Little Friends Board of Directors is made up of community members giving of their time to help Little Friends fulfill our organization’s vision:

  • To be recognized as the premier provider of services in the state of Illinois, addressing the needs of children, adults, and families challenged by autism intellectual/developmental and emotional disabilities.
  • To provide whole-person care through direct services and alliance partners, the most robust offering of clinical and research support in the field of autism.

Our Board welcomes Raj Patel, President and Founder of The Hari Group, a franchise and real estate development company, based in Naperville. Currently, Raj serves on the Board of Trustees for North Central College, and on the board of the Naperville Heritage Society. He was also recognized by the Franchise Times, naming him a Dealmaker of the Year, and QSR Magazine as a Young Leader to Watch in the franchise world.

Adam Van Someren also joins our Board.  President of  Charleston Building & Development Residential Division, Adam, grew up in Naperville and graduated from Benet Academy. He attended Purdue University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in management.  He joined his father and brother in founding Charleston, where he oversees the daily operations of the residential division.