Big Foot Recreation Staff

Chuck Thiesenhusen Director

Chuck has been the director for the Big Foot Recreation District since October 2007.  Chuck comes to the district from George Williams College, serving eight years as the Campus Recreation Director.  He has lived and worked in the area since 1997.  While working at George Williams, he had the opportunity to earn both of his masters degrees in Recreation Administration and Business Administration. 

Chuck and his wife Lesley, a teacher at Sharon Community School, are avid sailors and enjoy racing on the lake during the summer.  Both have their roots in Wisconsin and enjoy all that the area offers.  They are both excited to be living and working within the Big Foot community. 

Penny Skerhutt Office Manager

Penny and her family moved to Walworth from McHenry, Illinois in May of 2005.  She came to the Big Foot Recreation District with a background in accounting.  Her husband Steve is employed at Condon Consulting Engineers in Ringwood, Illinois as a Civil Engineering Technician. She is a busy Mother of two children and one Chocolate Lab (Deuce). Her two children McKenna and Colton both attend Walworth Grade School and are both very active in many of the local youth sports organizations.  As a family they love to attend various professional and college sporting events, enjoy fishing (especially in Canada) and camping too. In her spare time Penny also enjoys gardening and keeping fit.  She is very proud to live in and serve the Big Foot community.

Tara Mele Recreation Program Coordinator

Tara is a native of Rolling Meadows, IL and came to Wisconsin to attend George Williams College of Aurora University.  She graduated in the summer of 2008 with a B.S. Degree in Recreation Administration. Tara has been working in the recreation field for the last 12 years and has worked in the Athletic Department for the Arlington Heights Park District before she came to Big Foot Recreation District.  She is a movie Fanatic and in her spare time she watches and adds movies to her vast movie collection.  Also Tara’s knowledge of movies is incredible and she puts it to good use when playing games such as Scene It and the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.  In the fall and the winter she spends her monday nights glued to the television for her other obsession, One Tree Hill.  Tara is currently pursuing a M.S. Degree in Recreation Administration.

Dean Connley Graduate Assistant / Assistant Program Coordinator

Dean graduated in August 2009, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management from Illinois State University. He is currently attending George Williams College pursuing a masters degree in Recreation Administration. In his free time he enjoys SCUBA Diving, boating, swimming and other recreational activities on the water. Dean lives in Linn Township and is a part of the Big Foot community.