Board Member

Linda Gerber

Linda Gerber was an independent writer and producer with a 36-year career in broadcast media, spanning news, entertainment, education, and nonprofit storytelling. At WLS-TV (ABC-7), she worked as an editor and creative consultant, contributing to award-winning news documentaries and investigative reports before launching her own production company. As an independent producer and director, she created content for The Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, A&E, Discovery, and more.

Her work has supported organizations like Northwestern University, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chicago Public Library, and she has produced award-winning PBS documentaries. A former VP of Programming for the Asian American Journalists Association (Chicago Chapter), she has also served on the advisory boards of the Chinese American Service League and the Center for Asian Arts and Media.

Raised in the Philippines and the daughter of a former Rotary president, Linda remains deeply engaged in global and local service. As a dedicated community volunteer, she serves on the boards of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary and the Evanston Community Foundation, where she currently Co-Chairs the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees. Linda is also a committed advocate for affordable housing, housing as a human right, and support for those at risk of losing their homes.

Board Member

Maggie Peng

bio

Board Member

Mei-Ling Hopgood

Mei-Ling Hopgood is a Professor and the William F. Thomas chair at the Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communication at Northwestern University. Working more than 25 years as an award-winning journalist and author, she has written  for media outlets ranging from National Geographic to the Detroit Free Press. Her book Lucky Girl (Algonquin) details the reunion and relationship with her birth family in Taiwan. She has earned several national and international journalism awards, including the National Headliner Best in Show, the ICIJ Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting and  the White House Correspondents Association Edgar A. Poe Award.

At Northwestern, she teaches reporting and long-form writing, multilingual and multicultural storytelling, diversity in coverage, communications and newsrooms, global journalism and personal narrative. She works with students and professionals in and outside of industry to develop ethical standards and practices of cultural orientation and humility. In 2020, she was recipient of the New Leaders Association’s Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship Award for encouraging student journalists of color. Hopgood  was named Northwestern’s Charles McCormick Deering Distinguished Clinical Professor in 2024.   Hopgood grew up in metro Detroit, and has lived in Evanston with her two daughters since 2012.

Board Member

Michelle Long

Michelle Long has more than 25 years of experience in wealth management—most of which has been spent as a wealth planner for high-net-worth individuals and business owners. As a wealth planner for 1834, a division of Old National Bank, Michelle advises clients in all areas of wealth planning, including retirement, income tax strategies, risk management, estate planning, investment allocation, executive compensation and business succession.​

Previously, she was a Senior Wealth Planner in Private Wealth at Associated Bank and Senior Wealth Planning Consultant and Director at BMO Private Bank. Michelle has a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University. She is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP), Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP), and member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council and Financial Planning Association.

Outside of work, Michelle is an avid runner and a proud mom. If she’s not running for fun, you can probably find her running between her daughter’s dance performances and her son’s baseball games—and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Board Member

Diane Williams, AM, MSW

Diane D. Williams is an adjunct faculty member and fellow at the China Center for Social Policy. She is completing her Ph.D. in social work focused on productive aging in older adult populations, specifically focusing on social integration and retirement. Previously, Williams earned a master's in public policy from the University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy; and a master's in social work from Columbia School of Social Work. Most recently, Williams worked on the AARP Disrupt Disparities IL Report which focuses on racial disparities among older adults across topic areas of economic security, health equity, and connectivity. Diane is also an Emerging Leaders Fellow at the Chicago Council at Global Affairs and serves as a NASW IL board member.   

Board Member

Omar Salem

 Omar Salem is proud to be the child of immigrants from the Philippines and Palestine. Born in Chicago, raised in Morton Grove and Skokie, and now living in Evanston, Omar has deep roots in our community. He was elected to the Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board in 2023. Omar is currently on leave from his teaching position at Niles North High School to work as a Professional Issues Director for the Illinois Federation of Teachers where he develops and delivers professional development for educators. He resides in Evanston's 5th Ward with his wife, Stephanie, and their children, Sydney and Cairo.