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Board of Trustees

Quest Academy Board of Trustees

The Quest Academy Board of Trustees promotes and safeguards the school’s mission, strategically plans for the future of Quest Academy, appoints and oversees the Head of School, establishes broad policies, and develops and shepherds the capital resources of the school. The individuals on the Board serve Quest Academy with a wide range of experience, interests, and expertise. All board members are volunteers and Quest Academy expresses its gratitude for their guidance and commitment to gifted education.

Board of Trustees Officers
Nader Qaimari – Chair
Brad Schulman – Vice Chair
Luke Praxmarer – Treasurer
Don Mitckess – Secretary

A smiling man with a beard and dark hair wears a blue suit and white shirt against a plain gray background.

Nader Qaimari

Board Chair

As Chief Executive Officer of Edcetera, Nader Qaimari leads a group of companies in the adult and trade education space across numerous channels and verticals. Nader joined Edcetera in January 2022, hired by Eden Capital to help scale the founder-led business. Prior to Edcetera, Nader worked at ISACA, where he was responsible for ISACA’s learning and certification offerings for individual professionals, as well as all software products and services in 220 countries.  Previously, Nader served as Group President of Follett School Solutions, where he launched a digital curriculum business. Prior to Follett, Nader was a senior executive at Cengage, a leading higher education company. Nader earned his undergraduate degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Kenyon College and a Master’s in Business Administration from University of Michigan.

Nader lives in Inverness with his wife, Ahlam, and their two children, Reed, a 2026 Quest Academy graduate, and Calla, who attends Quest Academy.

Brad Schulman J.D.

Board Vice Chair

Brad is an attorney at Motherway and Napleton, LLP, where he specializes in medical malpractice litigation. He graduated from Lehigh University, where he played baseball for four years. He continued his education at The John Marshall Law School, where he earned his J.D., graduating cum laude.

Brad and his wife have one child, who graduated from Quest Academy in 2025. They reside in Deerfield, Illinois.

Board Member since 2019

Luke Praxmarer

Board Treasurer

Luke is the father of two Quest Academy alumnae, one of whom is an officer in the U.S. Navy and the other is an underwriting manager for a major insurance company after serving six years as a high school math teacher.

Luke has served on the Quest Academy Board of Trustees since 1997 through several non-consecutive terms. Over the years, he has served on every board committee and has been a longtime member of the Development Committee. He currently chairs the Finance and Real Estate committees.

Prior to the Quest board, Luke served as board chair at Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic School in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He owned an independent insurance agency for many years before selling the business in 2020. He is now Vice President of Sales for A.J. Gallagher & Co. and served as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois from 2009-2010. 

Luke is perhaps best known for his organically grown tomatoes. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from DePaul University and lives in Palatine with his wife, Carol. 

Board member since 2016 (second term)

Don Mitckess

Board Secretary

Don lives in Bolingbrook with his wife, Lora, and their two children, Maya, a Quest alumna, and Julian. Don has worked in the behavioral health field as a therapist for more than 25 years. He earned his M.S.Ed. in Counseling from Northern Illinois University and B.S./B.A. in Psychology/Theater from Loyola University of Chicago. He currently serves as Director of Business Development for Banyan Treatment Center in Naperville.

Don most recently served as Quest PSA Vice-President during the 2017-18 school year and was on the PSA Board for two years prior. He is the Cookie Dad for Quest Girl Scout Troop #41592 and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern Illinois Employee Assistance Professional Association.

Board Member since 2018

Amy Byrne

Board Member

Amy is a human resources executive with more than 30 years of corporate and consulting experience, most recently as EVP, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer at CDK Global. Previously, she held leadership roles at Avon Products, US Foods, Boeing and Mercer. Amy holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Amy and her husband, Andrew, have two children, and their family has been a part of the Quest Academy community for many years. They live in Inverness, IL. Amy enjoys tennis, international travel, and cheering on the Chicago Cubs.

Board Member since 2022

Deepika Duggirala

Board Member

Deepika is the Executive Vice President of Technology at Alight, a leading provider of human capital solutions. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the company's technology strategy and development. With over two decades of experience, Deepika has held leadership roles in both large enterprises and start-ups. She holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering and a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering.

Deepika and her husband Rahul, have one son, Rohan, a 2017 Quest Academy graduate who attended Wake Forest University. In her free time, Deepika enjoys reading, traveling, and supporting Chicago sports teams.

Deepika previously served on the Quest Academy Board from 2014-2017.

Board Member since 2024 (second term).

Dominique Kendrick, RPh

Board Member

Dominique Kendrick is Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Saros Therapeutics, where she brings extensive executive experience in pharmaceutical sciences, regulatory strategy, and life sciences innovation. She is a licensed pharmacist and biotech entrepreneur who has co-founded several start-up biotech companies and supported the regulatory strategy, approval, and launch of numerous medical products used by patients today.

Dominique has also contributed to the broader life sciences innovation ecosystem as a mentor for National Science Foundation I-Corps and American Cancer Society BrightEdge, and as a guest lecturer at several universities and industry-sponsored events, including events attended by representatives of the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She holds degrees in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Environmental Health from Purdue University, as well as an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

Dominique and her husband have one child who attends Quest Academy.

Board Member since 2019

Sedhu Krishnamurthy

Board Member

Sedhu serves as the COO and Chief of Staff, U.S. Retail and Consumer Goods Industry for Microsoft. He holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Guindy Engineering College, an M.S. in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA in Strategy and Finance from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

Sedhu believes education is one of the most powerful forces for creating lasting change, unlocking human potential and expanding opportunity. He is passionate about transforming lives through education, building stronger communities, and a thriving society. 

Sedhu & his wife, Radha, have one child, Vedant, who graduated Quest Academy in 2025. They reside in Long Grove, Illinois.

Board Member since 2018

George Reichl, CFP, CIMA

Board Member

George attended Maine West High School in Des Plaines and DePaul University in Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Science with Honors as well as a Masters of Business Administration. He has been with Morgan Stanley over 40 years and is the founding partner of the Reichl Munao Jensen Fosteras Pavelski Group. He holds the designation of Executive Director at Morgan Stanley and maintains CFP® and CIMA® certifications.

A Chicago-area native with a strong commitment to his community, George is currently in his third term on the Board of Trustees and is a member of the school’s finance committee. He also served as Trustee from 2016 through 2022.

George enjoys bowling and tennis and cherishes time spent with his family. 

Jordan Sadoff

Board Member

Jordan is the founder and CEO of RESTORE Hair Restoration, and the founder/CEO of GoldMax.  He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, where he earned a B.B.A in Marketing.

Jordan and his wife, Katie, have two children who attend Quest Academy and live in Palatine, Il.  In his spare time, Jordan aspires to be an average golfer.

Board Member since 2022

Dr. Amjad Safvi

Board Member

Dr. Amjad Safvi is a board-certified radiologist and physician leader with a strong commitment to education and community service. He and his wife, Fauzia, are the proud parents of three children currently attending Quest.

In his professional life, Dr. Safvi has led medical teams and served as CEO of a healthcare enterprise, experiences that have strengthened his expertise in accountability, strategic planning, and organizational growth. He brings these leadership qualities to the Quest Board, where he serves on the Finance and Development Committees. 

Dr. Safvi is particularly passionate about responsible financial stewardship, strengthening community partnerships, and expanding educational opportunities. He believes in preparing the next generation for success in a rapidly changing world by supporting both academic excellence and character development. 

Board Member since 2024