Our Team

Barb joined Candor Health Education in 2011 and currently serves at the organization’s CEO.  She has lead the organization since 2017, originally holding the title of Executive Director.  Previously, Barb served as Chief Operating Officer, including where she led the development of a long-term strategic plan for the organization.  She has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and currently lives in Burr Ridge with her husband.  Barb has three adult children who all participated in Candor programs.  Barb is thrilled to lead an organization with such a rich history.

Betty Barsley-Marra began her career as an Early Childhood Development Specialist with the University of Missouri initiating a statewide system for the early identification of children with special needs. Upon returning to Illinois, she joined the faculty of Roosevelt University teaching psychology and education courses. She has taught and mentored countless students, teachers, counselors, youth development professionals, parents and community members regarding physical and mental health related issues through her work at Roosevelt, Merrillville High School and as a family life educator with University of Illinois Extension. She considers it a great privilege to have worked across the lifespan with infants through seniors. Betty earned her undergraduate degree at Northern Illinois University in Family Development and Early Childhood Education and her MS Ed from University of Illinois Chicago in Educational Studies with a specialization in Human Sexuality Education and Counseling and post Masters work in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys long distance cycling and indulging her love for the arts including pop culture. Her claims of “I saw him/her when” can be attributed to her habit of frequenting obscure venues to see bands, plays, performances and exhibits.

David Bedney began his professional career as the Health Educator for the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health division of the Riverside County Department of Health in Riverside, California, after receiving his Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Degree from Loma Linda University.  He then moved to the Midwest where he decided to continue his educational pursuits and received his Doctor of Medicine Degree (M.D.) from what is now Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, The Chicago Medical School.

As a health educator at the former Robert Crown Center for Health Education, he was passionate about improving individual and community health through education and public awareness.  Over the years he has delivered presentations on a variety of health topics to more than 175,000 youth and adults.  Now returning to Candor Health Education, he is enthusiastic about being given the opportunity to once again influence the lives of young people in a positive way, which he hopes will impact them to make good and healthy choices for many years to come.

David is strongly committed to both God and family.  Happily married for more than 34 years to his wife, Marcia, they are the proud parents of two adult sons, Gerald II and Gavin.  He finds personal enjoyment.

Laura joined Candor Health Education in May of 2021. She received her bachelor’s degree in Communication & Media Studies from Aurora University. Following her graduation she worked in marketing and content creation roles that focused on creating and implementing company’s brand identities and increasing awareness for those brands. Laura believes that learning about how our bodies work from a young age is pivotal in our overall development, adding, the more we know about our bodies, the better we can take care of them.

Susan Foley joined Candor Health Education as a full time Educator in September of 2021.   

She earned a BS in Health Education from Illinois State University (1994) and was a member of Eta Sigma Gamma, a Health Education Honorary Society.  

Prior to joining the Candor Education Team, Susan spent 2 years as a faculty member for Illinois State University’s College of Health Sciences, 9 years teaching health education at the middle school level and 4 years working as a Special Education Assistant while completing her LBS1 (Learning Behavior Specialist endorsement) at National Louis University.  

Susan brings to her work extensive experience in curricula development, depth of content knowledge and the strategies to differentiate instruction to meet individual need. Her greatest joy is working and connecting with students, providing them with the tools and information they need to make healthy choices in regard to their physical, social and emotional health. 

Kim Fronk joined Candor Health Education in August of 2019. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Miami University in Ohio and a Masters in Educational Administration from Northeastern Illinois University. She has been a 4th – 6th grade teacher at Chicago Public Schools, Oak Park District 97 and a K-8 substitute teacher at LaGrange Highlands. Kim has always had a passion for teaching and sharing her love of science with her students. As an educator and parent, Kim wants to help children navigate this often challenging world and support them in making informed and healthy decisions. She is excited to be part of an organization that encourages parents and youth to ask questions, talk openly about puberty, sex education and the impact of drugs and alcohol while looking at it through a scientific lens. In her spare time, Kim enjoys spending time with her family, being active in her church and playing tennis.

Katie is the Director of Education at Candor Health Education team after working for over twenty years as a teacher and administrator at the elementary and middle school levels. She has a rich background in child development, curriculum development, and social-emotional learning. As a building principal, Katie provided teachers with ongoing feedback, curricular support, and professional development opportunities. She implemented progress monitoring tools to allow for more data-driven decision making regarding student needs and curriculum updates. She worked to improve school/parent communication through the implementation of a schoolwide LMS (learning management system). Katie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s degree in Instructional Leadership from Loyola University Chicago. Katie knows first-hand the value of Candor Health Education programs to students, teachers, and families in the schools we serve.

Liz received her Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from Illinois State University. During that time, she became a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) through The National Commission for Health Education (NCHEC). Liz joined the Candor Health Education in April 2017.

Jenny joined Candor Health Education as a Health Educator in January of 2025. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health Education from Illinois State University, and after teaching high school health, her interest grew in health education and promotion. After working for the Will County Health Department for 11 years, she received her Masters of Public Health in Health Administration and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

So far in her career, Jenny is proud of coordinating a collaborative community health needs assessment and plan with three local hospitals, including 100 other partners, assisting living facilities, workplaces, and park districts to create tobacco-free policies, and training teens to become their own advocates to revise school policy to address vaping issues

In her spare time, Jenny loves to read and camp. She also spends a lot of time at the hockey rink with her husband and two children.

She is excited to be back to her health education roots here at Candor and loves working with kids and being a part of their day.

Sherry joined Candor Health Education as their LMS Coordinator in September of 2023. Prior to joining Candor Health Education, Sherry worked as a Developmental Training Coordinator for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois where she worked assisting developmentally disabled adults with their everyday health needs for four years. She also worked as an LMS Training Coordinator at Comcast for eleven years where she gained her extensive LMS background and knowledge. Sherry graduated with an Associate in Arts degree with an emphasis on Business Administration. She is excited to be part of an organization that educates young people in making important life-changing decisions. She enjoys travelling, crafting, and spending time with her husband, three kids and her two cats Minnie and Spud.

Sarah joined Candor Health Education in August 2021 as a part time Health Educator.  She has a background in case management and home healthcare coordination and is very passionate about the need for inclusive, equitable, science based sex and drug education reaching children so is very excited to be starting in a career path that helps facilitate that mission.  Sarah received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and lives in Lombard with her husband and four children.

Carly joined Candor in February 2025. She received her bachelor’s degree in Community Health Promotion from Illinois State University with a focus in School Health Education.

Throughout her career, Carly has been a substance use educator and focuses on teaching middle school students about how to make healthy choices and what the risks of substance use are. She has loved helping equip students with the tools they need to make healthy choices, now and in the future. Carly has also worked on multiple coalitions, all with the same goal of reducing youth substance use and using different marketing and educational tactics to help reduce those numbers.

Carly is excited to be a part of the Candor team because educating our community’s youth is one of her biggest passions. She took our Candor programs in 5th grade and remembers being fascinated by these topics. It’s always been a dream of hers to be a Candor Health Educator!

In her free time, Carly loves to play music and sing with her husband, play video games or board games with family, and spend time at home with her two cats.

Ydalis joined Candor Health Education in October 2021 as an Administrative Assistant.  Before joining Candor Health Education, she worked at Oak Park Hospital Senior Services, VA mail-out pharmacy, and Westchester Public Schools. She is happy to join an organization that empowers young people to make important and informative life-changing decisions. Ydalis enjoys traveling and camping with her husband, 3 kids and London, her Schnauzer. She also is an animal lover who has fostered over 30 cats and kittens.

Carol graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with a double major in Psychology and Diversity Studies. She loves learning about the brain, it’s development, and how that development affects many different cultures across the world.

She spent most of her career working with orphaned children who have suffered severe trauma, teaching therapeutic ways to unlearn certain behaviors. She also taught children who suffer with severe mental illnesses, autism, and down syndrome.

She loves to travel. Her goals is to visit every single country in the world at least once. She also loves trying new foods and learning about other’s cultures.

Since joining Candor Health Education in 2008, Karime has become the welcoming face and voice for Candor Health Education. She is responsible for the reservation system and schedules nearly 80,000 students a year,providing program confirmations and invoicing. With her mastery of the system and understanding of all of Candor Health Education’s offerings, she is able to guide teachers and parents toward programs that meet their needs. Additionally, she coordinates vendor visits and provides administrative support throughout Candor Health Education.

Sandi joined the Candor Health Education as a Health Educator in the Fall of 2018. Prior to joining the Candor Health Education team, Sandi spent several years working in DuPage County managing a Special Olympics sports program in a community special recreation cooperative for youth and adults with disabilities. It is here where she realized her passion for helping school aged children feel empowered and in control of their health and lifestyle choices. She looks forward to continuing this passion through delivering community health, sex, and drug education programs under the mission and vision of Candor Health Education. Sandi received a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation and Master of Science in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Illinois State University.

Shelly joined the Candor Health Education staff in October 2015 as the Grants Manager. Prior to Candor Health Education, she worked for the McHenry County Department of Health as a grant writer and manager of a community outreach, education and health insurance enrollment grant as part of the initial roll-out of the Affordable Care Act. She has a Master’s in Public Health from Tulane University and a BA in International Relations from Tufts University. Shelly worked as a health educator for the US Peace Corps in Ecuador early in her career and is very happy to help sustain and expand Candor Health Education programming for the next generation.

Sarah joined Candor Health Education as an Administrative Assistant in July of 2018. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Northern Illinois University, Sarah worked for five years for a non-profit organization helping adults with disabilities live full and abundant lives. The following six years were spent working for Northwestern Medicine in the inpatient Behavioral Health and Addictions settings. The topics of general and mental well-being are important to Sarah and she believes that educating children on these topics can lead to healthy, productive adults.

