Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board — Board Members
Speakers at the Awards Announcement June 2021: Left to right: Jason Holcomb (Director), Mary Ann Abate (President), Joseph Chiarelli (County Board Chairman), Dick Kunnert (VP), Dr. Terry Giardini, Tim Nabors, Danielle Angileri (former member), Linda Sandquist, Dr. Rev. K. Edward Copeland, Wendy Larson-Bennett.
WCCMHB booth at the May 2023 Resource Fair with Board Members: (L2R) Dick Kunnert, Mary Ann Abate, Timothy Nabors, and Dr. Terry Giardini.
Board Member Bios
Mary Ann Abate – President MAbate@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Mary Ann Abate, currently President of the Winnebago County Mental Health Board, is a former Licensed Social Worker in Illinois. She received her MS in Community Mental Health from Southern New Hampshire University with an emphasis on clinical services for individuals with co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and psychiatric disabilities. Abate began her career at the Janet Wattles Mental Health Center, where she was a director before becoming the Vice President of Public Health Policy at Rosecrance
Dick Kunnert – Vice President DKunnert@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Dick Kunnert is currently Vice President of the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board. He previously served as Director of the Singer Mental Health and Developmental Center for 11 years. Prior to that, he was Assistant Regional Administrator for Mental Health Programs (1971-1987). Kunnert has served on the state board of NAMI and the Mental Health Association of Rock River Valley and chaired the Mayor’s Homeless Task Force for 18 years. Prior to the creation of the WCCMHB, he served six years on the Winnebago County Mental Health Advisory Board.
Dr. Bill Gorski – Secretary BGorski@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Dr. Bill Gosrski is currently the Secretary of the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board. Before completing his residency at the Illinois College of Medicine, Dr.Gorski graduated from Kenyon College and the University of Cincinnati Medical School. After 21 years practicing family medicine at a SwedishAmerican clinic, he was appointed CEO of the health system for 16 years before retiring. He works to increase access to care, especially for those who experience vulnerability in our community.
Wendy Larson-Bennett – Treasurer WBennett@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Wendy Larson-Bennett is currently serving as the Treasurer of the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board. She has a BA in English and Secondary Education from the University of Illinois and a Juris Degree from Northern Illinois University. Bennett was a Court Appointed Special Advocate before attending law school. She has served on the boards of Family Advocate and Children’s Home and Aid (President), among other community groups. Before retirement, she was a Winnebago County prosecutor and fiercely advocates for childhood mental health and trauma-informed practice. Bennett aims to ensure our community members have access to the tools necessary to achieve mental wellness.
Reverend Dr. K. Edward Copeland KECopeland@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Reverend Dr. K. Edward Copeland is the lead pastor at New Zion Baptist Church. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.A.in English/Rhetoric), the University of California, Berkeley (J.D. 1987), Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. 1992), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (D.Min. 2017). He serves on several state and national boards. He is a consultant on issues of criminal justice and public education.
Dr. Terry Giardini TGiardini@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Dr. Terry Giardini is a Rockford native and proud East High E-RAB. He earned his master’s degree at National Louis University and his doctorate from California Southern University. Dr. Giardini served as a beloved special education teacher at East High for 35 years prior to retirement, as well as leading group therapy and performing forensic fieldwork.
Timothy Nabors TNabors@WinCoIL.us Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer
Timothy Nabors received degrees from Rock Valley College and the Worsham College of Mortuary Science. He serves as the Funeral Director at Carl E. Ponds Funeral Home and is the County Board Member for District 14. Tim is an advocate for mental health.
Linda Sandquist LSandquist@mentalhealth.wincoil.us
Linda Sandquist is serving as Vice President of Advancement at Rockford University. Her career includes past roles as a stay-at-home parent, marketing and communications professional, and grantmaker at two multi-million dollar companies. Sandquist believes that physical and mental health is foundational to the pursuit of a happy and productive life, and having access to physical and mental healthcare is a fundamental human right.
Mohammad Yunus
Mohammad Yunus was appointed to serve on the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board in March 2023. He has been a faculty member of the University of Phoenix's John Sperling College of Business since 2003 and has authored over a dozen business articles. From 1991 to 2005, he served as Singer Mental Health Center's Chief Financial Officer and then as its Hospital Administrator from 2005 to 2012. In 2012, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services appointed Yunus to serve on the SAMHSA CSAT Advisory Council for a five-year term. Additionally, he served on the Evaluation & Improvement Council of the University of Phoenix from 2015 to 2016. Yunus was a grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Access to Recovery Committee in 2004 and 2007 and served as a Panel Member of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools from 2005 to 2009.