Playworks Illinois Regional Advisory Board
The Playworks Illinois Regional Advisory Board is a group of change-makers who believe in the power of play and are active ambassadors for Playworks. These playful professionals contribute their personal time to share the mission of Playworks: to improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. Learn more about our board members below and click on the link for more information about getting involved.
Heidi Boos
Audit Principal, BDO
Heidi Boos is an Audit Principal at BDO, specializing in clients within the construction, professional services, and manufacturing industries. With over 16 years of experience, she has successfully led national and multinational engagements, addressing complex technical accounting issues. Heidi has a passion for helping others and, throughout her career at BDO, she has led the development and facilitation of training programs. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University. Outside of her professional life, Heidi is a runner, having completed six half marathons to date. She also enjoys spending quality time with her husband and exploring local parks with their two young children, aged 2 and 5.
Andrew DuVoisin
Senior Accounting Manager, Consolidations and Intercompany, Lyft
Andrew has always had a passion for turning even the most mundane life tasks into fun games and is excited to use that desire on the Playmakers Board. He credits a lot of his social and behavioral skills to his access to safe physical play as a kid and now hopes to do what he can to bring those same experiences to kids in the Chicagoland area. Even as an adult, Andrew created Park Olympics for his friends during the summer of 2020 as a way to help bring joy, laughter, and camaraderie to people’s lives when it was badly needed. Professionally, Andrew is a Senior Manager on the Lyft Accounting Team with over 10 years of experience in various accounting roles. He earned his bachelor and master degrees in Accounting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In his free time Andrew will assuredly be doing something related to sports and cheering on the Cubs to their next World Series!
Brian Jackson
Good Day Chicago Anchor, Fox 32 Chicago
Brian Jackson is a morning show anchor for Fox 32 Chicago. He is passionate about telling stories that uplift people and spotlight local organizations making a positive impact on the future of Chicago. That passion is what led him to join the Playworks Illinois Advisory Board.
Brian is a proud graduate of Howard University. His career has taken him from Washington, D.C., to Florida, across the country to Seattle, Washington, and ultimately back home to Chicago. Sports played a profound role in shaping Brian’s childhood. Through Playworks Illinois, he is committed to ensuring Chicago youth have opportunities that foster curiosity, confidence, and growth.
Outside of work, Brian is a die-hard Chicago sports fan. He also enjoys staying active, grilling, giving back to the community, and exploring the many neighborhoods that make up Chicagoland.
Dr. Kyra Lobbins
Chief of Staff to the CEO, The Common App
Dr. Kyra Lobbins is a bold, forward-thinking leader and rising voice in higher education. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff at Adler University. Her leadership has been instrumental as Adler sharpened its focus on practice-based graduate education to prepare breakaway thinkers to transform public, global, and community health systems. She now serves as the Chief of Staff to the CEO at The Common App.
Her impact is rooted in a dynamic tenure at Clemson University, where she spent eight years in the Office of the President — first as Director of Leadership and Strategic Initiatives, then as Deputy Chief of Staff. There, she created and led the highly regarded President’s Leadership Institute (PLI), a program that gained national attention and inspired replication at other institutions. She also partnered with top corporate leaders through her role with the President’s Advisory Board and was appointed to several influential boards, including the Greenville Chamber, Ten at the Top, and the Clemson Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, she was named one of Greenville’s Best and Brightest Under 35.
Dr. Lobbins holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Clemson University and is a Certified Professional Coach. She also earned an MBA from the University of Akron, a master’s degree in Sport Management from Northern Illinois University, and a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Tulane University.
Samson Reeves III (Sam)
Commercial Banking/Treasury Management Market Manager, Senior Vice President, Old National Bank
Sam Reeves is a seasoned finance professional with over two decades of experience in the industry and a specialized focus on Commercial Banking and Treasury Management for the past 12 years. He currently serves as the Market Manager and Senior Vice President at Old National Bank, where he leads the Business Banking team of treasury management consultants across the Chicagoland, Tennessee, and Kentucky markets. A lifelong student of finance, Sam holds a B.S. in Finance and an M.B.A. with a concentration in Financial Services. Driven by a deep commitment to people leadership, he also earned an M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, specializing in Leadership Development and Evidence-Based Coaching.
Beyond his corporate role, Sam is passionate about changing the narrative for Black men from historically under-resourced communities and strengthening the pathways for young people of color. He aims to spearhead a program that reintroduces economics and financial literacy into schools—empowering youth with early exposure to finance, economics, and financial markets.
As a champion of play and the power of joy in childhood, Sam believes that nurturing imagination, curiosity, and confidence through play is essential for developing strong, resilient leaders of tomorrow.
Yasir Safdar
Partner, PWC
Yasir Safdar is a Partner at PwC with over 14 years of experience at the firm, where he has held leadership roles including Director, Manager, and Senior Associate. He brings nearly two decades of experience in management consulting, technology, and strategy, having previously worked at Diamond Management & Technology Consultants and Transolutions, Inc. Yasir has been a committed member of the Playworks Illinois Board since 2020, supporting the organization’s mission to ensure safe and healthy play for every child.
Giovanni Schelfi
Partner, Roland Berger
Giovanni Schelfi is a Partner at Roland Berger, a global strategy consulting firm, where he specializes in the automotive industry. He began his career with the firm in 2009 in Italy and relocated to the United States in 2014. Giovanni holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Trento, a master’s degree from Bocconi University, and an MBA from the University of Geneva. Originally from Italy, Giovanni now calls Chicago home, embracing all the city has to offer. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, connecting with friends, and discovering new experiences together. Passionate about giving back, Giovanni proudly serves on the Playworks Board and strongly believes in its mission to ensure every child has access to safe, healthy play.
Playworks Illinois Emeritus Board Members
Playworks Illinois has been running programs across the region for the last 9 years. Our organization has benefited tremendously from the efforts of former board members. Today these individuals still provide support and advice as members of the Emeritus Board.
Jamie Buckley, Chair Emeritus
Partner, PwC
Mir Ali, Vice Chair Emeritus
Partner, ArentFox Schiff, LLP
Chris Renn, Chair Emeritus
SVP of Operations, RR Donnelly
Steve Tennessen, Chair Emeritus
Director, Talent Acquisition, Abbott
Emma Adam
Edwina S. Tarry Professor of Human Development and Social Policy, School of Education and Social Policy and Faculty Fellow, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
Elizabeth Cummings
Senior Vice President and Head of Technology, Infrastructure and Innovation, CIBC’s US Region
Greg Healy
Product Executive, ISACA
Naufal Khan
Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Manika M. Turnbull
Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois