Board of Directors
The board of directors, whose composition is one part community members, one part parents of children attending the Charleston Community Early Learning Center, and one part members of Wesley United Methodist Church, oversees the total operation of the Center. They are responsible for policy, budget, communications/marketing, personnel, parent/teacher collaboration and more.
We are pleased to introduce our current board members:
Mark Hudson
Mark Hudson is honored to be serving as President of the Board of Directors. He has been on the board since 2005, and greatly values the importance of providing an environment that helps our youngest citizens receive a caring, nurturing and developmental experience that will positively shape the rest of their lives. This is the fourth child care organization he has served, and he is impressed every day by the great work our staff does to maximize the growth of our children.
He is the Director of University Housing and Dining Services at Eastern Illinois University, and also a proud alum of EIU, where he received his undergraduate degree in Business and master’s degree in College Student Affairs.
Tyler Weaver
A lifelong resident of Charleston and EIU alumnus, Tyler serves on the Board as a community member. Tyler is an attorney at Geisler & Weaver, and through practicing law, met his wife, Tracy, who is a prosecutor in Moultrie County. Together they have a son who attends CCELC. Tyler joined the board in 2017 and is thankful for the opportunity to assist CCELC having witnessed firsthand the exceptional quality of service and dedication the teachers and staff show their young students each day.
Cleve Karch
Cleve provides outstanding financial expertise to the Board. He has served on the Board since his now-adult daughter was a child at the Center. Cleve is a CPA.
Kelly Best (Hutti)
Kelly is on the faculty of the School of Technology at Eastern Illinois University as an instructor in the Organizational Development program. She is a proud alumnus of the University of Illinois and Eastern Illinois University. She is happy to support the teachers and staff who care for her children. She has served on the board since 2019.
Sally Bock
Sally Bock joined the CCELC Board in 2019 as a community member. She retired from Eastern Illinois University in 2017. As a mother and grandmother, she knows how important it is to have a place with the care, service, learning opportunities, and dedication that exists at CCELC. Sally is looking forward to helping the Center continue to provide an excellent program for the children and parents of our community.
Polly Claeys
Polly is a speech-language pathologist in private practice. She works primarily with young children. She recognizes the importance of a stimulating and nurturing environment in a child’s development and is happy to support the mission of CCELC and be of service to its staff and families as a member of the Board. Polly joined the Board in 2018.
Daylea Ethridge
Daylea joined the board in January 2022.
Jenn King
Jenn and her family moved to the area in 2019 and has loved integrating into the Charleston community. Jen has two children, one of which attends the center. She is the Assistant Athletic Director of Academic Services at Eastern Illinois University. Jenn joined the board in January of 2024.
Brittany Tierney
Brittany joined the board in July 2024. Her and her husband both work at Eastern Illinois University and she is the Director of Admissions. The Tierney’s have a son and daughter who attend the center.