The Foundation

Julian has been leading the creation and management of compelling cultural experiences with partners as diverse as NASA, Saturday Night Live, and the Field Museum for over 20 years. As the Executive Director of the Historic Pullman Foundation (HPF), he is currently expanding and evolving the organization’s capabilities and staff in close collaboration with the National Park Service. Prior to the HPF, Julian was the Executive Director of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, Vice President at the Milwaukee Public Museum and Director of Experience Design at the Adler Planetarium. Julian’s work has won awards from Exhibitor Magazine, American Institute of Architecture, American Association of Museums, and PC Magazine. He has been an adjunct professor in Digital Experience Design at Depaul University, a museum executive, a refugee advocate and a game designer.

Joe’s experience spans over 40 years in government and transportation, including serving as Chief Executive at the local, state and federal level. He was appointed by President Obama in 2009 as the twelfth Federal Railroad Administrator of the United States; served as Mayor of Riverdale, Illinois; was State Director in Illinois for the United Transportation Union; and Executive Director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Retired from CMAP in 2019, Joe brings a wealth of planning and rail transportation expertise to the Board.

Raised in Chicago, Laura spent her first 40 years in Pullman. She began her professional career in Customer Service for what was then Illinois Bell. She went on to spend 33 years with Verizon Communications managing key departments and advancing to Sr. Manager of Pricing & Contract Management Operations for Verizon’s Business unit. Since retiring in 2019, she continues to be a strong preservation advocate and supporter of the Pullman community.

Architect and city planner with over 30 years of experience, Richard’s work focuses on large scale urban development and redevelopment in historic and emergent cities worldwide. Work in Chicago includes the Chicago Central Area Action Plan, Chicago Riverwalk Plan, North Branch Industrial Corridor Modernization, and more than a dozen neighborhood strategic plans. Richard was the National Parks Conservation Association and AIA Chicago Project Lead for Positioning Pullman and the site design team lead for the Pullman National Monument and State Historic Site Visitor Center.

Doug is the Director of Arbitration for the National Division of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, and Chairman of the first Division of the National Railroad Adjustment Board headquartered in Chicago. An avid photographer, Doug has documented the Chicago railroad scene for nearly 50 years. He has a profound interest in Chicago, railroad history, labor history and everything Pullman.

Executive Assistant, Administrative Hearings for the Illinois Secretary of State for 42 years, Cindy has served on the Board since 1986 as President, Vice President, and Treasurer; and she co-chaired the popular Historic Pullman House Tour for 30 years. Born and raised in Pullman, Cindy’s roots go back to 1928 when her grandparents migrated here, and her strong commitment and dedication to the community is ongoing

Fred has 30 years of commercial banking experience for large museums, cultural institutions, and universities including the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Field Museum and Chicago State University. Past Treasurer of the Illinois Railway Museum, Chicago Chapter of Railroad & Locomotive Historical Society and Twentieth Century Railroad Club, Fred has written over 40 articles on railroad history and is Co-Founder of the Illinois Central Historical Society.

Born and raised in Pullman in the home his grandfather built in the 1920’s, Jim’s career began with real estate developer Arthur Rubloff. By age 25, he successfully built and operated two retail stores in the Evergreen Plaza Shopping Center and one in River Oaks Shopping Center until 2010. Since retiring, he has purchased and renovated many Pullman homes, and in addition to serving on the Board since 2014, his volunteer efforts touch every area of the community.

Bob has 45 years of experience in urban planning, design, transportation & consulting includes: directing architectural and engineering firms on the CTA Capital Improvement Plan; engineering and design coordination for the Chicago Central Area Circulator Light Rail System public transit project; and head management consultant for the CTA’s automated fare collection system. A 40-year Pullman resident, his professional skills are reflected in countless community projects.

President of Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) for 25 years, Dave has served neighborhoods throughout Chicago in various nonprofit and governmental capacities, including North Lawndale community organizer and Superintendent of the Chicago Park District. His capital raising expertise led efforts to have Pullman declared a National Monument. He also serves on the Millennium Reserve Steering Committee and the Cook County Commission on Social Innovation.

