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Saint Leonard’s Ministries is pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Ian Burch, Will Smith, and John Ekholm to the Board of Directors that supports our mission to serve returning residents.
Rev. Dr. Ian Burch is the Rector at St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church, a welcoming community of faith on the city’s Near North Side. Church members are dedicated to worship, service and engagement with the needs of neighbors in Chicago and throughout the world. Founded in 1893, the church features stained glass that is more than a century old. Prior to joining St. Chrysostom’s in 2024, Rev. Ian served as Rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Milwaukee. He oversaw a major capital campaign, construction of a new parish hall and a fully revitalized music program. He added weekly services and increased lay leadership – nearly doubling church attendance during his tenure.
Raised in Chugiak, Alaska (where his family helped found a small, semi-rural mission Congregation), Rev. Ian attended Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. After graduating, he began Master of Divinity studies at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.
In the eight years following, he served as Lead, Staff and Resident Chaplain at RUSH Oak Park Hospital and VITAS, focusing on hospice, intensive care and emergency clinical services. In 2024, Rev. Burch completed his Doctor of Ministry at The General Theological Seminary in New York.
Rev. Ian was ordained to the priesthood in 2014 in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago and called by St. Chrysostom’s as Associate Rector. During his initial term of service there, he was praised by parishioners for his worship leadership and his work with youth and young professionals – introducing innovative Sunday School and Day School programs.
When he first visited Saint Leonard’s Ministries, Rev. Ian concluded the visit by asking how he could serve our community.
“I think that everyone in this world has some kind of superpower. And one of the joys in this life is finding out what yours is. Mine is this: I can tell when an organization is thriving just by walking around. It’s a sixth sense that I have. And the first time I walked through Saint Leonard’s Ministries, I thought, ‘This place is absolutely extraordinary.’ And my second thought was, ‘I want to be involved.’”
Will Smith, a native Chicagoan, is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Concepts Outside of Ordinary Limits (C.O.O.L.). Will Smith has worked extensively with adults in need of Crisis Stabilization, those involved in the Justice System or on Probation, and individuals struggling with Substance Abuse. Will has formerly served as a Reentry Specialist (Treatment Court) for the United States Probation Office, where he worked to decrease recidivism by providing cognitive restructuring, vocational referrals, and mentoring to individuals released from incarceration.
When asked about his passion for social services, Will shared, “Humans can be compared to automobiles, both having multiple components that contribute to their functioning. Environmental factors affect how well an automobile operates, and similarly, they influence human wellbeing. Comprehensive, holistic services that consider spiritual, emotional, and physical needs support individuals in pursuing their goals, enabling them to navigate the bumps that can be challenging on the roads of life.”
“Saint Leonard’s Ministries provides assistance to individuals who are experiencing hardship or have been recently released. The organization engages respectfully with those it serves, offers various resources, and demonstrates patience towards people at different stages of personal change.”
“While some organizations do not always meet their stated commitments, Saint Leonard’s Ministries not only say what they will do. They then do what they say! When I sent people to Saint Leonard’s, I tell them ‘they got you’. I know Saint Leonard’s will provide for their needs.”
“As a lifelong Social Worker, I’m excited to see where my skillsets fit in as a new Board Member.”
John Ekholm is an architect and project manager with more than 40 years of experience in design and management. He has helped develop several prominent projects, including a $400 million research facility at the University of Chicago to support the Institute of Molecular Engineering and the Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics; a $200 million FBI regional headquarters in Chicago; a $220 million printing plant for the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper; and various construction projects throughout the United States for Northern Trust. He also managed the disaster recovery, building stabilization, reconstruction and environmental abatement of the American Express Building in Manhattan after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. On the city’s West Side, he served as the owner’s representative for Lawndale Christian Legal Center’s Dr. Dennis Deer Community Justice Center that opened last year.
John believes that supporting returning residents is an essential part of society.
“No matter what your beliefs are, there should always be a safety net to allow recovery. We can all fall into that safety net depending on our circumstances, but we have to have it as a society to be cohesive and compassionate. And we have to rely on institutions like Saint Leonard’s,” he said.
When he began studying architecture, he developed a passion for housing. Through his work with community-based nonprofits, John gained the understanding that providing housing alone is not enough to put people in a position to succeed. People also need holistic social support.
“Once I stopped working in the corporate world, and when I had more time to really observe and process what was happening and how I could maybe make a difference, I had always thought of building as a solution – but never all the other aspects of life. When I see people at Saint Leonard’s and the grateful response they have for the necessities that they’re given, I kind of selfishly appreciate just seeing the gratitude. It really energizes you. And now I really thrive on it,” he said.
We are thrilled that these new board members have joined the Saint Leonard’s Community and are committed to our mission of holistic social support.
