Trustee Kate Perkins is the President of the Board. She and her family have lived in Warrenville for over 30 years. She has a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Wisconsin, and before she retired, she was a software engineer with Alcatel-Lucent. Kate served as secretary of the Board of Trustees in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, she led Elect Your Fire Trustees, the referendum initiative that changed the Board from an appointed Board to an elected one. She was elected in the first election of trustees in 2017. Kate enjoys serving her community and volunteered with both the City of Warrenville’s Emergency Management Agency and the City’s Bicyclist & Pedestrian Advisory Commission for several years. Kate became interested in emergency response when she served as the leader of a medical emergency response team at Alcatel-Lucent.

Trustee Jeff Carstens, Secretary of the Board, is a lifelong Warrenville resident. Working through college in an auto body shop, he earned a BA in Business from North Central College in 1989 and a JD from IIT Chicago Kent College of Law in 1992. Preferring business and the technical challenges of his college job to a law career, in 1995 he returned home to take over the body shop and renamed it Phoenix Auto Body, which he has run ever since. Unable to volunteer as a firefighter with all that is required, he has always been a supporter of the District in any way possible over the years, not only repairing many of the vehicles, but also hosting a hands-on training session at his shop on how to deal with some of the latest automotive technologies our personnel might face on an accident scene, and finally becoming one of the Trustees to help run the District and keep it at the high professional level it has attained. Married since 1992, he and his wife Monica chose to raise their family here in Warrenville, and both their sons Aaron and Ben, are now POC firefighters in the Warrenville Fire Protection District.

Trustee Denise Pertell was elected to and has served as Treasurer of the Board since 2017. Denise has been a resident of Warrenville for 40+ years and raised her family here.  Her experience with the Fire Protection District began in 1980 as a member and past President of the Firefighter’s Auxiliary. She is still active in the Auxiliary.  Her volunteer spirit has enabled her to be deeply involved in Warrenville and has assisted in numerous community events and activities. She has served as past President of Warrenville Youth and Family Services and as a council member of Trinity Lutheran Church.  She has also served as a past President and steering committee formation member of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, FOCUS: Women in Business.  Additionally, Denise participated in a selected Mastermind group of women concentrating on the enhancement of their skills in the business environment. Denise has a B.S. in Business Administration and graduated summa cum laude from Elmhurst College. Through her professional career, she has acquired a broad background in evaluating, planning, and providing continuous improvement within the business environment

Trustee Al Thompson

Trustee Michael J. Karl has been a long-time resident of Warrenville since 1987.  He joined the Warrenville Fire Protection District as a POC volunteer firefighter in 1991, just three years after his family experienced their house fire. He stayed with the Fire Protection District for another 32 years before retiring as Captain while being a proud retired member of IAMAW Mechanics Union Local 701, with his last 33 years spent with PepsiCo in Chicago. Michael brings decades of experience through his service and certifications with the WFPD. He was part of the MABAS Division 12 group that spent two weeks in New Orleans assisting after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and more recently, Michael was part of the committee responsible for building WFPD’s newest engine. In his free time, you can find him out on his fishing boat as much as possible or taking his beautiful 1929 Chevy Coupe he restored himself out to car shows. Michael has raised four children and three still reside in Warrenville raising their own families. He was recently appointed to the open vacancy of Trustee and looks forward to continuing his service to the District, its Employees, and the Community in the future.