Leadership and Team

Keystone Alliance team members sitting at desks smiling at camera

graphic pattern of hand drawn scribbles overlapping each other

Leadership

Since 1995, Greg Petersen has been a proud member of the Illinois nonprofit community. With a strong foundation in finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Greg joined IFF before transitioning to the I/DD provider community in 2004.   Greg's strategic vision was honed by working on the founding team of Keystone Alliance, where he served as Chief Administrative Officer until 2017.
In July of that year he was appointed CEO of Glenkirk. Greg returned Keystone Alliance as its CEO in 2020. Greg’s service to Glenkirk, Search, and Keystone over the past two decades has given him a unique insight into the Illinois nonprofit environment. Together with his entire leadership team, Greg looks forward to continuing to support thriving nonprofit missions and communities across Illinois.

Kim Berenberg has been a part of the Glenkirk team since 1999, serving in program, clinical, and administrative roles.
Kim received her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the State of Illinois. Kim launched the Life Balance Services program in 2004 and is passionate about developing person-centered supports that promote social, emotional, and mental well-being.

Cory Gumm

CEO, Search360, a founding organization of Keystone Alliance

Samantha Lipscomb

Chief Operating Officer

Judie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has earned a Master of Arts in Communication from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Social Work from Aurora University. With the heart of a social worker and the mind of a business professional, she has more than 30 years of experience working with non-profits, universities, and municipalities. Judie has a unique depth of experience and is adept at navigating challenging business conditions.
As the Executive Director for a domestic violence victim services agency, she led the successful negotiation and implementation of a strategic merger which significantly expanded services and removed barriers to safety for victims. She served as Acting Executive Director for a municipality while the former Executive Director was under a State’s Attorney’s investigation. Judie has experience developing public-private partnerships between municipalities and Fortune 500 companies as well as non-profit organizations and government agencies. As the CEO for a child welfare organization located in a suburb west of Chicago, she helped secure $3 million in congressional funding to build a new youth shelter. Early in her career, Judie launched a new nonprofit, served as its founding Executive Director, and is proud to say that agency is still thriving nearly 30 years later. She has extensive experience leading organizations through strategic planning, creating management routines, enhancing organizational culture, and developing high performing executive teams. She provides executive coaching to non-profit executives.
Judie was awarded the Non-Profit Executive of the Year by her peers through the West Suburban Philanthropic Network. She is currently adjunct faculty for the Social Work Department at Regis College and has taught at Northern Illinois University, Elmhurst College, North Central College, and Aurora University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Libby Shortenhaus is a seasoned nonprofit leader with more than 20 years of experience in organizational strategy, fundraising, and executive leadership.
Libby served as CEO of Christopher House, a Chicago-based nonprofit providing early childhood education, youth development, and family support services to children and families on the city's north and northwest sides. In this role, she partnered with a 20-member board to set organizational vision, ensure long-term financial sustainability, and lead the organization through a period of significant change. During her tenure she oversaw $18M in government contracts, raised $2M in private revenue, and championed the organization's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all facets of its work.
Prior to her role as CEO, Libby held a series of progressively senior positions at Christopher House spanning grants management, development, external affairs, and strategic initiatives, giving her an unusually deep understanding of how mission-driven organizations grow, adapt, and position themselves for long-term impact.
Following her tenure as CEO, Libby returned to her passion for fundraising and relationship development as Director of Development at Arrupe College at Loyola University, where she managed a portfolio of major donors and spearheaded fundraising efforts marking the college's 10-year anniversary.
Libby holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University, a Certificate in Fundraising and Nonprofit Management from North Park University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Taylor University.

Shawn Durr

Director of Communications

Shawn supports strategic planning, management reporting, and website and social media content management. Previous to his position on the Keystone team, he was head of communications at Search360 for 19 years. Shawn has been in the nonprofit field for more than 30 years, serving in a variety of roles including direct service, case management and administrative functions.

Kim Berenberg

CEO, Glenkirk, a founding organization of Keystone Alliance

Greg Petersen

CEO, Keystone Alliance

Samantha Lipscomb is an experienced nonprofit leader specializing in financial management, human resources, and organizational planning. As the Chief Administrative Officer of Keystone Alliance, a Chicago-based organization supporting nonprofits that serve individuals with disabilities, Samantha manages administrative operations, oversees budgets, ensures regulatory compliance, and leads strategic planning. Since joining Keystone in 2014 and being promoted in 2022, she has played a key role in improving operational efficiency and supporting the organization’s mission.
With a background in fine arts, specializing in glassblowing, Samantha’s early artistic experience instilled a strong sense of teamwork and creative problem-solving. While she transitioned from the art studio to the nonprofit sector, she continues to enjoy glassblowing as a hobby and values how it shaped her approach to leadership and collaboration.
Samantha holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration and has also volunteered as a Visiting Artist for the Visibility Arts Program. Her expertise and dedication help organizations achieve financial stability and maximize their impact in the community.

Cory Gumm was appointed CEO of Search, Inc. in 2020. Prior to this role, Cory held a program leadership position at Glenkirk and then a senior administrative role at Keystone Alliance.
The insights gained from her many years of working on the frontline in Search’s programs serve as the foundation of her leadership approach today, informing her priorities and decisions. Her blended track record of direct service, social enterprise, and administrative leadership bodes well for Search’s success and expanded social impact in the years to come.

Libby Shortenhaus

Director of Strategic Growth and Lead Senior Consultant

Judie Caribeaux

Chief Collaborations Officer

Team

Administration

Kenny Mihlfried

Administrative Director

Ben Nerad

Entitlements Manager

Kassandra Paredes

Administrative Assistant

Peter Rasey

Human Resources Manager

Finance

Linda Coleman

Senior Director of Accounting

Kathleen Cordis

Accounting Specialist

Corey Grabiec

Accounts Payable Specialist

Sally Gregory

Business Manager

Deborah Guzzo

Payroll Specialist

Denise Mark

Business Manager - Glenkirk

Amelia Scodro

Administrative Services Manager

Jaime Tan

Accounting Assistant

Gloria Zamot

Assistant Controller

Rashad Ziyad

Accounting/Payroll Specialist

IT

Victor Bosque

Technical Support Specialist

David Breese

Senior Technical Project Manager

Alexander Burgos

IT Support and Infrastructure Manager

Gigi Lopez

Technical Support Specialist

Jenell Rice

Technical Support Specialist

Ashley Coleman

Administrative Services Manager

Ruth Alvarado

Accounts Payable & Purchasing Supervisor

Steve Pelofske

IT Manager - Business Systems & Projects

Keylee Medrano

Technical Support Specialist

Board

Governance Through Collaboration

The Keystone Alliance governance model is a reflection of our commitment to integrated partnership. Our Board of Directors brings together a powerhouse of professional expertise, spanning finance, law, and advocacy, with deep representation from our founding organizations, Glenkirk and Search360.

This collaborative structure ensures that our leadership remains rooted in the daily realities of the I/DD community while maintaining the high-level strategic oversight needed to drive sector-wide resilience. By aligning the voices of our founders with veteran business leaders, we ensure every decision strengthens the entire Keystone ecosystem and the missions we serve.