Board of Directors

Samuel is a strategic growth and operations executive with more than 15 years of experience leading business transformation and scalable growth across healthcare, consumer products, and telecommunications. He brings deep expertise in private equity–backed medical practice platforms, business intelligence, and operational excellence, with a proven track record of optimizing operations, launching and scaling clinic locations, and building high-performing teams. Sam is known for a collaborative, solutions-oriented leadership style and a passion for personalized health optimization and integrative precision medicine. He holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a BS in Engineering from Swarthmore College, where he was a Dean’s Award recipient.

Bio coming soon!

Kevin brings more than 30 years of experience in financial services, with a career rooted in thoughtful leadership and responsible risk management. He has held executive risk roles with CIBC, Susquehanna Bancshares, Bank of America, LaSalle Bank/ABN AMRO, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank One, and expanded his impact during the financial crisis by consulting with major financial institutions through Deloitte & Touche. Throughout his career, Kevin has helped organizations navigate complex business, technology, operational, and regulatory challenges. His expertise spans enterprise and operational risk, credit and consumer risk, private wealth management, stress testing, cybersecurity, conduct risk, and ethics.

Toya Campbell, a seasoned HR professional with 37 years of diverse experience across public, private, startup, and non-profit sectors. Expert in HR strategy development, policy implementation, talent acquisition, contract negotiation, benefits, and employee relations. Visionary leader promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures. Previously contributed to city management under Mayor Harold Washington. Northwestern University and Lake Forest College graduate, now happily retired and consulting for small businesses and organizations in HR.

Renée has enjoyed a successful career as a wealth advisor for over 30 years. She works with individuals, families, and business owners to provide financial solutions that build and maintain financial well-being. She strives to address all aspects of financial health and takes a holistic approach to financial management. After studying music theory/composition at Western Illinois University on a full scholarship, Renée earned her B.A. in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago.

Nick dedicated much of his career to the information services industry, with 24 years at Chemical Abstracts Service in Columbus, OH, progressing from Software Engineer to Chief Information Officer. He later served as the Chief Information Officer for Lexis-Nexis in Dayton, OH, and Elsevier Science in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In his final career phase, Nick worked as an independent consultant, holding interim Chief Information Officer positions for various companies, including Harcourt Education in Orlando, FL, and Harcourt Assessment in San Antonio, TX. Now retired, Nick actively contributes to non-profit organizations, having been an officer of the Quarry Homeowners Association in Columbus and a member of the Pastoral Council at Saint Joseph Cathedral. He supported technology-related issues, including managing the parish website. Nick also played a role in organizations like Linden Life Literacy and Learning, and Reaching the Nations International, focusing on enhancing life in the Linden and Milo Grogan communities in Columbus. Currently, Nick serves as the President of the Pedal with Pete Foundation, raising funds for cerebral palsy research. A graduate of the University of Maryland, he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering.

Trey Hart is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Valhalla Group, the Chicago-based private equity firm focused on advancing U.S. economic and national security. Before co-founding the Firm, Hart was a Managing Director at 50 South Capital Advisors, LLC, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Northern Trust Corp (NASDAQ: NTRS). Before joining 50 South Capital, Hart was an investor at Greenspring Associates and a fund formation attorney at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. He serves on the board of trustees of Rush University Medical Center and is a civil affairs officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois. Hart earned his B.A. magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University and his J.D. magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he served as an Associate Editor of the Maryland Law Review. Hart is a Kauffman Fellow, the Founder of the Chicago Area Limited Partners Association (CALPA), and a member of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS).

Phoebe Helm has spent more than 40 years in education, teaching and administering programs kindergarten through graduate school. The majority of those years were in community colleges, most recently including Vice Chancellor for Economic Development and Vocational Education in the California Community Colleges Cahncellor’s Office; President of Truman College in Chicago, and President of Hartnell College in Salinas, CA. She has served on national and local boards including President of the National Association of Developmental Education; Chair of the American Cancer Society Chicago Community, and Secretary of the Park Tower Condo Association Board.

Jonathan T. Howe is the President and founding partner of Howe and Hutton, Ltd., a law firm based in Chicago and Washington, D.C. A prolific writer and speaker, he has addressed legal issues globally and represented organizations across diverse industries, including nonprofits, hospitality, and trade shows. He was a key drafter of the Illinois Not-for-Profit Corporation Act of 1986 and is renowned for his expertise in trial and appellate advocacy.

An active leader, Jon served 21 years on his local school board, including 10 years as president, and was elected president of the Illinois and National School Boards Associations. He has also supported numerous nonprofits and scouting activities as an Eagle Scout.

