Meet the Board

Bill was appointed to the Chicago Police Department on January 3, 1977. Bill served as a patrol officer, tactical officer, detective, sergeant and lieutenant. Bill’s assignments included Violent Crimes, Recruit and In-Service Training, Organized Crime, Tactical Team Operations, and Community Policing. Bill was selected to become Chief of Police in Berwyn Illinois., a position he held from January, 2006 until March 2010. In November, 2010, he was appointed Chief of Police for the Village of Lakemoor PD, and served with LPD from November 2010 through September 2012, at which time he was recruited to take over the Des Plaines Police Department, retiring in December, 2020. A graduate of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command. Bill holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from St. Xavier College, and a Master of Science in Criminal and Social Justice from Lewis University. Bill has been recognized as a part of the driving force that created We Never Walk Alone, a web based peer support and mental wellness website and app for law enforcement officers.
 

Michele Sweeney Boudreau,

 is a survivalist, stemming from a nature loving, patriotic upbringing in 

Central Pennsylvania. She loves the outdoors and down to earth living. 

She relocated and settled in the Chicago area in 2000. Michele highly values serving as an Emergency Responder, Executive Protection Security Agent and in Law Enforcement. 

She has served on Search and Rescue Teams, Public Preparedness Outreach and Mass Care Response. Michele has also had many deployments as a Reservist and Specialist with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  More recently Michele has served as “On Call” for County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Offices. Michele has a background in National Preparedness, Incident Command Systems, Tactical Emergency Casualty Care, Jurisdictional Threat and Infrastructure Security, Anti Terrorism and Incident Response to Bombings. Michele has trained at New Mexico Tech EMRTC where she also earned Instructor Certification in Incident Response to Suicide Bombings. Michele is a member of ILEETA (International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Association), International Association of Women Police and the National Tactical Officers Association. As horse owner herself she truly believes in the health and wellbeing benefits of being around the gentle giants known as horses.  

Francis is a Deputy Chief, Street Deputy from the Chicago Police Department after 33 years of service. While serving as Commander, Francis worked in conjunction with the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and organized the Suicide Awareness Seminar for five consecutive years. This brought counseling professionals and peer support members as well as Officers and Chiefs from Chicago and surrounding suburbs together and away from any police facility to bring attention to suicide and suicide prevention techniques while allowing everyone to speak openly. 

As a police officer Francis is no stranger to life’s trauma and the effect that it has on individuals. One incident while as a commander, Officers were assigned to a call where the grandmother decapitated the grandchild. In seeing the trauma that this incident brought to the responding Officers, Peer Support was requested, and each Officer was required to speak with a clinician. Francis also responded to Police Involved shootings, six Chicago Police Officer murders, numerous self-inflicted deaths and serious injuries. In a number of these incident Officers were required to speak with clinicians to better help them process the pressures they faced. 

A graduate of the FBI National Academy Associates holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Lewis University, and a Master of Science in Public Safety Administration from Calumet College of St Joseph. Francis has been a member of the Chicago Police Peer Support Program since 2002 as well as a Knights of Columbus member and Boy Scout leader.

Joe  is a retired Deputy Chief of the Chicago Police Department. He is also a Vietnam Veteran, member of the FBI National Academy Associates, has a Master’s Degree in Education, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois. 

Joe was a member of the Chicago Police Mounted Patrol as an officer, sergeant, and then served as Commanding Officer of the unit. He is currently a writer, actor and consultant. 

Elizabeth Frantz is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, with a Master’s in counseling from Saint Xavier University. Elizabeth received a certification in Animal Assisted Therapy from Oakland University and is also a registered handler through Pet Partners. Elizabeth has experience working with adults dealing with mild to severe mental illness, as well as adults with developmental disabilities in outpatient settings. Elizabeth has worked in Community Agencies as a Mental Health Counselor, providing individual, group, couples and family counseling. Elizabeth has experience working with children and adolescents with developmental disabilities, ADHD, and Autism, in therapeutic horseback riding programs. Elizabeth has also worked for Hartgrove Hospital as a school-based therapist, with Kindergarten through 12th grade with students experiencing social, emotional and behavioral issues.

Elizabeth also has experience in animal care, enrichment and training. She received a Bachelor of Science with a psychology and biology major. She completed her internship at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago as a Marine Mammal Keeper and has spent years rescuing and rehabilitating wild and domestic animals. She is currently contracting with The Legacy Ranch and Sarah’s Stables, to offer Animal Assisted Therapy utilizing horses, miniature horses, ponies, cats and a variety of farm animals in a natural setting. 

Elizabeth has been able to combine her passion for animals and helping others of all ages to deal with a wide variety of mental, physical and emotional issues across the lifespan. She believes in the human-animal bond and strives to use animals as interventions to treat a wide variety of issues, including depression, PTSD, trauma, attachment issues, trust issues, relationship issues, mood disorders, anger, communication difficulties, generalized and social anxiety, ADHD, poor impulse control, dysfunctional relationship patterns, domestic violence and self-esteem issues. 

Additional certifications: Certified Animal Assisted Therapist Interventionalist, Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider.

Suzanne is a life-long resident of the city of Chicago, more precisely, the Southside of Chicago.

