The Givers – Daily North Shore

Its no secret that the residents of our communities feel a sense of responsibility to care for those around them. For our 10th anniversary, please join us in celebrating 10 givers in the Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Oak Brook, and Clarendon Hills communities who are constantly striving to make our communities exceptional.

TRACEY TARANTINO DIBUONO is synonymous with fashion shows and Chicago area charities. For more than 30 years, DiBuono and her full-service production company, Zzazz Productions, has produced virtual and live runway shows, styling, talent, and more for The Service Club of Chicago; Ingalls Foundation; the Apparel Industry Board; JourneyCare; the Oak Brook Chapter of Infant Welfare Society; St. Jude Chicago; and many more. Her work reaches beyond the local area, but if youve been to a Chicago fashion event for charity, you have most certainly seen DiBuono and the Zzazzs teams tireless work. DiBuono was featured in our August 2020 issue and in our Living & Giving sections.

ROB & STACY JOHNSON jumped in as active philanthropists in the local community as soon as they moved to Hinsdaleoften making black-tie affairs for nonprofits into their date nights. The couple supports organizations such as Wellness House, the Hinsdale Humane Society, Childrens Home + Aid, Misericordia Heart of Mercy, and the Brain Research Foundation. In 2012, former Governor Pat Quinn, even proclaimed September 22 Rob Johnson Day in honor of Robs work with Neumann Family Services. Rob and Stacy were featured on the cover of our December/January 2012 issue and in our Living & Giving sections.

CASSANDRA MA is a clinical psychologist who founded nonprofit Reclaim13 (formerly Compassionate Communities for Children) and Cherish Housethe only specialized safe house in Illinois for minor victims of sex traffickingin 2012. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Downers Grove-based agency whose mission is to end sexual exploitation. Ma was featured in our August 2019 issue and in our Living & Giving sections.

LISA KOLAVENNU started with Wellness Housea nonprofit that offers programs which support those living through cancer and their friends or family members13 years ago. She currently serves as the nonprofits Executive Director, where she brings her talented skillsetcombining her background in psychology with a personal understanding of the support needed by Wellness Houses clients, due to her own fathers cancer diagnosis years earlier. Kolavennu was featured in our February 2021 issue and in our Living & Giving sections.

STEVE & MEGAN DRAGICH met in 1978, just before Megan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) a life-changing moment. Since then, the Dragichsalong with their two childrenhave made finding a cure to T1D a priority. Serving as the JDRFs 2015 Fund A Cure family, the couple has raised nearly $1 million on behalf of the organization. The Dragichs were featured in our November 2020 issue.

DR. CHRIS COLBERT is not only an attending ER physician, but the Assistant Program Director of the emergency medicine residency program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)a role which became even more vital in the wake of COVID-19. Colbert continues to educate young doctors in residency and the community on emergency medicine, more recently focusing on social emergency medicine. He serves as a chair for continuing medical education for the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians and in 2021 chaired the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians spring symposiums. Colbert was featured in our February 2021 issue.

JANUARY PAWLUK has made it her mission to empower young girls through Mission Propelle and charity work. She introduced Mission Propelle (formerly Smarty Pants Yoga), an empowerment program for elementary school girls that incorporates yoga, reading, and mentoring, to the students of Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook in 2015. She is also an active member of the Hinsdale Junior Womans Club and Infant Welfare Society AuxiliaryOak Brook Chapter. Pawluk was featured on the cover of our May 2016 issue and in our Living & Giving sections.

JACKELYN KASTANIS founded Simply From The Heart, a nonprofit that provides cancer patients with complimentary bedside beauty services to help raise self-esteem and encourage well-being. Kastanis started the organization in 2015 after her childhood best friend, Brooke Bolley, tragically passed away from esophageal cancer. While Bolley underwent treatment, Kastanis would spend time pampering her friend; helping to lift her spirits during a distressing time. Her organization has helped more than 5,000 critically ill patients nationwide. Kastanis was featured on the cover of our February 2020 issue and in our Living & Giving sections.

Read more:

The Givers - Daily North Shore