Mishawn Purnell-O’Neal joined Candor Health Education in the Fall of 2016. As a Health Educator, she strives to pique the interest of young audiences by delivering science-based content while making the real-world connection. She is a double-alumni of Benedictine University, receiving a Master in Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Education. Mishawn has worked in several Public Health settings (March of Dimes, American Academy of Pediatrics, and SIDS Alliance). To broaden her Public Health outreach, she publishes books, educational activities, and board games designed for children and youth. Mishawn is a passionate Public Health professional, and is delighted to be a member of the Candor Health Education family.

Tara joined the Candor team in 2023 with a passion to connect with young people to empower them to make informed, educated decisions about their bodies and their health. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Carroll University in Wisconsin. Tara taught 3rd and 4th grade and coached basketball at the middle school level for several years. She then took time away from her profession to raise her three sons in the western suburbs. During that time Tara committed herself to volunteer leadership roles in her community schools and church. Tara enjoys live music, fitness, travel and spending time outside with her husband, her boys and her dog, Sadie.

Laura joined Candor Health Education as Business Development Manager in September 2017. She previously worked in business development for Orangetheory Fitness and began her career as a fifth-grade teacher after earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Dayton. Her connection to Candor Health Education spans several perspectives: she attended its programs as a fifth-grade student, later brought her own students as a teacher, and has experienced the organization’s impact as a parent. This longstanding connection gives her a distinct understanding of Candor Health Education’s mission and the communities it serves.

Tammi has worked in community health for over 25 years mostly in the areas of sexuality education and substance abuse prevention. She has taught in schools, universities, correctional facilities, after-school programs, and drug treatment centers.

Tammi has a Bachelor of Science in School Health Education from Western Illinois University and a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in community health from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.  She has published teaching ideas in peer-reviewed journals, presented at state and national conferences, and is a lifetime member of Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Health Science Honorary.

In her free time, Tammi enjoys outings with her family, working on jigsaw puzzles and reading.

Rose grew up in Chicago’s western suburbs.  As a child, she traveled to many of the National Parks on road trips with her parents, which fostered a love of the natural world. She earned a B.S. in Teaching of Biology with a minor in Health Education at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. After graduating, she began her teaching career at Oak Park and River Forest High School, where she taught biology and health education for 35 years. Rose helped develop the health education class at OPRFHS, which was a semester-long class taught within the science department.

While teaching at the high school, she earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and Curriculum Development.  Rose also earned a certification in Secondary Counseling and went on to earn an Ed.S. in counseling.  Rose has always enjoyed teaching and sharing her love of biology with her students.  While teaching health education, she realized the vital role of these topics for her students, who need accurate information to make good decisions about their health.

When Rose retired from the high school in 2008, she began working at Candor Health Education. Rose is passionate about teaching Candor’s classes, which allow students to learn about important changes in their lives as they mature, ask questions, and gain information about decisions they will make. Rose believes Candor’s substance use prevention classes are essential in today’s world of information often gathered from social media, and help them make healthy decisions.

When she’s not teaching, Rose enjoys spending time with her daughters and grandchildren. She is an avid traveler and loves photographing the new places she visits. She also enjoys quilting and sewing.

Steve attended Northeastern Illinois University where he specialized in Secondary Education Language Arts, and majored in Communications, Media, and Theatre. Steve found his passion for Health Education while working as a Community Educator for Planned Parenthood within Chicago Public Schools. Through Candor, Steve has been able to embrace his enthusiasm for teaching while promoting vital health information focused on youth development, drug awareness, and healthy sexuality. At home, Steve is a parent and foster parent to a house full of beautiful energetic children who provide him with a somewhat valid excuse to still read comic books and play video games.

Sarah joined Candor Health Education in April of 2024. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sales/Marketing from DePaul University and her Masters in Accounting from Benedictine University. A career highlight for Sarah has been being able to balance being a stay-at-home mom while working in a field she loves working in. Sarah is excited to work at Candor because everyone on the Candor team is so passionate about the work they do for students, teachers, and families. Sarah has two daughters and a dog, and in her free time she loves to garden and spend time with her family.

Lance received his Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from Illinois State University. After graduating, Lance began working with the Kane County Health Department as a Health Contractor, aiming to lower childhood obesity and tobacco use within the community.In February of 2011, Lance joined Candor Health Education as a Health Educator. In addition to teaching, Lance contributes to curriculum development and educator scheduling.

Ashley joined Candor in October 2025. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern Business College. For the past ten and a half years, Ashley worked for a supply chain brokerage where a large part of her role was building relationships to bring in more revenue. She is excited to be at Candor and work with a passionate and caring team and looks forward to playing a role in children’s education.

In her spare time, Ashley loves spending time with her husband and two kids. When she’s not running to her kids sporting events, she loves to travel, try new coffee shops, spend time outside, and listen to live music (country music is her favorite!).