Tom Mayer, President

Tom received his Bachelors of Science degree in Construction Management from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where he met his wife Sheila.  Tom and Sheila have been married for 37 years and have three children and four grandchildren and live in Glen Ellyn, IL. After college, Tom moved around the country working on many different construction projects.  Tom’s experience in building nuclear and fossil fuel power plants, sewage and water treatment plants, a VA hospital, high-rise construction, a mail processing center, and many other large and complex projects gave Tom an understanding of the building process of how to work with people as a team and to take an idea and a set of well thought out plans and convert it to a successful physical reality.  Tom met Father Alfred on a Cursillo weekend in 2012 where soon thereafter there were many discussions about an idea of Father’s concerning construction of a medical/volunteer center in his home District in Uganda.  With the help and commitment of Dr. Veronika from the Chec Republic, discussions turned to reality as construction of Father Alfred’s vision proceeded in 2013. At the beginning of November 2014, a small portion of the medical building has been completed and the new medical center is open and treating patients, but there is still much work to do to complete the entire building. Dependable electricity and potable water is a priority at this time. 

Jim Mayer, Treasurer and Secretary

With 30 plus years of work experience, Jim has been involved with different settings that include retail, construction, manufacturing and consulting.  He has had held positions with a wide range of organizational impact that include Supply Chain Management, Human Resources,  Information Management, Project Management, Strategic Planning,  and most recently executing Lean systems.  Jim is also an Adjunct Faculty member with Benedictine University at the Moser College of Adult Professional Studies.  Jim received his Bachelor’s degree from the Commerce college at the University of Illinois and his MBA from the University of Notre Dame.  He lives with his family in Naperville, IL.

Bishop Bartosic, Board Member

Bishop Bartosic was added to the Board of Directors in 2014 while past of St. Francis of Rome Parish in Cicero, Illinois. Fr. Alfred Tumwesigye introduced him to Friends of Shalom for Uganda while serving at St. Francis of Rome.

On May 21, 1994 Bartosic was ordained to the priesthood. Pope Francis appointed Bartosic auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago on July 3, 2018. On September 17, 2018, Bartosic was consecrated as a bishop.

Christina Carl, Board Member

Christina "Chrissie" Carl is a Partner Sales Executive at Microsoft Corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. She specializes in business planning and designing and managing large-scale sales programs with key partners. Chrissie first traveled to Uganda in December 2012 where she saw firsthand the difference Shalom for Uganda is making and the need for additional healthcare services in the Nyachera community. She holds a BA from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a Masters in Pastoral Counseling candidate at Loyola University-Chicago.

Michael Duggan, Board Member

Michael Duggan is an Associate Clinical Operations Manager at AbbVie (formerly Abbott Labs) based in North Chicago, Illinois.  He specializes in the monitoring of Clinical Trials ensuring compliance with the clinical trial protocols, while also helping to assure the protection, rights, safety, and well-being of the human study subjects.  Mike was born in Detroit and raised in the Chicago suburbs.  Mike first traveled to Uganda in December 2012 where he witnessed and was able to participate in many of the differences that Shalom for Uganda is making in Nyachera community.  Mike holds a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana, an MS from Oklahoma State, and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Robert Lyman, Board Member

Kerry O'Donnell, Board Member

Kerry O'Donnell is a Pastoral Clinical Associate at Gateway Psychological Services, Ltd in Aurora, Illinois.  Prior to this role Kerry was a substitute teacher in Glenbard District 87, worked in retail banking and was a stay at home mom for 26 years.  She and her husband of thirty years, Joe, have five children.  Kerry holds a BA from Benedictine University and MAPC (Masters in Pastoral Counseling) from Loyola University Chicago.

David Siedlecki, Board Member

David Siedlecki is the Manager of Digital Business as ComEd, an Exelon Company. He is responsible for ComEd’s website, mobile app and customer notification systems. He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, holds a BA from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL.

Alfred Tumwesigye, Board Member

Fr Alfred was born in Kahengyere in southwestern Uganda in east Africa.  Ordained for the Archdiocese of Mbarara in 2005, his vision led to the opening of Mary Queen of Heaven Community Medical Center in Nyachera in southwestern Uganda.  Friends of Shalom for Uganda is the U.S. entity supporting Fr Alfred's work at Mary Queen of Heaven MC in Uganda.  He is currently the hospital Chaplain at Uganda Martyrs Hospital and the School of Midwifery and Comprehensive Nursing - Ibanda, in Uganda.  Fr. Alfred holds a M.A. in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University in Chicago.