PLCG BOARD MEMBERS
MAYOR JOHN ARGOUDELIS
PLCG FOUNDER
John Argoudelis is a lifelong Plainfield resident, born and raised on his family’s farm. After earning both his bachelor’s degree (1986) and law degree (1989) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he returned to the Chicago area to build his career and give back to the community he loves.
In 2005, John established his Plainfield law firm, where he has served families and businesses for nearly two decades. Deeply devoted to his hometown, he remains actively involved in the community while continuing to live on the family farmstead. A proud father of two adult children, John is dedicated to making Plainfield an even better place to live, work, and grow for the generations to come.
AMY M. V. Phillips
PRESIDENT
Amy Phillips is a Creative Director & marketing leader with 15+ years of experience. As owner of Swayed Creative, LLC she drives brand growth, integrated marketing strategy and creative excellence for B2B and B2C organizations from startups to Fortune 100 brands. As a board member of two Plainfield charitable organizations and a past board member of Ready Set Ride Therapeutic Riding Facility, Amy brings her love of philanthropy, community, communications and connecting people to PLCG in hopes of uniting Plainfield thorough charitable giving.
INDIRA PERKINS
VICE PRESIDENT
Indira Perkins, M.S., is a Human Services professional with over 15 years of public service experience dedicated to supporting individuals and families through advocacy and community outreach. She is deeply committed to philanthropy and community engagement, including providing nursing scholarships to students in the Will County area in honor of her late mother, who was a nurse. Through both her professional and volunteer work, Indira strives to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the communities she serves.
JUILEE RYAN
SECRETARY
Juilee Ryan (previously Parpart), raised outside Chicago, grew up with a deep appreciation for family, lifelong learning, community, spirituality, and art.
While nurturing her family, Juilee became involved in numerous community organizations, metaphysical disciplines and completed her master’s degree.
Following a successful teaching career, she founded Modern Mystics Energy, to share her passion for community, art, and spirituality- guiding others to discover their own paths to fulfillment.
Garrett Salmon
Treasurer
Garrett Salmon is a hospitality professional with extensive experience in operational efficiency and event coordination. As a member of the board for the Plainfield League of Charitable Giving, Garrett serves as the Treasurer. His professional philosophy is centered on “making memories worth recreating,” a mission he applies to philanthropy by ensuring that every contribution results in a tangible, lasting impact. Garrett leverages his background in management and community-building to foster a sustainable ecosystem where local organizations can thrive together to support a wide variety of community needs.
Dr. Jes Monu
Board Member & Trustee Representative
Dr. Jes Monu serves as a board member committed to strengthening the community through collective giving and collaborative leadership. Professionally, Jes Monu is a professor in Recreation & Sport Management at the University of St Francis, where the focus is on how organizations can create inclusive opportunities that improve individual’s quality of life and strengthens communities. Jes believes that when communities come together to invest in one another, even with small acts of kindness, it can create a meaningful and lasting impact. Jes brings a thoughtful, community-centered perspective to the board and is committed to helping build partnerships that uplift and support the people and organizations.
Tamara Thongphadith
Board Member & Township Trustee Representative
Tamara currently serves on the Township Board of Trustees and chairs the Youth & Family Services Committee. She is also co-chair of the Plainfield Township Abilities Team — a group focused on of special needs individuals and families.
Tamara works for Marriott International where she collaborated with team members to manage $800 million in annual revenue on the Global Sales Team supporting the Corporate Airline Segment.
As a special needs mom and advocate, she’s navigated school systems and mental health services. Tamara was honored as “Volunteer of the Year” by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will County in 2023.
When people give together, we amplify impact