Meet Our Staff
Jeff Parmenter
Chief Executive Officer
Jeff is the Chief Fund Development Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Illinois. He has been with the organization since July 2017 and has worked diligently leading our fund development team. He graduated from Columbia College in 1982 with a BA in Business Management. In 1997, he was honored as a “40 leaders under 40”. Then in 2008 he was honored as the first “Hometown Hero” and is currently the Vice President of the BBBS Illinois State Association. In his free time Jeff enjoys spending time on his boat and cooking. He also bleeds green and gold every Sunday when his Green Bay Packers take the field.
j.parmenter@bbbscil.org
Corey Burrows
Chief Operating Officer
Corey grew up in Bethany, IL, and attended Millikin University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in History Education. After college he spent two years with the AmeriCorps program, the second at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois, where he currently serves as the Chief Program Officer. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Teri, and two sons, Grant and Will, as well as traveling, playing sports, hiking and fishing.
c.burrows@bbbscil.org
Heather Peavler
Enrollment Case Manager & Trainer
Heather grew up in Clinton, IL and Bloomington, IL. She attended Eastern Illinois University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. After her family fostered and adopted her youngest sister, she became inspired to make a positive impact on the youth in her community through nonprofit work. In her spare time, Heather loves to read, encourage others, spend time with her friends and family, and travel to new places. h.peavler@bbbscil.org
Brie Weaver
Quality Assurance Specialist
Brie grew up in Mexico, Missouri. She received a master's degree in psychology from the University of Central Missouri. Brie relocated to Illinois in 2011 after meeting her husband. She joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2014. Currently, she processes background checks and runs reports for data collection. Brie has a daughter, Ivy, and a Maltese named Piper. In her spare time, Brie enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling back to Missouri, taking WERQ fitness classes, organizing and decorating.
Contact Brei at b.weaver@bbbscil.org
Elaine Ackert
Case Manager
Elaine is originally from Sterling, IL. She attended the University of Illinois where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology. After graduation, Elaine spent 10 years working with children as a preschool teacher, both in Champaign, IL and Nashville, TN. Elaine joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2019. She loves making a difference in children's lives and tries to create a lasting connection with each family and volunteer. She loves cooking, reading, painting, and being outdoors! Contact Elaine at e.ackert@bbbscil.org
Brian Ganz
Program Director
Brian grew up in Clinton County and graduated in 1995 from MacMurray College with a degree in Psychology. He was introduced to BBBS through an internship his junior year. After college, he spent 3 years as a caseworker before becoming Executive DIrector of BBBS of Morgan County in Jacksonville. He facilitated the merger between BBBS of Morgan and Adams County to form BBBS of West Central Illinois. During this time he served as President of the BBBS State Association. He left BBBS in 2008 and has spent the last 10 years in the insurance business. The BBBS bug never left, and now he is back to become a Defender of Potential. Brian is married with three daughters. They keep him busy in his spare time. Brian would love to talk with you about the many ways you can be a Defender of Potential! Contact me at B.ganz@bbbscil.org
Tara Allbritton
Case Manager
Tara Allbritton is a native of Chicago and has lived in Springfield for 22 years. Ms. Tara, as she is humbly known, is a recent graduate from Grand Canyon University (GCU) where she obtained a Master's degree in Psychology and Life Coaching. She also has a Masters in Counseling from Capella University and a Bachelors in Business from Robert Morris College. Ms. Tara has an extensive background working with youth and families. She has dedicated over 18 years of her professional life to the educational system working in the Chicago and Springfield Public School Districts in several capacities. Ms. Tara serves as a youth empowerment coach and a youth advocate. She understands the challenges that many of our youth are faced with on a daily basis. Ms. Tara has joined the team at Big Brothers Big Sisters because she supports the mission and vision of the organization, she is a positive influence, and she shares the goal to help make a difference in the lives of children and youth. Ms. Tara enjoys traveling, shopping, and spending time with her family and friends. Ms. Tara invites you to connect with her at t.allbritton@bbbscil.org.
LeAnn Winkler
Case Manager
LeAnn is a Central Illinois native and a graduate from Illinois State University where she received her Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Sciences. Her journey with Big Brothers Big Sisters started in 2011 when she worked as a case manager in the Bloomington office. As she relocated to Helena, Montana and then Olympia, Washington she continued to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters in those communities as a Case Manager and Program Director. She has rejoined the BBBSCIL Staff as a Case Manager working remotely out of Boston, Massachusetts. She is excited to be back serving youth in her home community! She is a loyal Bears and Cubs fan and in her spare time she and her husband Brian enjoy concerts, 5k races, trivia nights, and exploring the East Coast with their beloved dog Siri. Contact LeAnn at l.winkler@bbbscil.org