Phil Fijal, DDS
president

Dr. Fijal has practiced general dentistry for 30 years.  Since his graduation from Loyola University School of Dentistry in 1986, he has been heavily involved with organized dentistry, holding positions in his component, state and national dental societies.  Currently he holds the position of President-Elect of the Chicago Dental Society (President in 2017), a component society of the American Dental Association that represents 8500 dentists worldwide.  He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Illinois State Dental Society as a Trustee, the Board of Directors of the Chicago Dental Society as a Director from the Northwest Suburban Branch, and as a member of the Council on Governmental Affairs of the American Dental Association.  He is also the Chair of the Dental Advisory Board of Northwest Community Hospital, overseeing a program that treats the dentally underserved community surrounding the hospital utilizing a mobile dental clinic paid for and provided by the hospital.

He has been President of the Board of Directors of the Jeffrey Pride Foundation for 16 years.  Under his tenure the Foundation has raised and contributed over $2,000,000 to research and fight Pediatric Cancer.

James Pride, MD
Vice President & Jeff's dad

Jim has a BS Degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and is a graduate of the University of Illinois Medical School.  He has a private medical practice in Arlington Heights and is on the staff of Northwest Community Hospital.  He has received an AMA Physician Recognition Award.  In his spare time he enjoys tennis and golf.

Kathy Murphy
Treasurer

Kathy grew up in Farmington Hills, Michigan.  She attended Valparaiso University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting in 1982.  She passed her CPA exam and was practicing with Arthur Anderson & Co. before transitioning to private industry.   She spent the next years juggling children and doing accounting work from home taking advantage of the age of the Internet. 

Kathy is married to Jim and they have 2 grown sons living the good life in Colorado and Oregon.  She loves warm weather, when she can partake in vegetable gardening, golfing and outdoor reading.  In addition to her Treasurer duties for the Jeffrey Pride Foundation, she works part time for a local lawyer and travels to see granddaughters.

Jan Fijal
Secretary

Jan received a bachelor’s degree in Dietetics and Nutrition form Northern Illinois University, and worked in numerous positions as a dietitian in a clinical setting including Oncology at Elmhurst Hospital.  She hasspent the last few decades working not as a dietitian, but still in healthcare, as a business coordinator in a dental office.

She has been the secretary for the Jeffrey Pride Foundation since its inception.  Jeff’s passing affected her in a profound way.  After seeing what this innocent little boy had to go through was heartbreaking and she knew that something had to be done so that other parents, family members and friends would not have to experience this.  Research is the only way that the treatments and the outcomes for these kids will get better.

Ann Pride
Jeff's Mom & Board member

Ann has her BSN and after graduation worked on the Coronary Care Unit and in Cath Lab at Northwest Community Hospital.  She left nursing to raise her family during which time she volunteered at school and in the community.  For the last 14 years she has worked at her church, Lutheran Church of the Atonement, as Minister of Outreach, Fellowship and Care in Community.  She also served on the BACOA board for “A Day Out” Adult Respite Care at Atonement until retiring in 2019.  Ann’s dream is to see pediatric cancers cured in her lifetime.

Bob Beaubien Donor Stewardship

Bob received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University. He worked several years at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) before becoming COO of Merchant Direct/Beer Across America.  He spent over 10 years growing and managing this business while also starting two new businesses in the mid 90s - Goose Island Beer Company (the expansion of the original Goose Island Brewpub on Clybourn into a microbrewery which sold to Anheuser-Busch Inbev in 2011) and Windy City Fieldhouse (WCF). He left Merchant Direct to work fulltime at WCF where he still works today. He is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of WCF.

Bob has been with the foundation since 2011 starting first on the Auxiliary Board. He is dedicated to supporting the foundation and its goal to help find the cure for pediatric cancer. Bob and his wife Mary have three children and live in Barrington. Bob is also on the Board of Directors for the Barrington Area Community Foundation. 

Tim Taylor Auxiliary Board Liaison

Graduate of NIU with bachelor of science in Marketing and obtained MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. Spent 27 years with Intermatic Incorporated achieved position of senior VP of Sales and Marketing. Started Light Efficient Design in 2008 which is a leading manufacturer of LED lighting and EV charging products.

Have been involved in the organization since 2008 as an auxiliary board member and then chairman of the auxiliary board.