Paul Sacaridiz is the Executive Director of Ragdale located here in Lake Forest. Ragdale is a nonprofit artist community located on the former country estate of Arts & Crafts architect Howard Van Doren Shaw and his wife, poet and playwright, Frances Wells Shaw. 

Each year it offers 150 residencies and fellowships to creative professionals of all types, making Ragdale one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. Paul joined Ragdale in April. He brings 25 years of experience to the organization, with a background that includes art making, teaching, and administration. 

He has held leadership positions in both higher education and the nonprofit sector.

Amy Wagliardo came to Gorton in April of 2016. She has spent her career in arts and cultural programming, having previously worked with the Dallas Symphony Association, the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation (now the AT&T Performing Arts Center), Southern Methodist University, and Midwest Young Artists.

She holds an M.A. in Arts Management and an MBA from SMU, as well as an undergraduate degree in music from the same. She has also completed the Kellogg Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northwestern University. Having grown up in central Indiana, Amy lived in Texas for 22 years before moving to the North Shore with her family in 2014. Amy loves being back in the Midwest and feels very lucky to work at Gorton. She is the treasurer for her children’s school PTSA.

When she is not working, she spends quality time with her family going on all sorts of adventures near and far. She lives in Lake Bluff with her husband Sam and two sons.

Mr. Laximinarayan became the Executive Director of the Lake Forest Library on May 1, 2023.  He has previously worked at libraries across India and the United States and has most recently worked for a consulting firm that assists libraries in strategic planning, community engagement, and marketing. Ishwar has been active in local, state, regional, and national library organizations and was selected by the Public Library Association for its inaugural Leadership Fellowship at Harvard University.

Michael Simeck is a name that is probably familiar as from 2012 to 2021 he was the Superintendent for Districts 67 and 115 here in Lake Forest. 

He left in the spring of 2021 to be the Superintendent for District 109 which encompasses six elementary and middle schools in Deerfield Illinois. Prior to being at Lake Forest, he was a superintendent and teacher in Michigan.  Mike and his wife still reside in Lake Forest and have three children, all of whom graduated from LFHS.

Chris is the current president of the Lake Forest Caucus. 

Chris has lived in Lake Forest since 2011 with his wife and two sons. Born and raised in Chicago, Chris graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Computer Science.  He has spent his career in the telecommunications and technology industries.

Founded in 1935, the mission of the Lake Forest Caucus is to recommend qualified citizens to serve in Lake Forest government and on the School Boards via an independent, nonpartisan process. All Lake Forest registered voters are members of the Caucus.