Board of Directors

Jeff Brown has dedicated his career to fighting for survivors of abuse. Jeff is the Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. He is in his second term as President of the Board of Directors of CACI and previously served as Vice President. Jeff spent the last decade as a facility dog handler to a Labrador Retriever named Kiwi that worked with children throughout the court process. Jeff is also on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Prosecutor’s Bar Association.

I grew up in Madison County and graduated from Granite City High School in 1990, later earning an associate degree in Industrial Electricity/Electronics from Ranken College. I completed the IBEW Local 309 apprenticeship in 1998. Over the years, I’ve coached youth sports, taught apprentices, served in local government, and worked as an electrical inspector. Today, I’m proud to represent 1,200 workers as Business Manager of IBEW 309 and to support children who have experienced abuse.

Retired in December 2022 as the Director of the Champaign County Probation & Court Services Department. Also served as the Executive Director of the Champaign County Children’s Advocacy Center from 2001 to 2013.

Christopher Tennyson is a former Juvenile Detective and School Resource Officer. Since switching over from law enforcement to the education field, Christopher has taught High School, served as a High School Assistant Principal, High School Principal, Assistant Regional Superintendent, and Regional Superintendent of Schools for Lee, Ogle and Whiteside Counties.

Jackie Diediker, LMSW, is the Executive Director of Braveheart Children’s Advocacy Center, serving Bureau, Henry, Marshall, Putnam, and Stark Counties in Illinois. With over 14 years at Braveheart, Jackie provides leadership in child advocacy, trauma-informed services, and multidisciplinary collaboration to support children and families affected by abuse.

John “JJ” James lives in Springfield, Illinois with his wife, Gale. Married 36 years, they have two grown daughters. John has served in social-service agencies, motivating and supporting youth and families. Guided by the principle of treating others with dignity, he continues his work in public service. He is an author, musician, exercise enthusiast, and church pianist grounded in his faith.

With over 25 years of law enforcement and administrative leadership, I bring a wealth of experience in public safety and governance to the CACI Board. Currently serving as the Agency Security Coordinator for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, my background includes service as an Illinois State Senator and a Captain with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. An FBI National Academy graduate, I am dedicated to advocating for a secure, coordinated response for children in need.

Lisa “Kaye” DeSelms Dent is a partner focusing on elder law, estate planning, and special needs planning. A graduate of Hofstra University School of Law, she previously served as a State’s Attorney and Public Defender. She is active in elder law organizations, serves on multiple boards, and frequently speaks on elder law, estate planning, and related topics. She is dedicated to helping clients plan for security and peace of mind.

Michelle Colquhoun has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She joined Stifel in 2015 after roles at Barclays Wealth and beginning her career at Lehman Brothers. She holds an MBA from DePaul University and a BS in Finance from NIU. Michelle serves on the advisory board of Invest For Kids, is a member of the Local School Council for her neighborhood school and has the privilege of serving as a board member of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois.

Full-time legislator; Chair of Education Policy Committee; Board member: Women In Need Growing Stronger, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois; member: Congress of Women Legislators, Education Commission of the States, Public Leaders for Inclusion Council, Illinois Housing Council, Schaumburg Business Association, League of Women Voters, Illinois House Democratic Women’s Caucus, Green Caucus, Special Needs Caucus, Children’s Caucus, and Cancer Caucus; B.S. in Design, University of Cincinnati.

Theodore Cross has been conducting research on the system response to child abuse and neglect for more than thirty-five years. He was the principal investigator of the Multi-Site Evaluation of Children’s Advocacy Centers and has numerous publications related to CACs. He is the 2018 recipient of the Mark Chaffin Outstanding Research Career Achievement Award from the Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children (APSAC).

Verleaner R. Lane, MA, is a retired child welfare professional and community leader with more than 34 years of experience serving children and families through advocacy, education, and program development. She served as Project Coordinator for Project Child at the University of Illinois at Springfield and retired in 2024. She holds a BA from Northern Illinois University and an MA from Governor State University, where she serves on the Social Work Department Board of Trustees.