Yvonne Bruce, President

Donna O’Connor, Volunteer Chair

Donna raised her family in Lake Forest, where her three children were actively involved in sports and community activities. Donna attended St. Mary’s College and John Marshall Law School and was previously an active member of the Infant Welfare Society, Service Club, Five Hospital Board, and the Lake Forest Junior Garden Club. Donna also served on several philanthropic committees. Her professional experience includes work with Ford Motor Company, Stauffer Chemical, and Unilever, with a focus on industrial and labor relations, as well as government service at both the federal and state levels in legislative and policy matters.

Tina Dann-Fenwick, Book Club Lead

Tina has lived in Lake Forest for more than 25 years, having moved with her family from England in 1999 to live and work in the U.S. Formerly a barrister then corporate counsel at Fortune Brands Inc., she retrained as an interior designer and started her eponymous business in 2007, winning awards for her work over the years. Tina also serves as on the Historic Preservation Commission for the City of Lake Forest and is actively involved in a number of clubs and organizations. She and her husband are passion gardeners and love to travel exploring other cultures.

Elizabeth Biddle, Social Media

Elizabeth Biddle grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago and later attended DePaul University. After living in Chicago for 20 years, she moved to Lake Forest, where she and her husband have raised their four children. For nearly two decades, Elizabeth owned and operated a successful vacation rental company in Chicago, giving her unique insight into business operations, hospitality, and community engagement. > > Now excited to deepen her ties to the North Shore, Elizabeth is proud to join and support the North Shore Civic Group. She looks forward to helping bring people together to explore meaningful conversations and engage with impactful topics that shape their lives in profound and unexpected ways.

Philip Arouca, PR

Philip was born in Philadelphia but grew up on the North Shore, attending New Trier High School before settling in Evanston after college. Now residing in Lake Forest with his wife and two kids, Philip has been involved with the north shore civic community through the Lake Forest Caucus and The Sports Shed, a non-profit dedicated to providing sports equipment to underprivileged communities.

Connie Maneaty, Development

Connie grew up in Chicago. After graduate school, she moved to New York City where she worked in the securities industry as a stock analyst for over 30 years and raised her daughters. She and her family moved back to the area in 2020, and they now reside in Highland Park where they’ve enjoyed becoming involved in the North Shore community. Connie and her husband love to travel and especially enjoy exploring places, foods and cultures that are new to them.