Our Team

Barb joined Candor Health Education in 2011 and currently serves at the organization’s CEO.  She has lead the organization since 2017, originally holding the title of Executive Director.  Previously, Barb served as Chief Operating Officer, including where she led the development of a long-term strategic plan for the organization.  She has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and currently lives in Burr Ridge with her husband.  Barb has three adult children who all participated in Candor programs.  Barb is thrilled to lead an organization with such a rich history.

Monique is set to graduate in May 2025 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Concordia University. Prior to joining Candor Health Education, she gained over 10 years of experience as a substitute teacher and administrative assistant in K-12 public schools.

Passionate about educating and empowering young people, Monique is excited to be a part of a team that helps youth make informed, life-changing decisions. She believes in the power of knowledge and its dedicated to create positive, lasting impact on the lives of young people. Outside of work, Monique enjoys spending quality time with her husband and four children, as well as watching home remodeling shows on HGTV.

Monique joined Candor Health Education in October of 2024.

Betty Barsley-Marra began her career as an Early Childhood Development Specialist with the University of Missouri initiating a statewide system for the early identification of children with special needs. Upon returning to Illinois, she joined the faculty of Roosevelt University teaching psychology and education courses. She has taught and mentored countless students, teachers, counselors, youth development professionals, parents and community members regarding physical and mental health related issues through her work at Roosevelt, Merrillville High School and as a family life educator with University of Illinois Extension. She considers it a great privilege to have worked across the lifespan with infants through seniors. Betty earned her undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University in Family Development and Early Childhood Education and her MS Ed from University of Illinois Chicago in Educational Studies with a specialization in Human Sexuality Education and Counseling and post Masters work in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys long distance cycling and indulging her love for the arts including pop culture. Her claims of “I saw him/her when” can be attributed to her habit of frequenting obscure venues to see bands, plays, performances and exhibits.

David Bedney began his professional career as the Health Educator for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health division of the Riverside County Department of Health in Riverside, California, after receiving his Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Degree from Loma Linda University.  He then moved to the Midwest where he decided to continue his educational pursuits and received his Doctor of Medicine Degree (M.D.) from what is now Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, The Chicago Medical School.

As a health educator at the former Robert Crown Center for Health Education, he was passionate about improving individual and community health through education and public awareness.  Over the years he has delivered presentations on a variety of health topics to more than 175,000 youth and adults.  Now returning to Candor Health Education, he is enthusiastic about being given the opportunity to once again influence the lives of young people in a positive way, which he hopes will impact them to make good and healthy choices for many years to come.

David is strongly committed to both God and family.  Happily married for more than 34 years to his wife, Marcia, they are the proud parents of two adult sons, Gerald II and Gavin.  He finds personal enjoyment.

Eleanor joined the Candor Health Education team in May of 2019 as an intern and transitioned to becoming a health educator with the organization in August of the same year. She is a triple-alumni from Northern Illinois University (NIU) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Public Health, and a Master of Science in Nursing Education. Eleanor is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Eleanor has a variety of professional and academic interests and has worked as a registered nurse in a number of different healthcare settings such as inpatient critical care, outpatient surgery, reproductive medicine, and nursing education. As a nurse and health educator, she values the role of primary prevention in addressing health disparities and promoting optimal health. She is excited to work with an organization that gives her the opportunity to continuously provide primary prevention and health promotion education to the students served by Candor Health Education.

Susan Foley joined Candor Health Education as a full time Educator in September of 2021.   

She earned a BS in Health Education from Illinois State University (1994) and was a member of Eta Sigma Gamma, a Health Education Honorary Society.  

Prior to joining the Candor Education Team, Susan spent 2 years as a faculty member for Illinois State University’s College of Health Sciences, 9 years teaching health education at the middle school level and 4 years working as a Special Education Assistant while completing her LBS1 (Learning Behavior Specialist endorsement) at National Louis University.  

Susan brings to her work extensive experience in curricula development, depth of content knowledge and the strategies to differentiate instruction to meet individual need. Her greatest joy is working and connecting with students, providing them with the tools and information they need to make healthy choices in regard to their physical, social and emotional health. 

