Mark Lennon joined Benton House as a teen in 1975. After working as a Benton House junior and senior day camp counselor, he joined the board of directors in 1984. In 2001, Mark became Program Director. He then took over the Day Camp Director position in 2003, tripling enrollment in his first two years. Mark developed the Sound Alternative Job Training Program with Bill Green in 2007 that has expanded to include the Electrical Maintenance Program.

As the Director Mark instituted the residency program that allows Benton House to boast of it's biggest staff since the early 70's. Since 2008, Benton House has begun an extensive rehab project and began the Benton House Food Pantry that now has over 700 families as clients.

Mark has spent 31 years working for UPS and volunteers his time to serve as Executive Director of Benton House.

Ben Noetzel is a community-minded artist working as the Youth Programs Coordinator at Benton House. Over the last three years, his work has focused on developing social/educational spaces in our facilities and facilitating project-based activities for youth. Ben studied Art Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has exhibited personal work and collaborated on several public art projects in Chicago.

Kristina Tendilla, originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia; has been teaching youth, history and cultural identity studies for 7 years. Through the use of research, grassroots organizing, community service, visual and performance arts, Kristina has developed her work in different avenues of practice. In 2004, she co-authored, In Our Aunties' Words: The Filipino Spirit of Hampton Roads and in 2006, helped produce In Our Uncles' Words: They Fought for Freedom. In Benton House, she coordinates the food pantry and assists in program development. Outside of Benton House, she teaches at CIRCA-Pintig theater and works with immigrant communities in (AFIRE) Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment. Kristina hopes to continue the development of social services, cultural enrichment, and educational based programming at Benton House.

Matthew Weber has lived in Chicago for one year now and has submerged himself in the world of performance and interior design. At the Benton House he has taken his affinity for the beauty of junk and focused it in a manner that serves the Center by renovating rooms using materials, that would otherwise be garbage, to complete the process. He has worked with Salvage One and various theaters in his design work and looks forward to expanding his market to the furniture industry. Matthew is also a musician and actor with a Bachelors in Theater from Valparaiso University and has performed at The Chicago Art Department, Yoga Now, and Silvie's Lounge. In his music he likes to combine the flight of Spanish guitar with the groove of blues.

After graduating from UIUC with a degree in physics, Luke Wojtaszek decided to pursue further work in social issues. In this vein, he worked at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission mentoring high school students in their college transitions. Luke also took graduate-level courses in community development and grant writing. As a part of Benton House, he is excited to continue helping students with college planning and financial aid. In addition, he is looking forward to working towards the sustainability of Benton House through grant writing and environmental programs.

Megan was born in Larchmont, New York .She went to De Paul University as an undergraduate and received her bachelors degree in Psychology with a focus on Human Development in 2010. She minored in history with a focus on European studies. In the fall of 2010 Megan was introduced to Benton House threw a community service class and fell in love with our mission. Her background is in PR and Marketing for high profile events in Chicago. She is looking forward to creating and coordinating new ideas for fund raising events and bringing them to fruition

Craig Sadur graduated from Illinois State University in 2009. He received his PermaCulture Design Certification and Ecovillage Design Certification from Kibbutz Lotan in Israel, and has interned with Michael Reynolds and Penny Livingston-Stark on sustainable initiatives in Wyoming and California. Craig currently works on the “Joy Garden Project” at Northside College Prep High School and is on the production committee for Recipe for Healthy Places, a city-wide food plan.