Our Story

Inspired by the research, clinical experience, and writings of Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. and William J. Pieper, M.D., Smart Love Family Services was formed to help promote the inner well-being of children, parents, and families. From our initial offering of parenting seminars we have expanded our services to what they are today. Guided by the Smart Love™ approach, Smart Love Family Services provides the highest quality of care to all those who come to us for help.

Our Mission

Our mission is to help children, parents, and families achieve greater inner well-being, sustain closer relationships, and build happier, healthier lives. We do this by providing counseling, early childhood education, diagnostic assessments, therapeutic tutoring, and parenting and community support programs.

Founded in 2002, Smart Love is a nonprofit organization that provides services based on the Smart Love® principles. Federal EIN: 32-0025293.

Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging

Smart Love Family Services remains committed to helping create a truly just society where every person has a chance to live a long, safe, and fulfilling life. Creating a future that is free from racism and all kinds of hate begins with how we treat our children today. Children grow into open-minded, patient, caring, and loving adults through the relationship they experience with their parents and caregivers. When parents offer kindness, acceptance, and love even when children display mad, angry, or other unhappy behaviors, children will grow up to show that same kindness, acceptance and love towards others. Smart Love's programs are designed to help create that future for the children of today and the children of tomorrow.

Smart Love's Committee on Racial and Social Equity (CORSE)
We believe we must be intentional about creating a climate of inclusion and diversity amongst colleagues and with our community that celebrates our differences and uniqueness as well as our common humanity. As such, we are dedicated to ongoing self-education and collegial and community engagement that addresses racial and social justice. By recognizing issues of equity for historically marginalized and oppressed peoples we will nurture diversity of staff and the provision of culturally informed care to all those who seek our services. Learn about Smart Love's CORSE here.

Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation

Our Funders & Sponsors

Smart Love thanks these funders and event sponsors whose support makes our work possible.

Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township

Our Milestones

July 2002

Incorporated as an Illinois nonprofit organization by founder and chair Carolyn Stolper Friedman with support from Richard H. Sanders as secretary and the Vedder Price law firm. Founding board of directors also included David Friedman, treasurer, and Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. director.

2002-2006

Smart Love-trained volunteer presenters offer parent education seminars to a wide range of partner organizations including schools, community centers, libraries, and family-friendly businesses.

February 2007

Easter Seals signs multi-year contract with Smart Love for parent and staff education.

August 2007

Counseling Program begins in the Rush Oak Park Hospital Professional Building led by Carla Beatrici, Psy.D.

October 2009

First clinical post-doctoral fellow named, funded by the Westlake Health Foundation

October 2010

The Natalie G. Heineman Smart Love Preschool opens at 800 W. Buena in Chicago with major gift from Eva and Josef Blass and their family.

February 2011

First Gala held to raise funds to support care and services for those in need, chaired by Walter D. Miller.

September 2011

Second Preschool Classroom opens furnished with major gift from the Carroll Family. Kelly Perez appointed Preschool Director.

March 2016

Purchased historic home at 2222 N. Kedzie Blvd. in Chicago as the new home for Smart Love Family Services to include our preschool, counseling, and administrative offices.

September 2016

Katie Karn, Preschool Parent Alum, appointed Chair of Board of Directors.

January 2018

Dedicated the Natalie & Ben Heineman Smart Love Center made possible with a significant gift from Cristine Russell and Ben Heineman. Major gifts to the renovation fund were also received from board members and other special friends.

August 2018

Launched Therapeutic Tutoring program as part of our Learning Services initiative and Through Your Child's Eyes, our blog for parents.

December 2019

Moved our Oak Park Counseling office to larger space at 1010 Lake Street in Oak Park.

August 2020

Launched It Takes A Village parent program and In the Pursuit of Happiness community webinar series.

July 2023

Carolyn Stolper Friedman retires as Executive Director. Lauren Joyce Hensel appointed as President of Smart Love Family Services.

Leadership

Executive Office

Vice President Clinical Programs
Carla Beatrici, Psy.D.

Dr. Carla Beatrici received her Psy.D. at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. She is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years clinical experience working with children, adolescents, parents and adults and also has experience directing an outpatient, non-profit counseling agency. Dr. Beatrici is an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Medical Center in the Department of Psychiatry, where she treats patients, supervises interns and teaches child development to psychiatry residents.

Vice President Education Programs, & Preschool/Playschool Director
Kelly Perez

Ms. Kelly Perez holds a BA in applied behavioral science from National-Louis University and holds two American Montessori Society teaching credentials, Infant-Toddler (birth through age three) and Early Childhood (ages two-and-a-half through six). Kelly was nominated for the 2017 Golden Apple Stanley C. Golder Leadership Award. Her professional affiliations include the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Illinois Association for Infant Mental Health. Since 1987, Kelly has supported all aspects in building and delivering high quality early childhood programs. She has brought her experience as a teacher, teacher educator and consultant, classroom and curriculum developer, parent coach, program administrator and director to Smart Love since 2010.

Billing
Pam Bourdeau

Ms. Pam Bourdeau has been working for Smart Love for over 10 years.

Accounting Director
Carlos Escobar

Mr. Carlos Escobar has a BS in Accounting from Robert Morris College, Roosevelt University. He has worked in the accounting and finance field for over 18 years. Since 2007 he has served as treasurer for a 100% volunteer non-profit “Children of Pure Heart”, which serves the poorest children with meals, early education and health services in the outskirts of Duran, Ecuador.

