ZCS Board of Trustees
Michael Berg was born in Cameroon and spent the majority of his early life in Senegal, before moving to America and graduating high school in Springfield, Illinois. Michael received B.A.’s in Psychology and Integrated International Studies from Knox College in 2002 and a M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology from Illinois State University in 2004. Michael has worked in various capacities in the behavioral health field in Maryland, Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana and is currently a Licensed Mental Health Counselor at Community Health Network’s Community Infectious Disease Care. Michael is the Ryan White Services Program Manager, managing programs serving the non-medical needs of people living with HIV. Michael has expertise in child and family mental health, addictions, trauma, crisis intervention, and LGBTQ issues. Michael has lived in the area since 2014, and has three children who attend Zionsville Community Schools. The Bergs enjoy travel, being outdoors, and participating in all manner of athletic endeavors.
Katie Aeschliman grew up in Kokomo, Indiana. She attended Indiana University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs and later earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis. Katie has 20 years of public sector experience, holding senior roles in banking and government. She worked for several years in the City of Indianapolis in both the Office of Corporation Counsel and the City Controller’s Office. She also worked for the Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank as a Senior Project Manager and Chief Financial Officer prior to joining the private sector. Katie currently serves as Senior Vice President at BMO Harris Bank N.A. in the Institutional Market Group.
Katie moved to Zionsville in 2010 and has served the last seven years as a volunteer Board member of the Zionsville Education Foundation, including 3 years as President.
Katie and her husband, Jake, have two children who attend Zionsville Community Schools.
Jeff Papa, Ph.D. is the chief of staff and general counsel for the Indiana Senate and also served as the first mayor of the Town of Zionsville, Indiana. He has two daughters, both of whom attend Zionsville High School. Dr. Papa previously was an attorney with Barnes & Thornburg, practicing immigration law, and served two terms as chair of the Indiana chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association, as well as two terms on the national board of governors of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association.
In the community, Dr. Papa was formerly President of the Zionsville Town Council, President of the Zionsville Lions Club, and also served as President of the Zionsville Board of Police Commissioners. He is president of the Youth Enhancement Training Initiative, Inc. (which operates an orphanage in Nepal) and a distinguished Fellow of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. In 2016, he was recognized with the Honor Alumni Award from the Rose-Hulman Alumni Association and named a recipient of the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce’s Town Crier award. Dr. Papa is a co-founder and adviser for zWorks, Zionsville’s innovative co-working venture, is a member of the Indiana Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Secretary/Treasurer of the Bosma Visionary Opportunities Foundation, a board member of the Bowen Center for Public Affairs, and has served as a member of the Zionsville Plan Commission, and VP of the Zionsville Board of Zoning Appeals.
Dr. Papa earned his B.S. (Economics/Russian Tech. Trans.) from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and his M.A. from Ball State University (Applied Business Economics). He earned his J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, as well as an LL.M. law degree concentrated in Intellectual Property Law.
Dr. Papa earned his Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Administration from Indiana State University, as well as a graduate certificate in Higher Ed and Student Affairs from IU-Bloomington. He has also completed the Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership at Marian University. He served as president of the Rose-Hulman Alumni Board, as an adjunct professor at McKinney School of Law and IU Bloomington SPEA, has served on external department advisory boards at Ball State University and Rose-Hulman, is a member of the Rose-Hulman Board of Trustees, and has been published in multiple subject areas.
Jennifer Valentine grew up in Lake Orion, Michigan and attended Oakland University where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Resource Managment with a concentration in Training and Development. She was manager of the Computer Consulting group at a CPA firm in Troy, Michigan before having her 4th child and staying home to take care of her busy, growing family. Jen and her husband, Kevin, have four children. Two have graduated from ZCS and two are currently enrolled at Zionsville Middle School. The Valentines have lived in Zionsville for 9 years.
Jen volunteers weekly at HVAF, a homeless shelter in Indianapolis for veterans and their families and is also on the Christamore House Guild that serves underprivileged children in the Haughville neighborhood in Indianapolis. When she is not volunteering at Zionsville Schools, with Zionsville Athletic Boosters or in Indianapolis; Jen enjoys reading, writing, drawing, and being creative, usually outside if the weather cooperates. She can be found on the fields cheering her kids on at their athletic events that include lacrosse, cross country and track or visiting her college-aged kids at their schools. Family time is the best time and the Valentines enjoy being together and traveling whenever possible, mostly to Michigan to visit family.
Dr. Christy Wessel-Powell is an educational researcher and assistant professor at Purdue University’s College of Education. She focuses on literacy and school equity. She is also the director for Purdue’s Center for Literacy and Language Education and Research. She earned her Ph.D. in Literacy, Culture & Language Education from Indiana University-Bloomington. Prior to academia, she was an elementary classroom teacher and literacy coach in high needs urban school districts.
Christy is originally from Greene County, Indiana, where she attended public schools K-12. She and her family have lived in Zionsville since 2017. Her two children attend Zionsville Community Schools.