Board of Directors

Bio coming soon!

Shari is a senior executive with a proven track record in large, complex financial services organizations. For over 20 years, Shari built and led enterprise risk management functions at several financial institutions including Discover Financial Services, Freddie Mac (post crisis), LaSalle Bank/Bank of America and Bank One/Chase. In 2019, Shari founded The Daw Group L.L.C which provides advisory services to financial services organizations in risk management and finance. Shari held numerous positions in finance in the first part of her career before shifting to risk management, holding positions with increasing levels of responsibility as a functional CFO, Controller, head of financial planning and analysis and Investor Relations. At Freddie Mac, she managed loan loss reserving for its $1+ trillion portfolio and at Bank One, she headed finance for the over $100 billion commercial loan portfolio. Shari is a graduate of University of Illinois (Accountancy) and Northwestern Kellogg (MBA). She and her husband reside in Evanston, IL. She is passionate about spending time with her family, playing tennis, painting and contributing to the community.

Carol is a seasoned business executive with 33 years of management experience in companies including GE and Bank One where she was SVP and General Manager of Global Trade Services when she retired in 2000. Since retiring, she has done independent consulting in strategic planning, executive coaching and chaired nonprofit boards ranging from contemporary dance to affordable housing. As Chair of Lakefront Supportive Housing, she led a strategic planning effort that resulted in its acquisition by Mercy Housing Inc, the largest U.S. non-profit provider of affordable housing, and recently retired from Mercy Housing’s National Board. Her areas of board focus include strategic planning and financial sustainability, including serving as Treasurer and Chairing Finance Committees on several boards. She graduated from Marquette University and has an MBA in Marketing from Northwestern University.

Justin Bhandari is the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Special Projects at CareOne, a portfolio of senior care-focused companies. In his role, Justin leads innovation including standing up new businesses that align with the overall mission to improve patient care. In addition, he focuses on evaluating potential healthcare investments that align with the organization’s mission. Justin has served as the EVP, at MPAC Healthcare. He was also part of the strategy team that helped launch Carelon, Elevance’s (formerly Anthem) healthcare services company. Justin also serves as an Advisor at Redesign Health, a Mentor for Matter Health, and as the Co-Chair of the Membership Programming Committee at Next Series. He earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, and Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.

Kate Bensen is an independent corporate director for MicroMetl Corporation, the leading manufacturer of HVAC accessories and equipment in the United States. From 2010-2020, she served as President and CEO of The Chicago Network. Previously, Kate led the nonprofit capacity-building practice for Conlon Public Strategies and was a corporate and public finance partner at the law firm now known as ArentFox Schiff.

Kate is a trustee of NewMusic USA and a director of the Chicago Club and the Arts Club of Chicago (Audit Chair). Kate is a member of the Commercial Club, Economic Club of Chicago, Council of the Graham School of General Studies at the University of Chicago, International Women’s Forum, Chicago Finance Exchange, and the Women’s Board of the University of Chicago (past Chair). She also chaired the board of the Grammy award-winning Eighth Blackbird Performing Arts Association. Her board work focuses on governance. Awards include the 2022 Celebrating Women in Innovation, the 2020 Women on Boards Champion of Women, and the University of Chicago’s Alumni Service Medal.

Kate holds an AB in economics from the University of Chicago and a JD from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.

Chris Braier is Regional Vice President of Northern Indiana for Oak Street Health, a primary care organization working with Medicare-eligible patients, particularly those in underserved communities. Chris has over a decade of experience practicing medicine and is a Physician Assistant in Orthopedics/Neurosurgery at NorthShore University Health System. Prior to Oak Street Health, Chris worked as a Healthcare Management Consultant at Guidehouse as a partner to major hospital systems in the U.S. on operational effectiveness. Chris earned his BS from Lawrence University, Masters in Physician Assistant Studies from Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine and MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Ned has worked directly with the Thorek Board as CEO and previously as CFO. He also serves as a Board member of the Uptown Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Steering Committee of the Illinois Hospital Association Safety Net Hospitals. Nedd’s hospital and healthcare experience help keep The Admiral Board updated on healthcare issues generally and particularly as they pertain to Illinois and Chicago. As a service provider in the Uptown neighborhood, he has a good sense of community opportunities. He has a BBA in Public Accounting from Loyola and a Masters’s in Management from Kellogg.

Toya Campbell, a seasoned HR professional with 37 years of diverse experience across public, private, startup, and non-profit sectors. Expert in HR strategy development, policy implementation, talent acquisition, contract negotiation, benefits, and employee relations. Visionary leader promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures. Previously contributed to city management under Mayor Harold Washington. Northwestern University and Lake Forest College graduate, now happily retired and consulting for small businesses and organizations in HR.

