2024 Aurora Downtown Board of Directors Meeting Calendar

January 18 – Board Training & Orientation

February 15 – Board Meeting

March 8 - Special Board Meeting

March 21 – Board Meeting

April 18 – Board Meeting

May 16 – Board Meeting

June 20 – Board Meeting

July – No Board Meeting

August 15 – Board Meeting

September 19 – Board Meeting

October 17 – Board Meeting

November 21 – Board Meeting

December 5 – Annual Meeting

Click here to access the Aurora Downtown Public Comment Policy.

Board of Directors —

Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairs and Staff

  • Brian Failing

    Board Chair

    Brian is the executive director at Aurora Regional Fire Museum.

    Aurora Regional Fire Museum

  • Cort Carlson

    Vice Chair

    Cort is the executive director of Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

    enjoyaurora.com

  • Travis Andry

    Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair

  • Kristine Schmidt

    Secretary

  • Raquel Rodriguez

    Governance Chair

  • Nestor "Gio" Rodriguez

    Marketing Chair

    Gio owns Premil, an urban apparel store in downtown Aurora.

  • Tina de Chaud

    Executive Director

    Tina serves as a centralized voice and conduit for the Property and Business Owners of the Aurora Downtown SSA 1 district. She also connects with other downtown businesses to ensure alignment while collaborating with the City of Aurora and Aurora Regional Management Organizations to represent the business development interests of the Aurora Downtown constituent base.

  • Arella Swan

    Arella Swan

    Events & Marketing Assistant

Special Committee Chairs

  • Kelsey Cozens

    BAR Chair

    Kelsey Cozens is the Executive Director of APS Training Academy. She holds a B.A. in Cross-Cultural Communication from the University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom and graduated with First Class Honours. She also holds a TQUK Level 5 Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, the top of her class. Kelsey aspires to empower youth and the immigrant/refugee community to succeed in the STEAM fields so they can help build up Aurora to become the first Smart City in the nation.

  • Streetscape Chair

    TBD

  • Bernie Laskowski

    Events Chair

    Bernie is the Owner (and accomplished Chef) of the Craft Urban Restaurant Group. He is dedicated to business development in downtown Aurora within the restaurant category as well as across all businesses in the downtown district.

Board Directors-At-Large

  • Bart Grometer

    Board Member

    Bart is divisional manager at Mentor Worldwide, and he serves on the board of The Neighbor Project.

  • Jesus Sanchez

    Board Member

    Jesus is the owner of La Quinta de los Reyes, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Aurora.

    laquintaaurora.com

  • Kim Woodin

    Board Member

Standing Directors and Mayor Appointed Directors

  • Mayor of the City of Aurora

    ex-Officio Member

  • Chris Biersdorf

    Standing Director

  • Kim Caponi

    Standing Director

    Kim is the Director of Presidential Communications and Operations at Waubonsee Community College.

  • Trevor Dick

    Mayor Appointed Director

  • Jessica Duplessis

    Standing Director

  • Jen Mendoza

    Standing Director

  • Jill Morgan

    Mayor Appointed Director

  • Mike Nelson

    Mayor Appointed Director

  • Abby Schuler

    Mayor Appointed Director