Meet our Staff
Saramanda Hall
Chief Executive Officer
We are excited to announce the new CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Illinois, Saramanda Hall! She is a Decatur resident, mom, and avid nature lover who is passionate about working with diverse cultures and age groups and empowering youth to reach their full potential.
She has a wide range of experience both personally and professionally including working with Big Brothers Big Sisters as an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer, case manager and volunteer mentor, and serving as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, an ESL teacher in South Korea, and homeschooling her daughter to name a few.
Over the next few months, Saramanda will be working in tandem with our Board of Directors and current Interim CEO Jeanne Stahlheber to ensure a smooth transition for the agency.
Saramanda is a confident leader who is looking forward to growing the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and collaborating with community partnerships and stakeholders to help rebuild communities and create a brighter future.
A few fun facts about Saramanda:
đź’šOwns a hobby farm with 10 different kinds of animals.
đź–¤Cubs Fan
đź’šFavorite season is Autumn
đź–¤Enjoys traveling, gardening, and all things outdoors
Contact Saramanda at s.hall@bbbscil.org
Contact Saramanda at s.hall@bbbscil.org
Jeff Parmenter
Chief Fund Development 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.
Contact Jeff at j.parmenter@bbbscil.org
Contact Jeff at j.parmenter@bbbscil.org
Heather Peavler
Program Manager
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.
Contact Heather at h.peavler@bbbscil.org
Contact Heather at 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. She joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2014. Primarily, she processes background checks and runs reports for the agency. Brie and her husband, Tyler, have two children - Ivy and Theo. In her spare time, Brie enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering in the community, teaching gymnastics and reading.
Contact Brie at b.weaver@bbbscil.org
Contact Brie 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
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 Brian at b.ganz@bbbscil.org
Contact Brian at b.ganz@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
Contact LeAnn at l.winkler@bbbscil.org