Facilities Director
Mike Conway

Mr. Mike Conway earned his BA in political science and history from Illinois State University. He has over 20 years of experience working with a variety of businesses in client service and experience as an assistant teacher in kindergarten.

IT Specialist Intern
Alejandro Garcia

Mr. Alejandro Garcia is currently a senior at the Illinois Institute of Technology, majoring in Computer Engineering. He has plans to further his education with a master's degree in Cyber Security. In addition to his academic pursuits, Alejandro is an accomplished pitcher on the college baseball team.

Board of Directors

Chair
Katherine L. Knight, Ph.D.

Dr. Katherine L. Knight is Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. She teaches immunology and microbiology to medical and graduate students and performs NIH-sponsored research in immunology. She has mentored numerous Ph.D. graduate students and has also served on multiple advisory groups for the NIH.

Secretary
Richard H. Sanders

Richard H. Sanders received his B.S. from Loyola University of Chicago and his J.D. from Northwestern University Law School. For his entire legal career he was an associate, partner, and shareholder at the Vedder Price law firm in its Chicago office, providing legal counsel to a broad range of health care providers regarding corporate, governance, regulatory and transactional issues. He retired from the practice of law in 2013, but continues his involvement with a select group of not-for-profit organizations in the health and education fields.

Treasurer
David Freidman

David Friedman is principal at Bridgewell Partners, providing consulting and training aimed at helping companies improve important business relationships. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College and received his MBA from Yale University. He was a partner at McKinsey & Co. for many years where he led projects for Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, he was Academic Director and Assistant Clinical Professor of Executive Education at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Assistant Secretary and Treasurer
Robert J. Stone

Robert Stone has over 30 years of experience as an engineer and in management positions most recently as Manager Marketing and Sales, Franklin Electric Europa, a company that specializes in industrial water pump systems. Having retired from the company in 2018, he continues to serve on several non-profit boards, including AWS Foundation and Anthony Wayne Rehabilitation Center (AWRC) both organizations help adults with developmental and physical disabilities live as independently as possible. He received a BS in electrical engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MBA from University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Director
Gloria Cox

Gloria Cox is Senior Partner at The Cambridge Group and Associate Pastor at Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC in Oak Park. She has over 30 years’ experience leading business strategy and specializes in consumer products and services clients. Previously she worked at Nielsen, McKinsey & Company and Proctor & Gamble. At Pilgrim she has been providing youth and young adult ministry work. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University and received her Master of Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School and her Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary. She and her husband Bruce live in Oak Park and have delighted in raising their three children who are now young adults.

Director
Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D.

Martha Heineman Pieper, Ph.D. is an author and psychotherapist who works with children and parents, and serves as a consultant to agencies and other mental health professionals. She is a founding board member of Smart Love Family Services, for which she provides ongoing consultation and insight to the clinical and early childhood education staff. She also serves on the Board of the Intrapsychic Humanism Society. Both of these non-profit agencies are based on Intrapsychic Humanism, the comprehensive psychology of child development, psychopathology and treatment developed by Dr. Pieper and her late husband, William J. Pieper, MD.

Director
Cecelia Pikul

Cecelia Pikul has been an avid supporter of Smart Love Family Services since 2014, while her two children attended Smart Love Preschool and Toddler programs since age 6 months. She also serves as Co-Chair of UNICEF’s Chicago Humanitarian Award Committee, which honors extraordinary leaders contributing to the improvement of children’s lives. She held technical and management positions in digital media and commercial broadcast at DG Systems, Prime Cable, and CBS 2 News Chicago for over 20 years, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Leadership Emeriti

Carolyn Stolper Friedman, MA President Emerita

Carolyn founded Smart Love Family Services as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in July 2002 and led it for 22 years as its Executive Director and president. She retired in 2023 as President Emerita. During her tenure she expanded its programs and staff to establish mental health counseling services, The Natalie G. Heineman Smart Love Preschool, and its therapeutic tutoring and psychological testing programs. She also oversaw the purchase and renovation of its facility in Logan Square to house the preschool, counseling and tutoring programs, and executive offices.

She began her nonprofit career in arts administration in New York City working for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The National Fund for Dance, Playwrights Horizons, AFS International and then in Chicago, where she headed the Development Department and Capital Campaign to build the Museum of Contemporary Arts facility on Chicago Avenue. With the birth of her child, she learned about the Smart Love approach and after several years of nonprofit consulting with Smith, Beers, Yunker decided to create an organization to offer a range of services to parents and children informed by Smart Love.

Carolyn is the author of Successful Fundraising for Arts and Culture Organizations, currently in its 2nd edition. She holds a BA in Art History and Ibero-American Studies and a MA in Business-Arts Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

“When I began working on what was to become Smart Love Family Services, I could not have imagined the life-changing positive impact we would have on thousands of children and families in our community! It has been a privilege to work with so many dedicated employees, board members, and volunteers over the years to ensure the organization flourishes.” -Carolyn Stolper Friedman

Kathryn Karn
Chair Emerita

Katie served as Chair of the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2023. She was a consultant for 17 years prior to leaving the workforce to care for her three young children. As a principal at a leading economics consulting firm, she specialized in damages analysis for high stakes patent infringement and securities transactions litigation. Katie holds a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.