David Weindling, Founder
Since leaving a 15 year career in private business, David Weindling has dedicated himself to education and philanthropy. David worked in marketing and development for Action for Children in Illinois, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to quality child care and early education for all children in Illinois. Just prior to founding Farther Foundation, he administered the college scholarship and educational enrichment grant programs at the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation. Always active in the communities where he works and lives, David served as president of the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce and was a Director of the Community Chest and United Way of Oak Park and River Forest. David first traveled abroad when he was ten years old on a month-long family adventure to Japan. He is now committed to enabling others to become inspired and go farther by experiencing the world, its wonders and their own potential.
Susan J. White
An independent writer with more than 20 years of experience in journalism, public relations and fundraising, Susan White provides creative communications for a variety of non-profit and other valuable organizations. Before starting her own business, her career included serving as Senior Director of Philanthropy for Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Editor of Publications for the Lincoln Park Zoo. Susan is an ardent and adventurous traveler and counts summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, completing the Camino Santiago Pilgrimage in Spain and trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru among her personal accomplishments.
Melissa Coughlin
Melissa Coughlin is a life-long supporter of social justice causes and an avid traveler. After graduating from Cornell University, Melissa spent time with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, working with domestic violence victims in Buffalo, NY, followed by a job with the public defender’s office in Baltimore, MD. She attended law school at the University of Chicago, where she participated in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice clinic and developed a deep attachment to Chicago and its people. Melissa practiced as an attorney at Sachnoff & Weaver (now part of Reed Smith LLP), specializing in employee benefits law.
Melissa’s love of travel began while spending her junior year abroad, studying at Trinity College in Dublin. She is particularly eager to work with the Farther Foundation because it combines two of her passions, travel and social justice, and because she knows from personal experience the life-long impact traveling outside one’s comfort zone can have on a young person.
Matt Crossett
After studying at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile during college and serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic, Matt earned his MEd in bilingual education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, taught bilingual social studies in Maywood and Chicago Public Schools, and later became a fundraiser at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. There he served as Director of Development, including fundraising for summer enrichment programming, while earning his MBA from Loyola University Chicago. Matt now works to build meaningful relationships at Chicago Public Media. He maintains a lifelong commitment to empowering and inspiring young people through education and the transformative power of travel and experiential learning.
Laura Swartzbaugh
A teacher with 20 years of experience in education, Laura Swartzbaugh’s entire career has focused on increasing opportunities to young people through education. Laura began her career in higher education, teaching in several different disciplines at the University of Minnesota, University of Michigan, and University of Illinois at Chicago. After moving to Chicago, Laura decided to focus on having a greater impact on adolescents by becoming a high school history and English teacher. As a founding faculty member of the Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy, Laura helped develop and manage an extensive research mentorship program that has partnered hundreds of underserved students with research mentors from institutions such as the University of Chicago Hospitals and Northwestern University’s School of Law. As her carer in education has developed, Laura has increasingly focused on the role of education and mentorship in increasing college access for underserved students.
Laura received her undergraduate degree from Carleton College, her Ph.D. from University of Minnesota, and her Master’s of Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University. Laura is an avid runner, having completed two Chicago Marathons. She has always found travel transformative, from her first trip to Italy as a 13-year old girl through her experience as a chaperone on Oak Park River Forest High School’s trip to Spain in the summer of 2012.
Ed Cruickshank
Ed’s love of travel started at an early age. His parents were educators which allowed for many summertime cross-country camping trips to visit family. His first trip abroad came via his high school jazz band’s invitation to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival, initiating a passion for global travel and the experiences it provides.
Ed was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri and moved to Chicago in 2004. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from the University of Kansas, and received his Certified Financial Planner® designation through Northwestern University. He has been with Savant Wealth Management since 2004 where he is an owner and Fiduciary Senior Wealth Manager, serving families, institutions and endowments. He is also involved with The Night Ministry/The Crib supporting at risk youth and serves on the Board of Trustees at his church. Ed lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and their daughter. He enjoys golf, swimming, and traveling.
Jocelyn duran
Jocelyn is an alumna of Farther Foundation. She traveled to Mexico in the summer of 2011 with Experiment International Living, where she spent time volunteering at an orphanage in Queretaro. After graduating from Lincoln Park High School she went on to graduate with a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in Boston.
Jocelyn worked abroad in Greece and England before settling back in Chicago. Since then she's worked in market research, first at Ipsos and now at The Harris Poll. Her clients range from private health insurers to national media outlets, focusing on patient experience, public opinion polling, and corporate reputation. She's currently pursuing a master's degree in International Affairs at Loyola University Chicago and hopes to continue to travel the world while enabling others to do the same.
Rosario Gonzalez
Rosario is an alumna of the Farther Foundation having spent a summer at Boston University in an immersive journalism program. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Management Information Systems.
Rosario has worked in multiple industries including law, hospitality, insurance, and now talent advisory. She currently works at Egon Zehnder, a leadership advisory firm, in the consumer practice helping clients create leadership for a better world. Rosario hopes through her work on the board of Farther Foundation to inspire others to have educational travel experiences that lead to more opportunities than expected.
Nina Ricci
Nina has dedicated her life’s work to helping those who are enduring difficult times and is always looking for ways to serve others. Nina began her legal career in 1993, advocating for abused and neglected children in Juvenile Court and went on to serve victims of violent crime in Cook County for over 24 years. Since then, Nina has worked closely with the Problem-Solving courts in Cook County and currently advocates for victims of theft and organized crime.
Nina was fortunate to be introduced to the joys and life-changing possibilities of travel when she backpacked through Europe with her 76-year-old grandmother (who had just finished serving in the Peace Corps!). Nina is a strong believer that travel can open hearts, minds and doors, and is thrilled to be able to serve on the board of the Farther Foundation.