Kim Fronk joined Candor Health Education in August of 2019. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Miami University in Ohio and a Masters in Educational Administration from Northeastern Illinois University. She has been a 4th – 6th grade teacher at Chicago Public Schools, Oak Park District 97 and a K-8 substitute teacher at LaGrange Highlands. Kim has always had a passion for teaching and sharing her love of science with her students. As an educator and parent, Kim wants to help children navigate this often challenging world and support them in making informed and healthy decisions. She is excited to be part of an organization that encourages parents and youth to ask questions, talk openly about puberty, sex education and the impact of drugs and alcohol while looking at it through a scientific lens. In her spare time, Kim enjoys spending time with her family, being active in her church and playing tennis.

Katie is the Director of Education at Candor Health Education team after working for over twenty years as a teacher and administrator at the elementary and middle school levels. She has a rich background in child development, curriculum development, and social-emotional learning. As a building principal, Katie provided teachers with ongoing feedback, curricular support, and professional development opportunities. She implemented progress monitoring tools to allow for more data-driven decision making regarding student needs and curriculum updates. She worked to improve school/parent communication through the implementation of a schoolwide LMS (learning management system). Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s degree in Instructional Leadership from Loyola University Chicago. Katie knows first-hand the value of Candor Health Education programs to students, teachers, and families in the schools we serve.

With a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, Rebecca brings a distinctive intellectual perspective that’s poised to enhance the Candor team’s collective efforts. Rebecca’s experience in education and community development will help deepen our insights in the areas we serve.

Rebecca enjoys working at Candor because of the positive work environment, ample growth opportunities, and the collaboration with dedicated colleagues across the organization.

Jenny joined Candor Health Education as a Health Educator in January of 2025. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health Education from Illinois State University, and after teaching high school health, her interest grew in health education and promotion. After working for the Will County Health Department for 11 years, she received her Masters of Public Health in Health Administration and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

So far in her career, Jenny is proud of coordinating a collaborative community health needs assessment and plan with three local hospitals, including 100 other partners, assisting living facilities, workplaces, and park districts to create tobacco-free policies, and training teens to become their own advocates to revise school policy to address vaping issues

In her spare time, Jenny loves to read and camp. She also spends a lot of time at the hockey rink with her husband and two children.

She is excited to be back to her health education roots here at Candor and loves working with kids and being a part of their day.

Sherry joined Candor Health Education as their LMS Coordinator in September of 2023. Prior to joining Candor Health Education, Sherry worked as a Developmental Training Coordinator for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois where she worked assisting developmentally disabled adults with their everyday health needs for four years. She also worked as an LMS Training Coordinator at Comcast for eleven years where she gained her extensive LMS background and knowledge. Sherry graduated with an Associate in Arts degree with an emphasis on Business Administration. She is excited to be part of an organization that educates young people in making important life-changing decisions. She enjoys travelling, crafting, and spending time with her husband, three kids and her two cats Minnie and Spud.

Sarah joined Candor Health Education in August 2021 as a part time Health Educator.  She has a background in case management and home healthcare coordination and is very passionate about the need for inclusive, equitable, science based sex and drug education reaching children so is very excited to be starting in a career path that helps facilitate that mission.  Sarah received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and lives in Lombard with her husband and four children.

Ydalis joined Candor Health Education in October 2021 as an Administrative Assistant.  Before joining Candor Health Education, she worked at Oak Park Hospital Senior Services, VA mail-out pharmacy, and Westchester Public Schools. She is happy to join an organization that empowers young people to make important and informative life-changing decisions. Ydalis enjoys traveling and camping with her husband, 3 kids and London, her Schnauzer. She also is an animal lover who has fostered over 30 cats and kittens.

Carol graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with a double major in Psychology and Diversity Studies. She loves learning about the brain, it’s development, and how that development affects many different cultures across the world.

She spent most of her career working with orphaned children who have suffered severe trauma, teaching therapeutic ways to unlearn certain behaviors. She also taught children who suffer with severe mental illnesses, autism, and down syndrome.

She loves to travel. Her goals is to visit every single country in the world at least once. She also loves trying new foods and learning about other’s cultures.

Since joining Candor Health Education in 2008, Karime has become the welcoming face and voice for Candor Health Education. She is responsible for the reservation system and schedules nearly 80,000 students a year,providing program confirmations and invoicing. With her mastery of the system and understanding of all of Candor Health Education’s offerings, she is able to guide teachers and parents toward programs that meet their needs. Additionally, she coordinates vendor visits and provides administrative support throughout Candor Health Education.

Antonio joined Candor in January 2025. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising from the University of North Texas, where he found his passion for art and advocacy.

