STAFF

The Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies (IACAA) is the membership organization that provides a unified voice and support to the poverty fighting network of Community Action Agencies.

LARRY
DAWSON
President & CEO

PHILIP
GENTRY
Manager of Special Programs

ANITA
HOLMGREN
Chief Financial Officer

TONI
HOPKINS
Fiscal Assistant

DIANA
FULLER
Director of Utility and Energy Programs

CHRISTINE
WESTERLUND
Director of Professional Development

HALEY
WilSON
Director of Membership and Executive Services

CARLI
WILTSIE
Community Development Training Specialist

ANDREW
RAINS
Program & Office Administrator

Larry Dawson

President & CEO

Larry Dawson is the President & CEO of the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies. Prior to become President & CEO, Larry served as the Director of Utility and Weatherization Programs for IACAA. Prior to working at IACAA, Larry was the DCEO Deputy Director of Energy Assistance with primary responsibility for LIHEAP, PIPP and Weatherization. Larry began his work with Energy Assistance in 2003.

During his time at DCEO, he worked closely with the Community Action Agencies in an effort to help make energy services more affordable for low-income families. Both LIHEAP.net and STARS were developed during his tenure. Upon his departure from DCEO in 2015, he began providing technical assistance and training as an independent consultant to state Energy Directors around the country.

Philip Gentry

Manager of Special Programs

Philip serves as the Manager of Special Programs. He joined the IACAA team in March of 2016. As the Special Programs Manager, he serves as the subsidy administrator for the agency’s portfolio of rental housing programs. He also oversees IACAA’s special programs related to energy assistance. In addition, Philip produces program-specific reports for the decision-makers within the Illinois General Assembly and Congressional Delegation, relating to the advocacy efforts of our membership.

Philip is from Huntsville, AL where he received his Bachelor’s in Urban Planning from Alabama A&M University. He also received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield, along with a Graduate Certificate in Community Planning.

Anita Holmgren

Chief Financial Officer

Anita is the Chief Financial Officer for IACAA. Prior to joining the IACAA team in January 2010, Anita worked for 12 years at Aurora University in various accounting and management roles. After moving from Aurora to Springfield in 2009, Anita worked at Sikich, LLP as a staff accountant. She serves the IACAA team by overseeing all accounting functions, financial reporting, budgeting, cash management, and auditing. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Aurora University. Anita has two daughters and enjoys gardening, camping, boating, and traveling - and is a Parrothead!

Diane Fuller

Director of Utility and Energy Programs

Diana is the Director of Utility and Energy Programs. She joined IACAA in 2020 and leads IACAA’s efforts with the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP).

Diana Fuller has lived in Central Illinois, most of her life. She graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Renewable Energy, Economic and Public Policy from Illinois State University. In 2014 she received her 1 st publication in the International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development for her research titled “Implementing Sustainable Business Practices in a Hotel and Expanding Green Certification Markets in the Midwestern United States”. This work took her to South
Korea where she also won Best Technical Paper for this research. She received her Master of Art in Environmental Science a focus in Sustainable Development and Policy from the University of Illinois in 2016.

In her downtime, she enjoys volunteering, spending time with her family at home and taking them outdoors to the park, hiking and traveling.

Christine Westerlund

Director of Professional Development

Christine Westerlund is the Director of Professional Development for the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies. Christine has over thirty years of experience working with governmental entities and non-profit organizations as a researcher, grant writer, facilitator and trainer. She holds professional credentials in: Master ROMA (results oriented management and accountability) Trainer, Family and Community Development Specialist, Community Action Professional (CCAP), Scenario Planning, Poverty Coaching, Beegle Gold Star Speaker, National Family Development Credential Instructor, Trauma Informed Care, and Family Centered Coaching Instructor. She was recently elected to the Association of Nationally Certified ROMA Trainers (ANCRT) Board of Directors. Christine is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Vice President of the Chatham Area Public Library District Board of Trustees and an active volunteer in the Springfield community.

Haley Wilson

Director of Membership and Executive Services

Haley joined the IACAA team in January 2016. As the Director of Membership and Executive Services, Haley markets all IACAA events, meetings, trainings and programs. She also serves as the media coordinator for IACAA. In addition, Haley also manages and provides support for all executive projects and activities.

Haley is a Springfield native who enjoys local outdoor activities with her family. She graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Arts from Benedictine University of Springfield and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Strategic Brand Communications.

Prior to joining IACAA, she held the position of Subscription Coordinator at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) where she was responsible for managing and marketing legal publication subscriptions. Haley has also served as a freelance writer for the Springfield Business Journal.

Carli Wiltsie

Community Development Training Specialist

Carli joined the IACAA team in February 2019. Carli focuses on providing training and technical assistance in the area of data collection and data analysis to the Community Action Network. In addition, Carli provides support to the Director of Professional Development.

Carli is from the Springfield area and enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her golden doodle puppy; cooking and spending time outdoors. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a focus in Child and Family Services from Eastern Illinois University. She also obtained a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction of Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University. Carli holds a professional certification in Trauma-Informed Care Training.

Prior to joining IACAA, Carli worked as a Clinician at The Autism Clinic, where she developed individualized treatment plans for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, monitored data collection and performed data analysis to guide programming, and provided training to families on behavioral interventions to use in the home and community.