Last month we introduced readers to a few of the Green Halo Scholars board members who help guide and grow our mission. This month, we’re excited to highlight two more: Van Stapleton and Kyle Bakshi. Like all of our board members, they bring unique perspectives, deep commitment, and genuine care for the scholars we serve.
Van Stapleton: Standing Beside Scholars
For Van Stapleton, joining Green Halo began with personal connections. His wife, Stephanie, worked with students on their essays, and through her he was introduced to the organization.
“I knew these people well and saw how passionate they were about helping first generation and lower income students find nearly debt free access to college and wanted to get involved,” Van explains.
After volunteering, meeting scholars, and seeing the program in action, he didn’t hesitate when asked to join the board. “It was an easy answer. I knew a great team was helping some great kids in their efforts toward advancement.”
One of his most meaningful experiences has been helping a student navigate an early career decision. The scholar had received a job offer but wasn’t sure if accepting it was the right move. Van remembers, “We were able to confirm he had great leadership, mentors, flexibility, and a commitment toward advancement, so I encouraged him that he was in the right place.” The student took the position, later earned a promotion, and is now pursuing a master’s degree. “It’s rewarding to stand by these kids as they navigate the stresses of education and career selection and to see them succeed—often it’s confirming they are on the right track.”
Van brings to the board leadership experience and insight from his service with GoodCity, a Chicago nonprofit incubator. “Similar to Green Halo, the idea is empowering youth to ‘incubate’ their potential when they don’t have a ton of resources, connections or a knowledge base to navigate the college admission, selection and financial aid process—and obviously finding rewarding employment and careers.”
When he’s not volunteering, Van enjoys family time, fishing, golf, and the occasional pickleball or tennis match. And if you ever need someone to recite lines from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, he’s your guy.
Kyle Bakshi: Building Community Through Connection
When Kyle Bakshi moved to the suburbs, she wanted to plant deeper roots by giving back locally. She first learned about Green Halo during a presentation and was inspired to get involved once she was in the right place to take on board service.
“Education has always been a strong value in my family, and college is unbelievably expensive,” Kyle says. “I remembered the work they did months later when I was in a better position to take on board service.”
Her very first mentoring experience affirmed her choice. “The initial meeting with my first scholar mentee lasted two hours because we had so much to talk about. I had been nervous about developing a connection, but we were ultimately two people with more in common than we realized.”
That commitment to building authentic relationships is something Kyle brings to her board service every day. She thinks constantly about “how to best engage with scholars and alums, which comes down to effective communication methods,” while also helping Green Halo’s lean staff maximize efficiency.
She’s also clear-eyed about the challenges students are facing. “Between significant FAFSA delays in 2023–24, to affirmative action being overturned, to recent headlines around higher ed and funding, it might be more apt to ask which challenges Green Halo is not working to address!” she notes. One of the most striking moments in her board service has been realizing how many more west suburban students could benefit from Green Halo’s programming.
Her advice to students reflects her belief in exploration and curiosity: “Join a club that is a little outside of what anyone expects of you, or maybe even what you expect of yourself. You never know where you might meet lifelong friends.”
Outside of board service, Kyle is passionate about libraries, which she calls “pillars of communities,” and is a devoted reader who seeks out perspectives different from her own. She’s also a lifelong dancer. “If a song with a good beat is playing, chances are I’m busting a move in my head. I’ve learned different styles of dance over the years and it brings me immense joy.”
Shared Commitment to Students
Though Van and Kyle come from different backgrounds, they share the same belief that every scholar deserves opportunity, support, and encouragement. Van often reminds students, “Luck is when hard work meets opportunity.” Kyle emphasizes the value of building authentic relationships that help students feel understood and inspired. Together, they embody what makes Green Halo Scholars so impactful: people willing to invest their time and care so first-generation students never have to take on the challenges of higher education alone.
