Leadership

Officers

Peggy Jacques, MS, RN

Founder and Executive Director

Peggy is a Registered Nurse currently working full time at OSF Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic as a Diabetes Resource Educator. Peggy has her Masters Degree in Community Health Nursing and a certificate in Gerontology Health Care. Peggy has worked in multiple health care settings from intensive care, public health, outpatient clinics, education, and administration. In this current phase of her career, Peggy is determined to establish the Graceland Center as a legacy of health and wellbeing for older adults in the Peoria area. She lives in Peoria with her husband Renaldo and they are the parents of three adult children.

Cindy Johnson

Chairperson

Cindy was born and raised in Peoria, and she is the oldest of three. She graduated from Peoria High School and has worked at one of the local nursing homes. She graduated from ICC with a certificate in Medical Office Assisting, working at Unity Point for 25 plus years. She recently retired from OSF HealthCare where she was a Project Assistant in Nursing Administration. She and her husband have been married for 45 years with two adult children and one grandson. Cindy decided to become a member of Graceland after being a caregiver for your mom in her later years. Aging is part of life and is a process. Having someone to reach out to is comforting and gives you some peace. Cindy enjoys sharing with others what she knows and has learned to help them in their caregiver role. Cindy looks forward to working with the Graceland board and others so we can have purposeful aging.

Nancy Bailey

Treasurer

Nancy is a registered nurse who has been an educator at Saint Francis College of Nursing since 1992. Prior to her employment at the College, she worked in public health nursing at Tazewell County Health Department. Her specialty is community health nursing and she has been teaching in this area since her employment at the College. Nancy received a master’s degree from University of Illinois at Chicago in community health nursing and a doctorate of nursing practice from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing. She has provided preventive nursing care to older adults in the home and educated nursing students on the care of older adults for many years. Nancy has worked to advocate for the prevention of opioid overdoses in the local community by providing education to social service agencies on the administration of Naloxone. She has also been a member of the Peoria Drug Prevention Coalition. Nancy lives in north Peoria.

Nyrobi Wheeler

Secretary

Nyrobi Wheeler is a college professor of business management, leadership and communication for various colleges across the Midwest. She is a self-publishing author of several e-books on Spanish, French, Italian, African American history and career advice as well as the co-author of several books on Black Women. She received both her Master and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees from Roosevelt University. In the past, she has served as an AmeriCorps service as well as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, developing online courses and watching classic tv shows and movies.

Board Members

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Christine Clemons

Chris is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, with 35 years of experience working with older adults in a variety of settings, clinical and community based, including Director’s positions in Memory Care Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, and Inpatient Rehabilitation. She also served as the Program Director for the Central Illinois Alzheimer’s Association, and as a community volunteer with the Peoria Junior Women’s Club, the St. Thomas School PTO, and currently with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Chris earned her BS at the University of Illinois, and holds specialized certifications in Dementia Care. Her experience with older adults in these various roles and organizations has clearly honed her commitment to the necessary actions needed to prevent loss of function, and promote sense of purpose for persons as they age. Chris resides in Peoria with her husband Jim and are the proud parents of three adult children.

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Tom Eertmoed

Tom is actively engaged in the Peoria community as facilities manager at the East Bluff Community Center. Volunteering with several programs, especially the EBCC weekly food pantry, St. Bernard’s Parish and Boy Scouts, keeps him busy. Tom earned his Master of Science in Information Technology and worked at Illinois Central College in Library Services until retirement in 2019. Since retirement, Tom has seen the need for older adults to remain connected to services and other people for their wellbeing and is looking forward to creating a center where this connecting can occur. Tom resides in Peoria with his wife Sue and they are the parents of a son and grandparents to two grandsons.

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Jenni Brooks

Jenni currently works as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor on the inpatient psychiatric unit at UnityPoint Health Methodist and also sees clients on an outpatient basis.  Not only does Jenni provide therapeutic prevention and intervention, she also establishes community resources for patients prior to discharge from the hospital.  Jenni has many years of experience as a director of residential facilities for intellectual and developmentally disabled adults which included older adults and those with early onset dementia.  Jenni worked at the Department of Children and Family Services for 15 years and also had a foster care license for 12 years which led to the adoption of two wonderful children, a daughter who is now 28 and a special needs son who is age 20.  In 2013, Jenni obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Ashford University in Iowa.  Jenni continued her education by obtaining a Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Capella University in Minneapolis Minnesota in 2018 and immediately began working on a PhD in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior.  Jenni is currently working on the completion of the research and dissertation piece of the PhD degree at this time.  Jenni is passionate about all individuals, and prides herself on her ability to advocate for services and improve outcomes for all members of society.  Jenni owns a home in Peoria, Illinois where she resides with her family. 

Robin Lehner

“Hello, all you Graceland People!” My name is Robin Lehner and I am retired from working 20 years as a Program Specialist for Sommer Park. Every day was a new adventure.

I want to tell you about my new adventure. Walking into Graceland and seeing their sign “Aging with Vitality” really struck in my mind. I met Christa and later Peggy; two devoted people for seniors for them to serve and provide seniors weekly interesting programs. What Graceland was offering seniors is what drew me to more events.

Well, guess what? I am now teaching low-impact classes. I want to hear people laughing and having fun!

I am so proud to be on the Graceland board. I hope to bring ideas and help in serving our seniors. By being with the seniors in classes and serving on the board, I think I have more to offer.

Come and join us at Graceland for fun, education, and most of all, meeting other Seniors. Bring a friend. There is always room for more seniors!”

Felisa Durr

Felisa was born and raised in Madison, Alabama, a suburb of Huntsville, AL. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, with a minor in Computer Science at Alabama A & M University (AAMU) and a Master’s in Business Administration from University of Phoenix Online. She is the mother of two successful sons David and Cameron, who are also AAMU graduates. In June 2023, Felisa became the new President/CEO of the Tri-County (Peoria) Urban League.

Felisa has experience with Caterpillar as a Robotics Engineer and Global Purchasing Buyer Manager, served as the Executive Director of the Central Illinois Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CICBVI) and brought national attention to the center as the owner of the original white cane invented in Peoria, IL. She developed multiple programs for the Minority Business Development Center. She enjoys multiple hobbies. Felisa is known for the good work she has been doing in the community for 33 years.

Emma Bailey

Emma is a Clinical Digital Care Nurse Supervisor at OSF OnCall in downtown Peoria, Illinois. Emma also recruits and enrolls patients with chronic conditions in a remote patient monitoring program using the latest home monitoring technology through a Medicaid Innovative Collaboration.

Emma was a social worker with fifteen years of experience as a foster care case manager, women's counseling/ case manager, open adoption worker, and recruitment/ enrollment/family development preschool program coordinator. Emma has volunteered as an abstinence educator, teen counselor, and Court-appointed Special Advocate.

Emma's first degree was from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Emma then obtained a degree from Illinois Central College and OSF College of Nursing. Emma is an ICU-trained nurse who worked in the Neuro ICU at OSF and then worked as a lead neurosurgeon's nurse. Emma then returned to the hospital setting as a charge nurse of a medical-surgical inpatient floor and an outpatient with the observational floor. Emma's next step was becoming a case manager in the emergency department before finally landing at OSF OnCall. Emma is a Peoria resident who is a married mother of two daughters, one who is also a married nurse and one who is a seventeen-year-old senior in high school.  Emma is also the proud grandmother of two grandchildren. Emma is passionate about her work in the community and supports the growth and development of all members of society with a special emphasis on the vulnerable and disenfranchised.