La Grange Nonprofit Disciplined Top Official: Board

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange nonprofit group whose executive director is accused of sexual harassment is calling its critics' handling of the controversy "highly inappropriate."

At the same time, the group acknowledged it disciplined the executive director, Alan Morales

A couple of months ago, the Lyons Township Mental Health Commission revoked its grant to LeaderShop, which provides leadership opportunities for youth. The commission's money makes up 40 percent of LeaderShop's budget.

In pulling the grant, the commission alleged Morales sexually harassed female township officials last December at a holiday party.

Neither Morales nor the LeaderShop board has publicly disputed the allegations. The board said last month that Morales hasn't "completely incorporated the kind of interpersonal boundaries expected by professional women in today's workplace."

Morales is set to keep getting his $171,000-a-year salary through September. On the group's website, Morales is referred to as the "executive director emeritus," while Paul Kerchberger is listed as "acting executive director."

The group said the management change was made in June, but the information was not on the website until recent weeks.

For the last couple of months, the LeaderShop Alumni Association has called for the group to make major changes. It says the board only has seven members when its bylaws require at least 13.

The association advised the board to add prominent residents as board members. It said in a news release Tuesday that those residents have expressed an interest in joining.

"In addition, a highly experienced Interim Executive Director has been recommended and would even be compensated through a local grant funder," the news release said. "Despite efforts from The Community to work with the Board, they have been met with a lack of urgency and clearly defined next steps."

The association also urged people to sign a petition calling for changes at LeaderShop.

In correspondence with the board, four alumni – Candice Mares, Emily Szymczak, Heather Leininger and Miriam Cruz – have asked the board to fulfill Morales' contract, but no longer have him act as a LeaderShop employee.

"The poor management of Alan Morales resulted in the ongoing disconnect between the board of directors and staff, creating a multitude of problems that have deepened over time," they said in a July 10 letter to the board. "No matter what else was contributing to staff turnover these past two decades, there is no question that Mr. Morales was a majority component."

In an email to Patch on Wednesday, Linn Meyer, the LeaderShop board's president, said the "small group" of alumni does not represent all past participants in the program. She said the board planned to form an official alumni association.

Meyer said the board took a five-step disciplinary action against Morales, which the board's lawyer and a human resources executive approved. That information has been shared with the alumni group, she said.

"Let me be clear: there is no form of harassment that is acceptable, not in the past, not in the present and not in the future," Meyer said. "Despite our attempts to have reasonable conversations with Ms. Mares and her group, they apparently just don’t want to listen to our side of the story."

On Tuesday, Meyer released a statement from the board to Patch.

"It is highly inappropriate – and certainly does not help us to move forward during a difficult time – for a self-appointed 'committee' to try their 'case' in the press, to threaten legal action, and to threaten individual Board members in an effort to force them to agree to their list of demands and deadlines," the statement read. "The self-appointed committee has made itself the arbiter of complex issues that face our organization."

The alumni group said in its statement Tuesday that LeaderShop has made an "undeniable impact" in the lives of thousands of youths over the years.

"The Community knows firsthand how important The LeaderShop is, but the lack of urgency and response by the Board has led to a loss in confidence and credibility in their leadership and has clearly demonstrated a misalignment of their actions to the mission and values of the organization," the group said.

Morales has not addressed the harassment allegations.