Martha Burns Named Chair; Micah J. Eimer, M.D., Seated as Oakton Board Reorganizes
Martha Burns Named Chair; Micah J. Eimer, M.D., Seated as Oakton Board Reorganizes
L-R: Trustees Micah J. Eimer, M.D.; Marie Lynn Toussaint, J.D.; and Wendy B. Yanow, Ed.D.; were sworn in by the Chair Martha Burns during the Oakton College Board of Trustees meeting, April 22.
Des Plaines, Ill. (April 23, 2025) - The Oakton College Board of Trustees appointed Evanston resident Martha Burns as Chair for a one-year term during its April 22 meeting. Burns, who has served on the Board since 2017, steps into leadership after serving as Vice Chair during the previous year. Additionally, Glenview resident Micah J. Eimer, M.D., was officially seated as a trustee following his election to the Board in early April. Incumbent Trustees and Evanston residents Marie Lynn Toussaint, J.D., and Wendy B. Yanow, Ed.D., were re-elected to serve six-year terms on the Board earlier this month. Trustee Gail Bush, Ph.D., who has served since 2019, did not seek re-election.
“Serving on the Board of Trustees has been an enriching experience,” said Burns. “I’m honored to step into the role of Chair and continue the journey alongside my fellow Board members. Together, we will keep students at the center of our decisions and advance policies rooted in Oakton’s strategic plan’s vision of building just and thriving communities.”
During the April 22 meeting, the Board also selected Morton Grove resident Theresa Bashiri-Remetio to serve as Vice Chair and Evanston resident William Stafford as Board Secretary. Bashiri-Remetio was elected to a six-year term as a trustee in 2023. Stafford, who has served on the Board since 2007, was re-elected in 2021. Prior to the reorganization, Toussaint served as Chair; Burns as Vice Chair; and Bashiri-Remetio as Secretary. Oakton’s seven-member Board of Trustees also includes Glenview resident Benjamin Salzberg, elected in 2021. Park Ridge resident Chris AbiNader joins the Board as student trustee for a one-year term, succeeding Franklin Ocaña II.
Eimer is a cardiologist and the associate chief medical officer at Northwestern Medicine, with over 25 years of experience serving patients across Chicagoland.
“I’m honored to join the Board of Trustees to support Oakton’s mission of transforming lives through education,” said Eimer. “As someone who is passionate about workforce development, I look forward to strengthening the bridge between education and opportunity while ensuring students are empowered to thrive in our community and beyond.”
A dedicated advocate for increasing access to care and diversifying the health care workforce, Eimer partnered with Oakton to help launch the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program, which enables students to earn a Medical Assistant Certificate while gaining paid, hands-on experience at Northwestern Medicine. He also founded one of the largest pre-med summer programs in the region, focused on increasing minority representation in medicine, and led the expansion of Northwestern Medicine’s outpatient services in Evanston, Glenview and Deerfield.