Antonio began his career at the Health Education Learning Project as an HIV tester and counselor. He then took on a leadership role overseeing the Mpowerment Project. a community-level HIV prevention initiative at AIDS Outreach Center. Following this, Antonio relocated to Chicago, where he became a Link Up Coordinator, focusing on harm reduction strategies for BIPOC queer men. Antonio is a dedicated public health professional with extensive experience in community organizing, HIV prevention, and substance use harm reduction.

Antonio looks forward to expanding his experience in community health education and empowering youth to make informed decisions about their health.

Shelly joined the Candor Health Education staff in October 2015 as the Grants Manager. Prior to Candor Health Education, she worked for the McHenry County Department of Health as a grant writer and manager of a community outreach, education and health insurance enrollment grant as part of the initial roll-out of the Affordable Care Act. She has a Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University and a BA in International Relations from Tufts University. Shelly worked as a health educator for the US Peace Corps in Ecuador early in her career and is very happy to help sustain and expand Candor Health Education programming for the next generation.

Sarah joined Candor Health Education as an Administrative Assistant in July of 2018. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Northern Illinois University, Sarah worked for five years for a non-profit organization helping adults with disabilities live full and abundant lives. The following six years were spent working for Northwestern Medicine in the inpatient Behavioral Health and Addictions settings. The topics of general and mental well-being are important to Sarah and she believes that educating children on these topics can lead to healthy, productive adults.

Mishawn Purnell-O’Neal joined Candor Health Education in the Fall of 2016. As a Health Educator, she strives to pique the interest of young audiences by delivering science-based content while making the real-world connection. She is a double-alumni of Benedictine University, receiving a Master in Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education. Mishawn has worked in several Public Health settings (March of Dimes, American Academy of Pediatrics, and SIDS Alliance). To broaden her Public Health outreach, she publishes books, educational activities, and board games designed for children and youth. Mishawn is a passionate Public Health professional, and is delighted to be a member of the Candor Health Education family.

Rachel joined Candor Health Education in February of 2025. She is a graduate of University of Illinois Ubana-Champaign where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a Public Health minor.

Rachel is passionate about athletics and wellness. She served as a coach for her university track club and as a Rehab Technician at Illinois Bone & Joint Institute. Through these experiences she discovered a sense of purpose in empowering individuals of all ages to achieve their physical goals and build lasting confidence.

She is excited to empower young people to make wise and confident decisions, helping them become more self-aware and thoughtful in their choices.

Laura joined Candor Health Education as the Business Development Manager in September of 2017.  Prior to joining Candor Health Education, Laura worked in business development for Orange Theory Fitness in La Grange while raising her three children.  Early in her career, Laura taught 5^th grade in Riverside, Illinois after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Dayton.  Growing up in the western suburbs, Laura has had the unique perspective of attending Candor Health Education when she was a 5^th grader herself, bringing her 5^th grade students to Candor Health Education as a teacher, and being a parent of a student who recently attended Candor Health Education programs.

Tammi has worked in community health for over 25 years mostly in the areas of sexuality education and substance abuse prevention. She has taught in schools, universities, correctional facilities, after-school programs, and drug treatment centers.

Tammi has a Bachelor of Science in School Health Education from Western Illinois University and a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in community health from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.  She has published teaching ideas in peer-reviewed journals, presented at state and national conferences, and is a lifetime member of Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Health Science Honorary.

In her free time, Tammi enjoys outings with her family, working on jigsaw puzzles and reading.

She has been a consultant to area schools and districts implementing SEL, worked for the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), and participated on statewide committees of the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership. In 2009, she received a Those Who Excel Award from the IL State Board of Education for her leadership in District 181 to initiate SEL system-wide.

As a board member of the District 181 Foundation, she developed its programming for parents. Prior to her work in K-12 schools, Jeanne taught at the Art Institute of Chicago, area museums, and DePaul University’s School for New Learning.

She attended the University of Michigan (BA) and the University of Chicago (MA).

Jeanne enjoys travelling with her family, biking, and gardening, as well as the arts and assisting English-language learners as a tutor. She is pleased to support the Candor Health Education as it provides essential learning and life skills to students and families.

Lance received his Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from Illinois State University. After graduating, Lance began working with the Kane County Health Department as a Health Contractor, aiming to lower childhood obesity and tobacco use within the community.In February of 2011, Lance joined Candor Health Education as a Health Educator. In addition to teaching, Lance contributes to curriculum development and educator scheduling.