Biographical Information

Anthony J. Stoll, M.B.A., Executive Director

Appointed in 2007, Anthony J. Stoll originally joined Literacy Chicago in October, 1999. He previously served a five year term as the Business Director for Literacy Chicago during which he was responsible for directing and overseeing the financial, business related services, human resources and IT functions of the agency. Mr. Stoll is an accomplished professional who brings over 20 years experience and proven success in operations management with a focus on development of strategies to achieve organizational goals. His hands on commitment to education is evidenced by his tenures as a part time instructor within the Chicago Public Schools and more recently at Westwood College. Mr. Stoll has held the position of Chief Financial Office for the South Side Help Center. He has also performed various accounting functions for the Alzheimer's Association of Chicago, the University of Illinois @ Chicago and Eugene C. Varnado and Company. He serves as a board member and treasurer of Diamonds N’ the Ruff, a nonprofit organization, and is the treasurer of a Local School Council (LSC) in his neighborhood. In October 2001, Anthony was featured as an Unsung Hero in the Chicago Defender newspaper. He received his MBA in 2002 from the Keller Graduate School of Management, as a Graduate of Distinction.

Barry Benson, Director of Development & Marketing

Barry A. Benson brings a strong background in development and marketing to Literacy Chicago, having spent a large portion of his professional life fundraising for education and the arts. A graduate with honors from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Norwich University in Montpelier, Vermont, Mr. Benson has lived and worked in various regions of the country. His career has consistently incorporated a love for language, expressed through marketing, translation work, close affiliations to literacy festivals and publishing endeavors, and grant writing. In his nonprofit experience, corporate and foundation outreach have always been the emphasis, and Mr. Benson applies this orientation to his other affiliations which include board membership at Chicago's Incurable Theater Company, Center for Asian Arts & Media at Columbia College Chicago, and NO/AIDS Task Force in New Orleans.