Five New Administrators Join Oswego 308

Five new administrators have joined Community Unit School District 308. These individual new hires fill vacated positions.

“Each of the individuals who have joined the district administrative team brings something that the hiring committee identified and felt the district needs at this time," said John Sparlin, Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services of the new hires.

Administrative Team

Joseph Deeney, Director of Human Resources

A graduate of Chicago’s John Marshall Law School, Joseph Deeney started his career in education in 2010 as a legal extern for the Niles Township High School District, Skokie. He then moved into the position of legal associate for the Niles Township district before accepting his current position as director of Human Resources at Oswego. 

While at Niles Township, Deeney researched a wide variety of legal and human resource issues and drafted opinions for the human resources manager and chief council, participated in collective bargaining negotiations, and managed unemployment claims. He has also volunteered as a court appointed special advocate in Chicago where he performed on-site assessments of both the home and school environment.

Tim Neubert, Assistant Director of Human Resources

As assistant director of Human Resources, Tim Neubert assists the director in management of human resource and payroll functions. Neubert earned his Bachelor of Arts in business ethics from Cornell College and his master’s in human resource management from DeVry's Keller Graduate School of Management, Chicago. 

His skills range from staffing and recruitment to collective bargaining to employee development and salary and benefits administration. Before joining the district, he worked in human resources and payroll for the St. Charles school district and was a human resource specialist for the Wheaton-Warrenville district. Neubert views working in the field of education as an opportunity to make a difference in the world on a daily basis.

Valerie Patterson, Director of District Student Services

Valerie Patterson has more than a decade worth of experience working in educational administration. As the director of District Student Services, Patterson works with district principals and is responsible for student-related concerns including discipline and district-wide positive behavioral support systems, the GOAL program, student safety and crisis planning, student attendance and residency, and district homeless services and resources. 

Prior to joining Oswego, she was principal for Big Rock Elementary School in the Hinckley-Big Rock district, and then assistant superintendent for curriculum and support for the Plano school district. She received her bachelor’s in elementary education from Aurora University, Chicago, her master’s degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb.

Brian Graves, Director of Communications and Public Relations

Brian Graves offers nearly two-decades of experience in public relations and communications. He received his undergraduate degree in public relations and marketing from the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Rapids, and later earned a master’s in journalism from the University of Iowa, Iowa City. He has received numerous National Admissions Advertising Awards and a MarCom Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing and Communications. 

His diverse background in communications includes working as reporter for a variety of newspapers including the Detroit News and Cleveland Plain Dealer. He was also director of communications for Lincoln University and the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and has worked as the director of marketing and multicultural affairs at Anoka Technical College, in Minnesota.

Jeff Ryder, Assistant Director of Finance

A certified public accountant, Jeff Ryder offers nearly three decades of professional experience in the field of finance. He received his bachelor’s of business administration with a minor in accounting from Chicago’s Loyola University. 

Over the course of his career, Ryder has worked as a controller for Central Ink Corporation and First Care Ambulance. At Central Ink, Ryder also served as a senior financial analyst. Most recently, he was an accountant for the Illinois’ East Aurora School District. Ryder has extensive experience addressing large groups on fiscal policies, budgets, and course corrections.

Information provided by Oswego 308