Board Member Biographies
WTVP board of directors announces additional biographies of its new board members.
Emily Galligan, Morton, Illinois
Emily has spent her life in Central Illinois. She is married to her husband, Andrew, and their family consists of her two stepchildren (aged 13 and 9) and two sons (aged 2 and 7 months). Emily is a partner at the Peoria office of Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen, a regional civil defense firm, where she primarily focuses her practice on employment law, general personal injury, and medical negligence claims. Emily serves on the Carle Health Center for Philanthropy - Greater Peoria and was a prior board member for Destiny for Women Health Clinic and the Heart of Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters. Emily previously served as an adjunct faculty member at Bradley University, where she earned her MBA, teaching a course called "The Legal Environment of Business." Emily brings a unique perspective to the board from a legal standpoint and as a mother to young children.
Chester A. (Chet Tomczyk)
Chet is retired from a 50+ year career in public and educational telecommunications at the local, national and international levels.
Most recently, he was the President and CEO of WTVP, central Illinois' public television station for 18 years, and the station's Director of Development for two years. In the year before his retirement in 2014, he also concurrently served as the Interim CEO of WILL-TV/AM/FM, the University of Illinois' public radio and television stations. Among his accomplishments here, he headed up WTVP's conversion from analog to digital and then high-definition broadcasting, the first public TV station in Illinois to do so.
Before coming to Peoria in 1994, Chet was the Director of PBS's Elementary/Secondary Service at the network's Washington DC area headquarters. He was also privileged to have several consultancies with clients such as the Smithsonian Institution, George Washington University, Great Plaines National Television Library, and the US Department of Defense.
Since his retirement, Chet has led adult tour groups to locations around the world, helping turn many armchair travelers into first-hand, direct-experience travel pros. He also serves his faith as a Notary/Auditor for the Catholic Diocese of Peoria. Chet brings incredible experience to the Board with his 18 years at the helm of WTVP.
Robert G. Senneff, FACHE
Bob Senneff, a native of Tiskilwa, Illinois, currently serves as the Graham Health System (Canton, Illinois) President and Chief Executive Officer, a position he has held for the past 18 years. Graham has annual revenues of $330,000,000 and 840 employees, operating in 5 counties in Central Illinois. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, Illinois, President of DeWitt Community Hospital and Vice President of Genesis Health System in Davenport, Iowa and President and Chief Executive Officer of Salem Hospital, Inc. in Hillsboro, Kansas.
Bob holds a Master of Health Administration from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, a Bachelor of Science Business Management from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, and an Associate of Arts from Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby.
Bob serves on the Mid-America National Bank (Holding Company Secretary /Chair - Audit Committee), Graham Hospital Association, Graham Hospital Association Foundation (Founder and President), Fulton County Health and Wellness Clinic (Founder), Carl Sandburg College Foundation, Illinois Compensation Trust, Illinois Provider Trust, Illinois Hospital Association Finance Committee and the Illinois Hospital Association PAC. Bob brings excellent leadership skills to the board.
Jessica Tilton
Jessica represented Illinois in the 2024 Miss America competition as Miss Illinois 2023 and was the first woman in history to compete with a flag performance for the talent competition. She was also one of the color guard coaches at Washington Community High School for eight years. Jessica graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology (2020) and a Master of Science (2021). Following that, she taught as an instructor at Bradley for two years before going back to school, where she is now a medical student at Southern Illinois University. Jessica also works alongside five organizations to advocate for organ donation--most notably with the Illinois Secretary of State's 'Life Goes On' program and Gift of Hope. She brings a new perspective on inclusion and social responsibility to the board.
Kevin Hicks
Kevin Hicks (57) is a lifelong resident of central Illinois. Growing up in Germantown Hills, he graduated from Metamora Township High School in 1984 and cum laude from Eureka College in 1989 with a BA in History Education. He also obtained a Master of Arts in Education Administration in 2008 from Governors State University.
Kevin has taught History and English at Metamora Township High School for 33 years and has won numerous awards for his teaching, including the "Teacher of the Year - Make a Difference Award" (2006) from MTHS and Eureka College's "Alumni Teacher of the Year Award'' (2006-2007). Over the years, he has directed over 30 Fall Plays and Musicals and has written and directed 20 Madrigal Dinners. He has written and directed a full-length play, "The Haunting of Hill House" (2022), and his fiction novel Quitter was published in 2017.
Kevin has also served as vice president of the MTHS SEA (teachers' organization) since 2009 and is on the board of directors for Peoria Players. He met his beautiful wife Annie while in a production of Brigadoon at Cornstock Theatre in 1992. They have been married for over 30 years and have two grown sons, Colin and Ian. Though passionate about the arts, Kevin enjoys hiking, golf, and his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. Kevin brings a love of the arts to the board and a teaching perspective.
