Student Excellence Foundation names board for 2020-21; Brett Mathieson joins as Mark Bridges and Andy Johnson retire

The Student Excellence Foundation is welcoming a new board member and thanking two outgoing board members for their service.

Brett Mathieson will join the foundation board as treasurer, replacing outgoing treasurer Mark Bridges.

Mathieson is a partner at Mathieson, Moyski, Austin & Co, an accounting firm in Wheaton. He has a wide range of individual and corporate tax experience, as well as expertise auditing for-profit corporations, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. Brett is an alumnus of District 200, and is married to Betsy. Their children attend Whittier Elementary School.

Mark Bridges and Andy Johnson will both retire from the foundation's board this year after volunteering years of service and positively impacting the foundation.

Bridges served on the foundation board from 2006-2010, during which he served both as treasurer and president. He returned to the board in 2015 and has served almost 5 years as treasurer. He has been an essential piece of the foundation's history, encouraging the foundation's growth toward the future. As part of the finance team with board member Mary Plepel and foundation volunteer Ray Foertsch, Bridges has improved the foundation's financial policies and procedures, putting the foundation on a strong path toward the future.

Andy Johnson has served on the foundation board of directors for 7 years. He began his service after leaving the District 200 Board of Education, where he served from 1997-2013. Johnson has been instrumental in getting the foundation up and running after several years of hiatus. He served as vice president and president during his tenure. He was an essential proponent in hiring the foundation's first employee, Executive Director Vicki Sebela, which has been a critical component of the foundation's renewed mission in recent years.

The Student Excellence Foundation Board of Directors for the 2020-21 year will be Jennifer Merck, president; Shannon Ensing, vice president; Brett Mathieson, treasurer; Cynthia Woods, secretary; Steve Johnson, legal counsel; and Bob Hupp, Kimberly McNamara, Mary Plepel, and Jim Vroman.

Founded in 1992 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (EIN # 36-3786044), the foundation serves Wheaton-Warrenville Unit District 200's 1,800 educators and nearly 13,000 students in 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, two high schools, an early childhood center, and a transition center, and is dependent upon parent and community volunteers.

Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.