Hall of Fame Award Winners
The House In The Wood Hall of Fame Award recognizes individuals who elevate the Northwestern Settlement Mission to nurture, educate and inspire children and families in need.
2024 - Beth Boehrer
We are pleased to honor Beth Boehrer as our 2024 House in the Wood Hall of Fame honoree.
Beth has spent over two decades working tirelessly for Northwestern University Settlement. As a member of the North Shore Board, Beth held numerous committee chair positions and volunteered her time, effort and talent to both Camp and the Settlement’s broader mission of disrupting generational poverty. As a North Shore Board member, Beth co-chaired the board’s fundraising benefit twice, including the first iteration of the “Glitter Ball” (now known as the House in the Wood Gala), and was the President of the North Shore Board in 2007. In addition to serving on the North Shore Board, Beth served on the Settlement’s governing Board of Directors for 3 years, and continues to serve as a non-board member of the board’s education committee.
The North Shore Board is proud to honor Beth as the 2024 House In The Wood Hall of Fame Award, which recognizes individuals who elevate the Northwestern Settlement Mission to nurture, educate and inspire children and families in need. Beth joins a beloved group of past Hall of Fame Award recipients who share her passion to open doors to better futures for Chicago’s children, and inspire women to make dreams a reality: Kathy Elliott (2016), Patricia M. Johnson (2017), Valerie Hall (2018), Paula Danoff (2019), Pamela Russell (2022) and Carol Golder (2023).
2023 - Carol Golder
We are pleased to honor Carol Golder as our 2023 House in the Wood Hall of Fame honoree.
Carol’s dedication to Northwestern Settlement has transcended almost two decades, both in her roles on the North Shore Board and the Settlement's Board of Directors and as an enthusiastic donor. She joined the North Shore Board in 2003 and quickly became an integral part of its work. Carol held numerous committee chair positions during her service, volunteering her time, effort and talent to both Camp and to the Settlement’s broader mission. She, along with past Hall of Fame honorees Patty Johnson and Paula Danoff and North Shore Board alumnae Mimi Harris, founded and chaired the Alumni Board, as they realized there was an unmet need to connect former board members to the current board and the benefits of keeping alumni connected to the Settlement and Camp.
In 2010 Carol was elected to the Settlement’s Board of Directors where she served on the Board and Executive Committee for 9 years. Her primary role was working hand in hand with the Development Team, helping to drive corporate and individual support to further the mission of disrupting generational poverty.
On a personal note, she and her husband David have supported every major capital campaign since learning about the Settlement’s groundbreaking work, including the Family CARES Program launch, the 125th anniversary capital campaign, which included funding the Golder Cabin at Camp, and the Ron Manderschied’s Legacy Fund for Teen and Young Adult programming.
Carol joins a beloved group of past Hall of Fame Award recipients who share her passion to open doors to better futures for Chicago’s children, and inspire women to make dreams a reality: Kathy Elliott (2016), Patricia M. Johnson (2017), Valerie Hall(2018), Paula Danoff (2019) and Pamela Russell (2022).
2022 - Pamela Russell
We are pleased to honor Pamela Russell as our 2022 House in the Wood Hall of Fame honoree. Pamela's dedication knows no bounds. Not only has she held almost every board leadership and committee chair position possible, she has spent over two decades committed to the Camp and Settlement mission, and all Settlement families.
Since 2008, you would find Pamela, along with her family, serving food at the Thanksgiving Dinner with a smile on her face. That same year she began coordinating the Christmas Santa Toy Room, spending months planning, coordinating and making sure there was a huge supply of toys for families to access for their children. Pamela also dedicated her time to the decorating and renovating at the Settlement House. Pamela was a past president of the North Shore Board and is a current member of the Alumni Board.
Pamela joins a beloved group of past Hall of Fame Award recipients who share her passion to open doors to better futures for Chicago’s children, and inspire women to make dreams a reality: Kathy Elliott (2016), Patricia M. Johnson (2017), Valerie Hall (2018) and Paula Danoff (2019).
2019 - PAULA DANOFF
The fourth annual Hall of Fame award was presented to Paula Danoff, an alumna of the North Shore Board and former member of the Board Of Directors for Northwestern Settlement.
Paula’s inspiring leadership paved the way for the introduction of the STEM-based outdoor education program at House in The Wood Camp and Northwestern Settlement’s formal education programs: the Early Childhood Education program and Rowe Elementary Charter School.
2018 - VALERIE HALL
The third annual award was presented to North Shore Board alumna Valerie Hall, recognizing her integral role in the expansion of the camp's outdoor education program. Valerie and her husband Bill literally open doors to better futures for each camper and teacher who walks through the doors of the Valerie Hall Outdoor Education Center.
2017 - PATTY JOHNSON
Patricia has served in multiple leadership roles. During her third term as benefit co-chair in 2006, Patricia and Beth Boehrer introduced the Glitter Ball. The popularity of the benefit and Patricia's charismatic leadership inspired transformative House In the Wood renovations.
Leadership gifts including Patricia's namesake PJ's patio enable House In the Wood to continually evolve and support the introduction of the year-round outdoor education curriculum for students and teachers.
2016 - KATHLEEN AND MICHAEL ELLIOTT
For their extraordinary impact within the organization over the past 20 years, including their generous gift of the new Elliot House residence and Elliott Lodge dining hall and kitchen facility.