Champaign County Humane Society

2024 Annual Membership Meeting

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

6:00 - Voting and Refreshments 

6:30 pm - Annual Meeting and Year-in-Review Presentation Begins

Holiday Inn

101 Trade Center Drive, Champaign

RSVP encouraged: Terri@cuhumane.org  

Agenda

I.        Board of Directors Election

Candidates

Gloria Arizaga  (Champaign, 2nd term)

 

I want to express my interest in serving a second term on the board of the Champaign County Humane Society. 

As a K-12 teacher of Spanish and Coding, I spend my days nurturing young minds. Yet, beyond the classroom, my heart 

is deeply connected to the wellbeing of animals, a passion that permeates every aspect of my life. 

 

Growing up in a family of dog lovers, I was always surrounded by dogs. We often took in strays or cared for dogs surrendered 

to us, and my siblings and I were fortunate to grow up with a pack of seven dogs.  Today, I share my life with Lola, my 13 year 

old Shi-poodle, and Kokoa, a bunny my family joyfully adopted from the Humane Society. Kokoa has brought immense joy to 

our home, forming a heartwarming bond with Lola. Their companionship has deepened my appreciation for the Humane Society's 

mission and its vital role in our community. 

 

In the classroom, I strive to instill empathy in my students, encouraging them to consider the impact of their actions on all living 

beings. I believe that fostering compassion for animals is as crucial as academic education. Beyond teaching, I am an active 

Altrusan and I have served as the treasurer of University Laboratory High School´s booster club. As a board Member of the CCHS, 

I have also contributed to the  Animal Welfare, Development, and Nominating committees. Serving on the board has been a deeply 

fulfilling experience, and I am eager to continue supporting CCHS´s efforts to provide care and homes for animals in need while 

furthering its mission in our community.  

 

Mark Ballard (Champaign, 2nd term)

Thank you for putting me on the ballot for another term with the CCHS Board of Directors.

I am a dog person, having grown up with them all my life.  These days, I adopt rescue dogs, 

particularly old pointers.  I adopted Benny from the CCHS a few years ago when he was nearing the 

end of his life and we had a great year together. 

I have a lot of experience with non-profit boards in our community, having served on

several including positions as board chair of many of them.  Additionally, I co-chaired the 

recent CCHS capital campaign and learned a great deal about the organization. 

These experiences have prepared me to assist the CCHS board, Executive Committee, 

and leadership as we adapt to our new location.

I appreciate this opportunity to serve the community and its adoptable pets for another board term.

 

 

Holly Clemons (Urbana, 1st term)

I am honored to be considered for a Board position. I have been a lifelong animal lover and an 

animal welfare advocate for over 40 years. In the 1980’s I served on the Board of Save-A-Pet, 

a northern Illinois shelter. In the late 1980’s, we successfully raised funds to buy property, build 

a new shelter and move from a dilapidated chicken coop in Arlington Heights to Grayslake, IL.

 

I had three dogs growing up, including one who was a stray. In 2000, I adopted our beloved 

poodle mix from CCHS. He lived to the ripe old age of 18. In November 2020, I adopted two 

guinea pigs from CCHS. Unfortunately, one of them succumbed to lung cancer last November. 

I rescued another guinea pig who was found in a dumpster in December 2023. 

 

Since 1991, I have lived in C-U. For those of you “old-timers,” I was hired as a Champaign County 

assistant public defender by Jim Kuehl (a long-time CCHS supporter and Board Member). From the 

Public Defender’s office, I practiced law with Steve Beckett’s office, doing primarily federal civil rights work. 

In 1996, I was appointed as an associate judge and remained on the bench for nearly 21 years. 

I hold both JD and MBA degrees.

 

Since my retirement, I have served on the Boards of Champaign County CASA, American Legion Auxiliary 

(Urbana Unit 71) and Community Foundation of East Central Illinois. I am currently serving as the President 

of our Auxiliary Unit.

 

In 2018-19, I served on the leadership team for the successful CCHS Capital Campaign. It was in this 

capacity that I met many of the fine people who lead and support this great organization. 

 

I believe that I offer the Board a unique perspective with my experiences and education. 

I will consider the best interests of all of our creatures, but also feel a pull toward representing the 

traditionally underrepresented members of our charges: guinea pigs, rabbits, and other small animals and exotics.

