Western Springs Park District Staff

Walter Knake, Executive Director

Walt brings 16 years of experience as a park district professional, including leadership service as Executive Director and former Board President in Western Springs. His background spans the full spectrum of capabilities needed to lead the Western Springs Park District— strategic capital planning, operations, fundraising, design and construction, project management, resident satisfaction surveys, financial management, and organizational leadership.

A former resident of Western Springs, Walt remains strongly connected to the community (Rotary Club of Western Springs, Board of Trustees, Theater of Western Springs) and is committed to continually advancing his expertise through professional development, hands-on experience, and benchmarking best practices across Illinois park districts. He is focused on building a Park District legacy defined by exceptional value and a culture of continuous improvement.

Dennis Conway, Superintendent of Parks

Dennis has been our Park District foreman since 2002. He is a resident of Westchester for 35 years and enjoys Football, Baseball and outdoor activities. Dennis is supervisor to our two full time groundmen. He is superintendent over all day to day upkeep of our twelve parks. He works with our Executive Director and the various vendors to make the Western Springs Parks beautiful.

Barb Kartzmark, Manager of Community Relationships and Events

Barb started working for the Park District in January 2015. She is a resident of La Grange Park, married, mother of 5 and grandmother of 1. She enjoys volunteering at her church, her children’s schools, her library and her children's sports groups. Barb was brought on in 2015 to be the Program Coordinator for all activities going on at the Park District and is currently the of Manager of Community Relationships and Events.

Bill Raftery, Foreman

Bill joined the Park District in March of 2007. He is a lifelong resident of the area and currently lives in Indian Head Park. In his off time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as getting outdoors to the pool in summertime with his wife or working outside by his parents' house. Bill is one our three full time employees dedicated to maintaining and improving the Park Districts ninety plus acres, spread over twelve parks. Additionally, he holds several licenses with the Illinois Department of Agriculture related to turf and grounds upkeep.

Nick Poper, Groundsman 1

Nick Poper joined the Park District Staff in March of 2022. Nick grew up and resides in Westchester. In his free time he likes to spend time with family, travel, swim, and play sports with friends. His biggest interests are Football, Video Games, and going to the movies. Nick is one of three full time employees at the Park District who is dedicated to keeping the parks and sports fields in Western Springs looking beautiful. Nick has his pesticide license from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and plans to accrue other licenses to make sure he can do his part in maintaining the 90+ acres of parkland.

Brendan Kenny

Brendan joined the Western Springs Park District team in April 2026 after serving with the Village of Western Springs Public Works Department. He brings a diverse background in maintenance, safety, and turf management to the District.

Brendan holds degrees in Automotive Service and Fire Science and previously served as a volunteer EMT, bringing valuable hands-on experience and a strong commitment to public service. He also holds an agriculture license for turf management.

Outside of work, Brendan enjoys fishing, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and tinkering with cars.

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Courtney Anderson, Risk & Operations Manager

Courtney joined the Western Springs Park District in 2024 and serves as the Risk & Operations Manager. In her role, she focuses on enhancing safety, improving operational efficiency, and supporting the long-term planning of park facilities and services.

Courtney and her family live in Western Springs and are active users of the Park District’s amenities. She enjoys spending time in the parks playing pickleball in the summer, cheering on her kids at sporting events, and visiting local playgrounds with her family.