Many of you may already know Suzanne through virtue of a community; St. Thomas More parish, St. Mary’s Star of the Sea parish, Wm. J. Bogan HS, Sarah’s Stables or CPD, to name a few.

Suzanne grew up in large Irish Catholic family, 5 brothers, 1 sister and multiple pets. Having had 7 children, her mom effortless helped many pups and kittens make their grand entrance into the world; Suzanne and her siblings were an avid audience and beyond excited to take part in this. A love of animals was beyond apparent from her earliest days. Kittens, puppies, cats, dogs and an occasional parakeet or two filled the Baker house. If ever Suzanne and a stray animal crossed paths, the stray ended up coming home with her. If she couldn’t keep it forever, the family would always find a loving, forever home for the stray.

As a cancer survivor, 21 years cancer free, and a 30+ year veteran of CPD, Suzanne fully understands the emotional support and healing that animals unconditionally provide. A personal story about Suzanne really brings this point home. In her early 20’s, she had an accident while horseback riding; she thrown from the horse and pretty banged up. Suzanne vowed never to go near horses again. Well, along comes Miley, her granddaughter, who at the time was 4 ½ and pleading with her Nani to take her to ride horses.  Being the best Nani around, Suzanne simply could not say no to Miley. Fast forward, eight years later, Miley is still riding and aspires to be a vet or own a ranch, and in the not so distance past, Suzanne has gotten back in the saddle. The gentle giants at the stable gave her comfort and had such a calming, almost Zen like quality, that healed the fear and apprehension. 

There truly is no drug in the world that can do more for the human spirit than the unconditional bond and love between animals and humans.

Michelle Collins has more than 25 years’ experience in the media industry: video production, radio, publishing, digital marketing and media education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications/Journalism and Adolescent Psychology from Emmanuel College, Boston. Work in the industry took her across the US, Mexico and Italy before returning to Chicago in 2003. She left corporate America to raise children, but continues to do freelance work. Michelle currently serves as recording secretary to the Orland Park Board of Police Commissioners, has volunteered in various teen leadership programs in underprivileged neighborhoods, as well as in anti-human trafficking groups. 

Horses have played an important role in her own healing journey. She has experienced first hand how equine therapy can help heal PTSD and trauma. She is deeply committed to helping end the stigma of mental health challenges especially among First Responders. When not at the barn, Michelle loves to spend time with her family in nature, practicing yoga, visiting tiny towns and listening to music.  

Horses have been a huge part of my life since I can remember. I grew up riding bareback, Western, English as well as barrel racing and trick riding.
I always felt when I was on my horses back that I was escaping from the world, at complete peace, and I knew it was something I wanted others to experience.
So I went to college and studied Psychology in hopes to pursue a career in animal assisted therapy and find a job where I could help people with animals. After graduating I worked at a therapeutic horseback riding center for 3 years.
While I was there I worked hands on with children with special needs and helped them with their therapy needs through the healing effects of horses.
I taught horseback riding lessons as well to adults and children.
Life took me another route and I ended up pursuing my stunt career which has been a dream come true for me and gave me the chance to meet amazing people such as Kenny and Michele which has brought this wonderful opportunity to be apart of Rising Star.
On my days off you will find me at my family barn riding off into the sunset on my paint horse Rio. 

Bio Coming Soon.

Bio Coming Soon.

Chicago native, David Glossberg, grew up in the city watching movies in his basement.  He happened to ride horses at summer camp a few years in a row. Fast forward to 2016, now a member of the film and television production world, David acted on a dare and embarked on the production of Mustang Saviors, a film about the life saving benefits of equine therapy with veterans.  

Now on a mission to connect the healing power of the horse to those in need, Glossberg is grateful to be part of the board of Rising Star Ranches.
 

Ken brings with him thirty-three years of experience as a decorated law enforcement and security professional. 

Ken holds a Master’s Degree in Public Safety Administration and has served as a Commanding Officer of the Chicago Police Department’s Criminal Enterprise Unit and as a Commanding Officer of the Gang Enforcement Division’s Gang School Safety Teams. He was also supervisor of the Office of National Drug Control Policy HIDTA Money Laundering Group. He was previously deputized as Federal Task Force Agent for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and as a Special Federal Officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.    

Ken further brings his knowledge due to 18 years of experience from serving with the US Army and earned the Bronze Star while serving as an Aide De Camp / Protective Service Officer to the Commanding General of Engineer Forces, US Central Command during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. He is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School and is certified as Anti-Terrorism instructor. He achieved further certification as a Physical Security Inspector for the United States Army and was the Supervising Member of a Physical Security Team in an eight state region. 

Ken was certified as an Electronic Criminal Surveillance Officer by the Illinois State Police and serves as the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Licensee in Charge of Embassy Security Group.

I am a multi generational lifetime resident of Chicago. My family haas been here over 150 years. I grew up in a fire department family, as my father served 30 years on the Chicago Fire Department. I served on the Chicago Police Department for 28 years. I have a real understanding of the highs and lows that can come with both jobs. Of my time on CPD, 23 years was with the mounted patrol. With that much time working with the horses, I have developed a great respect for the working relationship we can have with horses. I also truly enjoy what these animals can do for the human spirit. I hope to be able to share some of this with folks who need and deserve the help

Bio Coming soon
 

Bio Coming soon

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Photo and Bio Coming Soon