La Grange Group Head Accused Of Sexual Harassment

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange nonprofit group is losing a nearly $300,000 annual grant from a government agency because of sexual harassment allegations against its leader.

The accusations stem from a holiday party in December.

Recently, the Lyons Township Mental Health Commission withdrew its $295,000 annual grant to LeaderShop, formerly the Community Extension Project. LeaderShop provides leadership opportunities for youth.

For six months, LeaderShop has been dealing with the allegations against Alan Morales, its executive director for more than two decades.

In an email Tuesday, Morales confirmed that he would leave his position at the end of September. Morales, whose salary is $171,000, said his departure was the result of the new budget constraints. He said that based on his lawyer's advice, he was limited in what he could say. He did not address the harassment allegations.

Through a public records request, Patch obtained correspondence between LeaderShop and Lyons Township.

In a Dec. 19 email, Lyons Township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg and Jazmin Lopez, the commission's executive director, informed Morales about his "inappropriate behavior" at the party a few days earlier.

The township officials said Morales made offensive comments "about things he would like to do" to a Lyons Township employee.

"You invaded both of our personal space and made us feel uncomfortable," the officials said.

Morales then insisted that a mental health commission official dance with him and then told her to make eye contact with him, the officials said.

"(Y)ou moved your hand down her back multiple times, despite her attempts to push it back up, you told her to move her hips slowly," the officials wrote.

Morales further stated that the official's boyfriend was a lucky man, they said.

"We see the turnover rate at the LeaderShop and now strongly suspect that things we have heard about your treatment of females in your employ may be credible," the township officials said. "We are also deeply worried that someone with bad judgment and bad boundaries is running an organization that works with children and teens."

They said the township would no longer deal with Morales. They asked that Cathy Pierson, the director of volunteer and external relations, be the liaison.

In response, Linn Meyer, president of LeaderShop's board, said she was taking action about Morales' behavior at the party. She said she would not specify the action because Morales had a legal right to privacy as an employee.

Meyer said the group investigated the township's concern about the turnover rate. She said the group spoke with former female employees and a long-time female volunteer.

Each woman indicated Morales can sometimes act as if "he hasn't completely incorporated the kind of interpersonal boundaries expected by professional women in today's workplace," Meyer said.

At the same time, Meyer said, the women did not feel offended or threatened and did not believe Morales' behavior was extreme enough to warrant discipline. They said they left for better pay and more opportunities, not because of Morales, Meyer said.

In a February email to the township, Meyer said LeaderShop agreed to have Pierson be the liaison.

In May, she told a longtime LeaderShop supporter in an email that Morales was evaluated and does not have an issue with alcohol. She also said he attended anti-harassment training.

'Unprofessional gaffe'

On June 1, Morales asked the township's lawyer, Brian Miller, about the revocation of the $295,000 grant to LeaderShop after more than a quarter century of funding. He said it would mean the group would shut down or at the very least, no longer offer "robust" programs for children.

A couple of days later, Miller responded, listing the previous allegations at the holiday party and the concerns with turnover. He said Morales had shown "extremely bad judgment and boundaries."

In a reply to Miller on Friday, Meyer said the attorney was unable to "meaningfully refute" LeaderShop's actions in response to the township's complaint in December.

She defended Morales and took exception to the township's stated fear of him around children.

"In his 20-plus years of service at The LeaderShop, there has never been even the hint of a suggestion that Mr. Morales represented any kind of threat to any child working with our agency," Meyer said. "Nor has there been a question during Mr. Morales' 40-plus years as a youth services professional."

She added, "This type of reckless suggestion appears to be yet another unprofessional gaffe by apparently inexperienced managers. We urge (the commission) to act and speak with greater care."

'Retrenchment process'

On Tuesday, Meyer wrote Patch, "I think most of what you wanted to know is in all of the correspondence you have in hand and in Alan’s (email) to you." At the same time, she said she was still willing to answer questions.

On Friday, Morales emailed Patch acknowledging the messages for comment.

"I am willing to share The LeaderShop's most recent response to Brian Miller's letter, if we can agree that no further distribution from you or the Patch in general will take place," he said.

Patch did not agree. It obtained the letter through a public records request to the township.

In Tuesday's email, Morales said the funding cut would mean the elimination of three full-time positions and one part-time position. Those positions include Pierson's, he said.

"Because of the loss of funding, The LeaderShop is undergoing a reorganization and retrenchment process," Morales said.

'We want LeaderShop fixed'

Joan Smothers, who was a LeaderShop board member from 2016 to 2022, said she valued her time with the organization because its programs were needed to keep children engaged and safe.

The programs, she said, truly promote leadership skills and produce "wonderful young adults" and the group should continue.

"However, I became concerned with the low morale of the dedicated staff and the consistent high turnover of staff, and I felt that until that was addressed effectively, I could not be part of the governing body as the culture no longer aligned with my values," Smothers said in an email.

Candice Mares is a longtime LeaderShop volunteer who got in contact with the program in 1997, when she was in seventh grade. She said it's important the program continues.

"I have loved LeaderShop with all of my heart for a long, long time," Mares said. "We want LeaderShop fixed."