experts. 

Prior to her 40+year real estate career, Debra was a Marketing Director in an advertising agency, a theater producer, and an entrepreneur; at the age of 24, Debra trained in Italy to make Gelato, then opened ‘Baci’ in Lincoln Park, the first gelateria in Chicago.

Debra is passionate about and actively involved in local and national politics, advocacy of women’s rights and equality, and animal welfare. During her free time, Debra enjoys cooking with her daughter and friends and is known for hosting lively Sunday Suppers.

Visit debradobbs.com to learn more about Debra.

Justin serves as Partner, Portfolio Manager, and Director of International Research at Harris Associates, a value-focused institutional investment firm based in Chicago. Prior to moving to Chicago in 2010 to join Harris, Justin worked at the investment office for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Gates family in Kirkland, Washington. Justin graduated from Claremont McKenna College in 2006 with a B.A. in Economics and Legal Studies. Justin is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Financial Economics Institute at Claremont McKenna College and a member of the Board of Directors of VOCEL.

Brian Kasal is the Founder and CEO of FourStar Wealth Advisors LCC, a national registered investment advisor firm headquartered in Chicago and operating in 14 states and five continents. He is also a Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy.

Brian has a long history of philanthropic involvement, including positions as a National Foundation Trustee for the Boy Scouts of America, the Chairman of the Board for The Illinois Channel – Public Affairs TV, as well as previous involvement with Lincoln Central Association.

Chris, his wife JinHwa, and his children, Zoey and Serena, have lived in Lincoln Park across the street from Oz Park for the past 10 years. 

Chris was born in the Portage Park neighborhood and comes from a long line of Chicagoans. When he was young, his family moved to the Northwest suburbs. He moved back to the city more than 25 years ago and has spent 20 of those years in Lincoln Park. He lived in Lincoln Square, the Loop and River North before returning to Lincoln Park to raise his family.

Chris works for TransUnion as a Senior Manager in the Financial Planning and Analysis department, and has been there for more than 10 years. Prior to that, Chris was an AVP at HSBC in various departments, including Process Improvement Teams/Project Management. 

Chris has his B.A. in Criminology from Northern Illinois University. He has strong interest in Public Safety and is looking forward to working with the LCA Community Affairs committee. 

JinHwa is an Associate Principal Architect at Perkins Eastman in Chicago. She currently donates her time on the LCA Zoning committee. 

In his spare time, Chris is a guitar student of the Old Town School of Folk Music. He enjoys playing at various locations in the neighborhood.

Chris and JinHwa’s children are both CPS students and are active in many activitie,s and share a family love of travel.  

Larry Sachs and his wife Donna moved to Chicago’s River North area of Chicago in 1997 and relocated to Lincoln Park in 2003 (on Orchard St., close to their beloved Oz Park where Donna is a long-time volunteer in the gardens and a member of the park’s advisory council).

Larry was in government service for 47 years. He retired from Illinois Corrections in 2001 after serving in many facility-based (e.g. Reentry Manager; Accreditation Manager, Asst. Warden, Director of Clinical Services) and statewide (e.g. Juvenile Division Classification and Placement Manager) capacities.

Subsequently, as Director of Grants Management for the Chicago Police Department, Larry and his team brought in and successfully managed over $400,000,000 in grant funding and initiated the only police-led program in the country providing direct capacity-strengthening services to 501(c)3 programs (CPD’s A Force For Good supported over 100 Chicago-based, community-serving organizations). Previously, Larry also worked at other Illinois agencies where he helped people overcome barriers to employability and managed the federally funded Illinois Juvenile Block Grant program.

Larry co-founded and was the first President of the IBARJ (Illinois Balanced & Restorative Justice) 501(c)3, and in retirement he continues his commitment to public safety and justice reform by helping to develop a coalition of governmental and community-based organizations to advocate for prison reentry reform and resources, and by being elected to serve as a Midwest representative on the NCJA (National Criminal Justice Association) Advisory Board.

Tom Siracusa was raised in a suburb bordering Chicago. After completing law school, he moved to the City’s near west side and became involved with various community affairs and local politics. He, his wife Liza and their three children moved to Lincoln Park in 1996. In 2003, they purchased the home in which they currently reside.

The family enthusiastically supports neighborhood businesses and have developed many friendships through their patronage. Over the years they have successfully persuaded family members and friends from other communities to frequent Lincoln Park’s restaurants and shops.

Tom is a partner at the law firm of Power Rogers, LLP. For over thirty years he has represented injured persons and decedents’ estates in tort litigation. He authors chapters in texts published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education and serves on the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

Tom received his degree in Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago and his J.D. from IIT-Chicago Kent College of Law.

Tom is a lifetime member of LCA.

Ann moved to Lincoln Park 13 years ago after raising her 2 boys in the northern suburbs to enjoy the multiple cultural activities of Chicago while still living in a warm, “vintage” community. After several years in the Sheffield  Neighborhood, she currently lives on Cleveland Ave with her 2 cats, Benji and Curry, to whom she is allergic but loves nonetheless. Ann grew up in VA and moved to Chicago to earn her MBA at  orthwestern. She retired from her position as Sr Client Partner at a large executive search firm in  December 2022 to spend more time with family, personal goals and non-profit organizations. She currently volunteers with multiple non profits including CASA of Cook County (Court appointed Special Advocates), HFS Chicago Scholars, Impact Grants Chicago, Common Pantry, PAWS Chicago, Chicago Saints, and, most recently, LCA. She would be delighted to discuss any of these with anyone interested!

Anne Moore chairs LCNA’s zoning and planning committee, which was formed in 2008 to create an open and fair process. She has served on the LCNA board several times, including stints as vice president and secretary. Anne lives on North Cleveland Avenue with her husband Harry Dent. They raised three children there and continue to treasure life on a quiet street among longtime neighbors and friends. Anne is is prize-winning poet and journalist, now retired. During her time heading the Bauler Park Advisory Committee, Anne won a Chicago Parks Foundation contest to host the Bauler Park Olympics, held in 2019. 

Erin Weintraub is a dynamic sales leader and Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise Solutions at Cvent, where she partners with large organizations to deliver innovative event and marketing technology solutions that drive measurable success. In her role, Erin focuses on building strategic client relationships, understanding business needs, and aligning Cvent’s powerful suite of tools to help clients amplify engagement, streamline operations, and achieve their event goals.  

Prior to her current role, Erin developed a strong foundation in sales and account management, earning a reputation for consultative selling, solution-oriented thinking, and responsiveness to client needs. She brings energy, professionalism, and a collaborative mindset to every engagement, helping local and national organizations get the most value from their technology investments.  

Erin holds a Master Degree from Northwestern University and Bachelor Degree from Michigan State University where she built the academic foundation that supports her strategic approach to enterprise sales and customer success.  

Active in the Greater Chicago professional community, Erin enjoys connecting with peers and building relationships. Her personal passions include spending time with her 2 children, 2 rescue dogs and husband, working out, volunteering, traveling, reading, art and enjoying the wonderful Chicago food scene!