 

Thank you for considering me for a CCHS Board position. 

 

Heather Miller (Champaign, 2nd term)

I am honored to submit my statement of interest for continued service on the Board of Directors for the Champaign
County Humane Society.

My commitment to the humane society has grown stronger over the years, and I remain deeply passionate about our
mission. My professional background as HR Manager for the Champaign Park District equips me with valuable skills in
organizational management, strategic planning, and community engagement. I am eager to leverage these skills to
contribute meaningfully to our board’s work.

Over the years, as I have gained a deeper understanding of how the humane society operates, my dedication to our
mission has only intensified. My journey with animal welfare began over 18 years ago with the adoption of my cat, Grimace,
who continues to enrich my life. Additionally, my 8-year-old dog, Pinkie, and my new 14-year-old dog, Bailey, have further
deepened my appreciation for the care and dedication involved in animal welfare. These experiences have reinforced
my commitment to supporting organizations that provide vital services to animals in need.

While I previously served on the Furball Committee, my focus has since shifted to applying my HR expertise to support the
humane society in a different capacity. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring my professional experience and
passion for animal welfare to the board.

The more I learn about the inner workings of the humane society, the more committed I become to our mission and goals.
I am inspired by the impactful work we do and am excited about the possibility of contributing to our continued success.
I appreciate your consideration and look forward to the opportunity to support our mission in this new role.

Thank you for considering my application.

Gloria Sax (Mahomet, 2nd term)

 I presently serve on the CCHS Board of Directors, and am interesting in running for a second,
three-year term.

I started volunteering for CCHS in 1995 as a foster care provider, and added other duties over
time, e.g., medical lab volunteer, cat kennel cleaner, and “czarina” of the holiday section of the
annual garage sale. I served on the board previously for the period 2003-2011, and was
president 2005-2008. I was again elected to the board 2015-2018, but elected not to run for a
second term in 2018. Though I was not on the board, I continued to serve on the Animal
Welfare Committee and the Facilities Committee, and was actively involved with the planning
and construction of the new shelter facilities.

My interests lie in the area of animal welfare; specifically providing a stress-free, enriched
environment for the animals in our care. I try to stay current on standards of care and housing,
as well as current trends in the industry. I am also interested in helping to develop future
initiatives that will enable CCHS to provide additional services to the community such as lowcost
veterinary care, enhanced educational and training programs, and partnerships with other
community rescue groups. I am also interested in acting as an ambassador for CCHS at
fundraising events, and generally furthering the organization’s status in the community.

I am retired from the University of Illinois where for 20 years I provided administrative support
to the head of the Department of Animal Sciences. Prior to that I worked for 20 years in the
surety bond industry in Chicago as an underwriter and field representative, and in the latter
years, was a Vice President and Bond Manager for an international insurance brokerage firm.

Andrew Weintraub  (Savoy, 1st Term)

Andrew Weintraub serves as Vice President, Sales & Retention, Health Plans, for Health Alliance Medical Plans and FirstCarolinaCare (FCC). In this role, he has oversight of Sales, Retention and Product Innovation for Health Alliance and FCC. Based in Champaign, Illinois, Health Alliance manages 230,000 Medicare, Individual and Employer Group members, insured and self-funded, in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and North Carolina. Health Alliance and FCC are subsidiaries of Carle Health, a Vertically Integrated Health System with 17,000 employees, encompassing hospitals, physicians, outpatient and wellness divisions, as well as the health plan. Prior to Health Alliance, Andrew served in executive roles with a number of insurers and consultants across the country.   Andrew is deeply involved in the communities in which he has lived and worked, serving as Board Chair of the Alzheimer’s Association of the Florida Gulf Coast and Brevard Cultural Alliance. He has also served as a board member for the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce, Georgia State Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Council of Brevard County and the Alzheimer’s Association of Northwest Ohio. Additionally, Andrew and his wife, Diane, have been personally and deeply involved with animal emergency adoption and rescue in Illinois and past locations, having fostered many dogs, adopted 10 over the years, now caring for five former rescue dogs. Andrew has also volunteer as a counselor for incarcerated youth, and currently serves as a board member for the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Champaign West Rotary Club.