Viewpoints Board Bios

Here are brief bios of the Viewpoints Board bloggers:

Kerry Burd
Hometown: Caledonia
Age: 46
Occupation: Coordinator of the School Psychology and Educational Diagnostician departments, Rockford School District
Top concern: Education and race relations. “There are so many things people want to say to each other that aren’t said.”

Dr. Raymond C. Garcia
Hometown: Roscoe
Age: 41
Occupation: Medical director, Singer Mental Health Center; assistant professor of clinical psychiatry, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford
Top concern: “A big issue we deal with at Singer is finding (patients) a home. They are ready to leave and often there is no place for them to go.”

Jan Herbert
Hometown: Rockton
Age: 59
Occupation: Special projects coordinator, Rockford Park District
Top concern: “We are all so time-starved,” leading to her worries about nature deficit disorder. “The environment is my passion.”

The Rev. Herbert Johnson Jr.
Hometown: Rockford
Age: 32
Occupation: Pastor, Liberty Baptist Church
Top concern: “How to attract and develop business professionals in our communities.”

Phil R. Knight
Hometown: Machesney Park
Age: 34
Occupation: Conferencing consultant
Top concern: “Crime. Five thousand-plus crimes per 100,000 residents in Rockford? Whoa! What’s wrong with that picture?”

Ed Leach
Hometown: Rockford
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired engineer, Woodward Governor; currently the volunteer construction coordinator for Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity
Top concern: “Low-cost, affordable housing. If you can provide affordable housing, some of the education problems will be resolved. You’ll have a safe place to study and not be in danger just by being in your own house.”

Erin Werthman
Hometown: Rockford
Age: 28
Occupation: Public relations and development for the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford
Top concern: “My big issue is education and young professionals in the community. We are losing them to other big cities.”