Maria is Co-Founder and Founding Executive Director of the Chicago Learning Exchange, a leading non-profit promoting educational innovation and equity of opportunity for young people in Chicago; and was Executive Director of three civic collaboratives at the Chicago Community Trust. A George M. Pullman scholarship recipient, she brings a wealth of leadership experience, philanthropic connections, communications skills, and community building to the Board.

Southside Attorney Natashia L. Holmes has over fifteen years of professional experience in municipal, regional, state and federal policy issues with an emphasis on urban planning and community engagement. A former Alderman in the City of Chicago’s 7th Ward, Natashia founded McMillan Holmes LLC a DBE/MBE/WBE law firm, in 2016. Her career has progressed through organizations including the Metropolitan Planning Council, Illinois Department of Transportation, and Metro Strategies where she specialized in executing policies and strategies, public outreach and government relations. Her affiliations include the African American Legacy Board of the Chicago-Community Trust and University of Illinois – Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Edgar Fellow (Class of 2013).

Now retired, Craig was Program Director at the MacArthur Foundation, VP & Co-Director of the Low-Wage Worker & Communities Unit of MDRC and former Program Officer at the Ford Foundation. These and other major leadership positions make Craig a valuable addition to the Board. A South Sider whose father was a Chicago policer officer in Pullman’s 5th District, he has a strong connection to the community and to Pullman.

The Deputy Village Administrator for the Village of South Holland, Illinois, the first to be appointed to this position, Patricia manages the day-to-day operations of the Village of 22,000 residents and a $40 million dollar annual budget. A Juris Doctor from De Paul University’s College of Law, Pat has served on several Boards, including the Victor C. Neumann Assoc., a not-for-profit organization, Diversity, Inc., an organization that fosters diverse residential environments; and she was a former Chair of the Metra Citizens Advisory Board. Patricia has received numerous community service awards, including Cook County’s Peggy A. Montes Unsung Heroine Award.

Mike Matejka brings a unique blend of labor and railroad history, and accredited museum experience, to the Historic Pullman Foundation. Retired as Governmental Affairs Director from the Great Plains Laborers District Council, Mike currently serves as a vice-president of the Illinois Labor History Society and writes and lectures regularly on labor history topics. In 2005 he was a consultant to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento as they redesigned their permanent exhibits. He serves as a board member and is a past President of the accredited McLean County Museum of History, where he has been the guest curator for five exhibits.

A Pullman resident, Nathaniel is currently the Director of the Art Institute of Chicago Archives, managing all archival programs, collections and services for the museum. He’s curated or collaborated on a number of Ryerson and Burnham Libraries exhibitions, including “Reconstructing Adler & Sullivan’s Stock Exchange Trading Room” and “Architecture for Urbanism: Selections from the Bertrand Goldberg Archive.” With a Master’s of Library & Information Science from Simmons College and a quarter-century in the field, Nathaniel brings valuable archival and collections expertise to the Board. Nathaniel enjoys working on his 1880 Skilled Craftsman rowhouse which he shares with his wife, their two cats and his vinyl record obsession.

With over 35 years of banking experience, Eric is Vice President Regional Manager for Beverly Bank and Trust, providing leadership to develop strong community partnerships. In addition to the Historic Pullman Foundation, he serves on the Roseland Community Hospital Foundation Advisory Board, the Metropolitan Family Service Calumet Office Community Board, the Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center Advisory Board, among others. He has received many awards for community service, which is evident in his continuing commitment to Pullman.

Vice President of Economic Development of Chicago Community Loan Fund, Maurice has over 32 years of experience in community and economic development. His expertise has led to construction of $527 million and 2.6 million sq. feet of retail and industrial centers throughout Chicagoland, including Pullman, and has completed more than 250 projects ranging from affordable housing to hospitals and institutional facilities.