A graduate of Northwestern University (B.A., honors) and Duke University (J.D., first in class), Jon is admitted to practice in Illinois, D.C., federal courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He and his wife Lois have three children and six grandchildren.

Delia serves as Region 9 Leader and Illinois Chapter Executive of the Alzheimer’s Association, the global leader in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, support, and research. Since joining the Association in 2013, she has held several leadership roles of increasing responsibility. She previously led the Capital of Texas Chapter, where she grew revenue by 400%, rebuilt the board, and strengthened community partnerships, including with the Austin Urban League and the Mexican Consulate to advance diversity and inclusion efforts. Delia joined the Illinois chapter in 2020 and has elevated the organization’s visibility and impact across Chicagoland. In 2021, she was named one of Crain’s Notable Black Leaders and Executives. She began her nonprofit career with the African American Chamber of Commerce and later spent 17 years in leadership with the American Diabetes Association.

Laura McKee is the Admiral Chairman. Laura taught math as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Central African Republic. She is the founding CEO of Autism Home Support Services, which provides services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) throughout Chicago, Denver, and Detroit. Laura has a degree in economics and computer science from Swarthmore College and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Her professional experience included Booz Allen, McKinsey, Sears, and the McDonald’s system.

As a professor of the Division of Community Health Sciences at the School of Public Health and a Fellow at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), Naoko has engaged in research, teaching, and service in aging and health for 25 years. Trained in health services research and sociology, Naoko aims to improve the health of diverse aging populations and the quality of long-term care systems. She conducts research on global aging and health, focusing on social, cultural, policy and system factors that shape health and caregiving experience in aging individuals. Naoko is a Fellow of The Gerontological Society of America.

John enjoyed a career helping people use technology effectively, serving as Chief Information Officer of Trizec Properties, a commercial real estate firm acquired by Brookfield Properties and The Blackstone Group in 2006. Earlier, he held technology leadership positions at LaSalle Partners (now Jones Lang LaSalle) and JMB Realty Corporation, following consulting roles with Booz Allen Hamilton and A.T. Kearney. He lectured on information technology management at the University of Chicago business school (now Booth School of Business) for eighteen years. John and his wife Renee D. Stein have lived in the Admiral since 2022.

Jordan is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, and he is a Managing Director with Juniper Advisory, a Chicago-based firm that assists hospital boards with mergers, acquisitions and other forms of partnerships. He serves on the Board of the House Theatre of Chicago and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Selection Committees for the Gus Hart Fellowship and Emerging Leaders Program.

Toni Smith is an alumna of Vassar College. She worked with the executive recruiting firm, Spencer Stuart, for 31 years, including 20 as Managing Partner of their Not-for-Profit practice. In that capacity, she worked with boards of nonprofits across the country (and some internationally) to help them find leadership for their organizations. While working, and since retirement, she herself has served in a leadership role on several nonprofit boards, including Lakeview Pantry, Executive Service Corps of Chicago, One Hope United, and Associated Colleges of Illinois. Toni is also an active volunteer with Steppenwolf Theater, the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, and Lakeview Pantry. She has been a resident at The Admiral since 2014.

Ms. Jackie Taylor is the Founder, Executive Director, and CEO of the nationally renowned Black Ensemble Theater, which she founded 48 years ago. With a prolific career, Ms. Taylor has written, produced, and directed over 100 acclaimed plays and musical biographies, including The Marvin Gaye Story, The Other Cinderella, and The Jackie Wilson Story. A graduate of Loyola University with a master's from the American College of Education and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from DePaul University, Ms. Taylor is also a dedicated educator, with over 35 years teaching in Chicago Public Schools. An accomplished actress, she starred in Cooley High and has appeared in several films, such as Barbershop II and Losing Isaiah, as well as in popular TV shows like Early Edition. Throughout her career, Ms. Taylor has worked alongside industry icons, including Sidney Poitier, Vanessa Williams, and Spike Lee.

Carol is a seasoned business executive with 33 years of management experience in companies including GE and Bank One where she was SVP and General Manager of Global Trade Services when she retired in 2000. Since retiring, she has done independent consulting in strategic planning, executive coaching and chaired nonprofit boards ranging from contemporary dance to affordable housing. As Chair of Lakefront Supportive Housing, she led a strategic planning effort that resulted in its acquisition by Mercy Housing Inc, the largest U.S. non-profit provider of affordable housing, and recently retired from Mercy Housing’s National Board. Her areas of board focus include strategic planning and financial sustainability, including serving as Treasurer and Chairing Finance Committees on several boards. She graduated from Marquette University and has an MBA in Marketing from Northwestern University.