Nick dedicated much of his career to the information services industry, with 24 years at Chemical Abstracts Service in Columbus, OH, progressing from Software Engineer to Chief Information Officer. He later served as the Chief Information Officer for Lexis-Nexis in Dayton, OH, and Elsevier Science in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In his final career phase, Nick worked as an independent consultant, holding interim Chief Information Officer positions for various companies, including Harcourt Education in Orlando, FL, and Harcourt Assessment in San Antonio, TX. Now retired, Nick actively contributes to non-profit organizations, having been an officer of the Quarry Homeowners Association in Columbus and a member of the Pastoral Council at Saint Joseph Cathedral. He supported technology-related issues, including managing the parish website. Nick also played a role in organizations like Linden Life Literacy and Learning, and Reaching the Nations International, focusing on enhancing life in the Linden and Milo Grogan communities in Columbus. Currently, Nick serves as the President of the Pedal with Pete Foundation, raising funds for cerebral palsy research. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering.

Jonathan T. Howe is the President and founding partner of Howe and Hutton, Ltd., a law firm based in Chicago and Washington, D.C. A prolific writer and speaker, he has addressed legal issues globally and represented organizations across diverse industries, including nonprofits, hospitality, and trade shows. He was a key drafter of the Illinois Not-for-Profit Corporation Act of 1986 and is renowned for his expertise in trial and appellate advocacy.

An active leader, Jon served 21 years on his local school board, including 10 years as president, and was elected president of the Illinois and National School Boards Associations. He has also supported numerous nonprofits and scouting activities as an Eagle Scout.

A graduate of Northwestern University (B.A., honors) and Duke University (J.D., first in class), Jon is admitted to practice in Illinois, D.C., federal courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He and his wife Lois have three children and six grandchildren.

Laura McKee is the Admiral Chairman. Laura taught math as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Central African Republic. She is the founding CEO of Autism Home Support Services, which provides services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) throughout Chicago, Denver, and Detroit. Laura has a degree in economics and computer science from Swarthmore College and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Her professional experience included Booz Allen, McKinsey, Sears, and the McDonald’s system.

As a professor of the Division of Community Health Sciences at the School of Public Health and a Fellow at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Naoko has engaged in research, teaching, and service in aging and health for 25 years. Trained in health services research and sociology, Naoko aims to improve the health of diverse aging populations and the quality of long-term care systems. She conducts research on global aging and health, focusing on social, cultural, policy and system factors that shape health and caregiving experience in aging individuals. Naoko is a Fellow of The Gerontological Society of America.

Jordan is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, and he is a Managing Director with Juniper Advisory, a Chicago-based firm that assists hospital boards with mergers, acquisitions and other forms of partnerships. He serves on the Board of the House Theatre of Chicago and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Selection Committees for the Gus Hart Fellowship and Emerging Leaders Program.

Toni Smith is an alumna of Vassar College. She worked with the executive recruiting firm, Spencer Stuart, for 31 years, including 20 as Managing Partner of their Not-for-Profit practice. In that capacity, she worked with boards of nonprofits across the country (and some internationally) to help them find leadership for their organizations. While working, and since retirement, she herself has served in a leadership role on several nonprofit boards, including Lakeview Pantry, Executive Service Corps of Chicago, One Hope United, and Associated Colleges of Illinois. Toni is also an active volunteer with Steppenwolf Theater, the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, and Lakeview Pantry. She has been a resident at The Admiral since 2014.

Ms. Jackie Taylor is the Founder, Executive Director, and CEO of the nationally renowned Black Ensemble Theater, which she founded 48 years ago. With a prolific career, Ms. Taylor has written, produced, and directed over 100 acclaimed plays and musical biographies, including The Marvin Gaye Story, The Other Cinderella, and The Jackie Wilson Story. A graduate of Loyola University with a master's from the American College of Education and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from DePaul University, Ms. Taylor is also a dedicated educator, with over 35 years teaching in Chicago Public Schools. An accomplished actress, she starred in Cooley High and has appeared in several films, such as Barbershop II and Losing Isaiah, as well as in popular TV shows like Early Edition. Throughout her career, Ms. Taylor has worked alongside industry icons, including Sidney Poitier, Vanessa Williams, and Spike Lee.

Fred Wackerle was an executive search consultant specializing in CEO searches for over 40 years. He is the author of “The Right CEO: Straight Talk About Making Tough CEO Selection Decisions.” He is an emeritus Trustee of Monmouth College, an Emeritus Board Member of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, and a Board Advisor of the Tucson Wildlife Center.