Our Mission

ForeverU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is empowering youth on their mental health journey through personal development programs and experiences.

We were founded in 2012 by Ryan Hesslau, who at the time was only 16 years old, after researching the stories of students his age who had died by suicide. Their stories became his motivation for developing programs that would ensure that youth who were struggling had the resilience to keep living. Today, Ryan continues to lead ForeverU as the President and Executive Director.

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Get in touch with Ryan: ryan@joinforeveru.org

The Vision

ForeverU's vision is to ensure that every child within a community has access to mentorship, a supportive peer community, and opportunities for personal growth.

Board of Directors

Gwendolyn Sterk

Attorney and Team Leader

Sterk Family Law Group, P.C. 

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Erik Maranto

Development Manger

American Lung Association of Chicago

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Shetal Patel

Director of Operations

Aesthetica Day Spa

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Amber Schnepp

School Psychologist

Bradley-Bourbonnais High School

Ryan Hesslau

Founder and Executive Director

ForeverU

Troy Griffiths

Certified Public Accountant

Troy W. Griffiths LLC

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Dan McGonigle

Vice President

ORA Dental Partners

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Kendra Zantingh

Professor of Human Resources

Trinity Christian College

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Christina Skrip

Director of Assessment and Referral

Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital

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Emily Shayman

Assistant Professor of Social Work

Lewis University

Scott Hullinger

Chief Executive Officer

Silver Oaks Behavioral Hospital

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Christian Perry

State Director of Community Development IL Criminal Justice Information Authority

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Richard Hesslau

Senior Project Designer and Specialist

Sargent & Lundy LLC - Nuclear Div.

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Dan Borowski

Central US Territory Manager

3M Commercial Solutions Division

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Nathan Lagacy

Licensed Professional Counselor

Mental Edge Counseling