Women In Northbrook: Countless Contributions Have Helped Shape Village

NORTHBROOK, IL — Judy Hughes is the longest serving member of the Northbrook Historical Society board of directors. Elyse Malamud is the youngest member in the 50-year history of the organization. Both women helped celebrate Women's History Month, which was recently recognized in March, at Tuesday night's Northbrook Village Board meeting.

"Tonight, we'd like to step back in time and share with you some contributions that women have made to our community's history during our lifetimes," Hughes said during the meeting's Community Moment before turning the microphone over to Malamud.

Women's History Month has been celebrated annually in March since 1987.

"Women have done a lot for our wonderful public institutions in Northbrook," said Malamud, a 2023 Glenbrook North graduate and Northwestern University student, who was installed onto the board last June.

Among the women recognized by Malamud were Florence Pollak and Carolyn Landwehr, who were members of the inaugural Northbrook Library board of trustees when voters approved the formation of a library in 1951.

Malamud added that four of the library's six directors ever were women, including Freda Thorson, the first when the library opened in 1952, and its current, Kate Hall.

"It wasn't until 70 years after our village incorporated that women began to appear in positions of leadership in our Village government," Malamud said, noting that Sally Probst was the first female member elected to the Village Board in 1965 and Lucinda Kasperson was the first female Village President in 1981.

Other notable women mentioned by Malamud included:

• Sandra Frum, village president from 2009 to 2021, who served as a trustee prior for 22 years, making her the longest serving public servant in Village history
• Cara Pavlicek, current village manager (elected in 2021), the first woman to ever serve in that role
• the "history-making" five women on the current Village Board with Kathryn Ciesla (village president), and trustees Heather Ross, Johannah Hebl, Joy Ebhomielen and Michelle Kohler