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team section

Dana Bax

Clerk
 

Michael O. Wright

Trustee

Vanessa Sanchez

Trustee

Michael O. Wright

Trustee

Dana is a resident of Westchester who has spent over 20 years in public service at the local and federal levels. Her wealth of knowledge and experience consists of: housing policy and programming, grants management, infrastructure and economic development, nutrition assistance policy and programming, labor relations, and union members’ rights.

Currently, she works for the federal government in the environmental protection and health and safety fields. Dana is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Public Administration. She also earned a master’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. Rounding out her education, with a technical certificate from Northwestern University in Information Systems Project Management.

A proud mother of her two teenage boys and her very active five-year old dog, Willow. Dana’s hobbies include cooking and traveling, and taking long walks or runs in the nearby forest preserves.

Travis is a staunch supporter of entrepreneurship and is a retired Mortgage Broker where he managed and operated a budget of over $5,000,000. As a 33 year resident of Westchester, Travis and his wife, Dr. Anita, have been active supporters of local school and community organizations in the western corridor of Cook County.

Currently, Travis is serving on several Boards: Mission Director for North America of Broadview – Board Member, Multimedia Director, and Orchestra Member. As Missions Director he has led mission teams to every coast in the United States. In addition, he previously served as the President of Our Lady of the West Side School Board. Travis has also volunteered for Kids in Clubs benefiting disadvantaged youth wanting to participate in golf.

Travis and Dr. Anita are proud parents and grandparents to their two daughters and four grandchildren. He is a graduate of Wiley college where he earned his Bachelor Degree in HIstory and Music.

A dedicated member of the community, Travis wants to preserve our small town charm while balancing our anticipated growth. He is a strong believer in doing what is needed to help our community thrive. He is ready to fight for the future of all residents. He looks forward to the future growth of the Village of Westchester and being a part of its continued efforts.

Vanessa Sanchez is an alum of the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana where she graduated with a degree in Sociology. Vanessa’s passion for people has resulted in her having an impact on thousands of lives which has been a key driver in her nonprofit management experience, which tallies well over 12 years.

Currently, she serves as the Community Advocacy Director at LiftUp Communities in Chicago.

In this role, she connects working families with resources that assist them in creating stability in their lives. Previously, her work included providing educational resources as a liaison to help support families in an effort to enhance their knowledge base. She facilitated programs and provided access to conversations for teens and adults around topics such as: mental health, social emotional learning, life skills development, and financial literacy.

Vanessa is dedicated to educating the masses on public health. She strongly believes in building up social components of wellness, quality of life, and access to a healthy lifestyle for all. For Vanessa, Seeing people’s strengths and creating pathways through sustainable action plans which strengthens families and communities at large is a passion of hers that will never fade.

Having worked at the Iocal, national, and international levels, Vanessa’s knowledge base has grown tremendously through studying communities, government, and the foundational needs of support people need. With these insights and ideas, she has identified various ways to reduce gaps among marginalized communities and populations.

Vanessa’s experience makes her an excellent addition to the team. Having worked on additional social causes such as violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, and teen pregnancy prevention has taught her how to be proactive. Being proactive on issues and having early and positive interventions in place help reduce the amount of issues that may actually arise. Her ability to problem solve is profound and her ability to listen has served her well and will serve the Village of Westchester in a positive way.

Vanessa is dedicated to this call to action and is ready to empower the residents of Westchester and use her purpose-driven approach and creative thinking abilities to have a positive impact on the community.

Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her family, which includes extended family-members and close friends. She loves to travel, explore beaches, cultures and cuisines of the world. She coaches high school softball and participates in adult recreation teams to have fun and stay active.

Michael has over 22 years of experience in ministry, pastoral care, and community service. Currently serving as Senior Pastor of True Freedom Ministries in Oak Park, Michael is ecstatic to run for the position of Trustee in the Village of Westchester.

He and his family are no strangers to Westchester as they have been residents for over 22 years. Fond memories of his children playing at Gladstone Park and riding their bicycles around town fill his spirit.

Pastor Wright has been married to his lovely wife Tiffany Wright for 28 years and believes with every fiber in his being that Tiffany is a unique lady that has been the perfect partner in his life. Michael also has three marvelous sons: Michael, a Senior at Trinity Christian College, Donovan, a sophomore at Moody Bible Institute, and Phazione, an early graduate of Cornell University, who also holds a Master’s degree from Indiana State University in Sports Management.

Michael’s hands-on ministry and evangelism spans across two decades and four continents. His dedication and faithfulness to various church communities across the city and surrounding areas of Chicago has made a positive impact on his life but most importantly the lives of others. From being a Keynote Speaker for non-profit organizations to sharing the Good News when he can, Michael is a willing vessel, who is eager to serve the Village of Westchester.

His educational journey began when he graduated from Proviso West high school. After that Michael attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. and continued to seek more knowledge by attending Progressive School of Ministry and engaging in theological studies at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He also completed master- level Religious Studies coursework and research at Harvard University.

All in all, Michael Wright is an excellent choice for Trustee in Westchester and is ready to get to work for the Village of Westchester!

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