The Alliance for Human Services

Meet our Leaders

AHS in Action

The Alliance is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of organizational and individual members.

2025-2026 AHS Board of Directors 

  • Alicia Garcia, Board Chair

    Director of Programs 
    HACES
    Organizational Member 

  • Angela Baran, Vice-Chair

    Senior Program Officer 
    Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County 
    Organizational Member 


  • Barbara Connet, Treasurer

    Agency Relations Area Manager 
    Northern Illinois Food Bank 
    Organizational Member 


  • Bobbie Hinden, Secretary

    Center Director 
    Family Focus Lake County 
    Organizational Member 

  • Irma Barrientos

    Healthy Family Program Coordinator 
    Mano a Mano Family Resource Center 
    Organizational Member


  • Rachel Chenier

    Executive Director 
    Family First Center of Lake County 
    Organizational Member 


  • Sam Haik

    Individual Member

  • Karin Peterson

    Director of Community Engagement 
    Youth & Family Counseling 
    Organizational Member 


  • Marianne Pokorny

    Director of Civic Engagement 
    YWVA of Metropolitan Chicago 
    Organizational Member 

  • Angie Sauer

    Clinical Therapist 
    Individual Member


  • Anya Tanyvutti

    Executive Director 
    Willow House 
    Organizational Member


Meet our Executive Director

Lisa Pugliese is a lifelong Lake County resident who has devoted her career to the Lake County public service sector. Before joining the Alliance in February 2025, she served as an executive director in the nonprofit affordable housing space for over 15 years and held posts with local government as the Director of Community Development for the Village of Round Lake Beach, a commissioner for the Grayslake Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals and the Lake County Affordable Housing Commission. She is grounded by a philosophy of servant leadership and an inclusive, collaborative leadership style that effectively catalyzes stakeholders to come together to respond to significant needs and find viable solutions. Lisa brings an in-depth understanding of the array of needs that impact individuals and communities and the challenges facing the tireless workers who are helping a world in need while effortfully striving for meaningful change. There is little she likes more than working with community colleagues and volunteers to bring forth new initiatives that further the common good. Lisa lives in Grayslake with her husband, Jim, and their two cats; they have five children and three grandkids.

Leading the way.

Shaping the future.