board of directors

 

The Little Bulgarian School in Chicago (LBSC) Board of Directors plays a crucial role in steering the organization's strategic direction and governance. Consisting of committed individuals with diverse expertise and a common dedication to LBSC's mission, the Board supervises and bolsters the organization's activities and endeavors.

Key responsibilities of the Board include:

  1. Strategic Leadership: Providing strategic direction and long-term planning to ensure LBSC's mission of empowering the Bulgarian community through education and cultural enrichment is effectively pursued.
  2. Governance: Ensuring the organization operates by legal and regulatory requirements, as well as its established policies and procedures.
  3. Financial Oversight: Monitoring financial performance, approving budgets, and ensuring fiscal responsibility to sustain and grow LBSC's programs and initiatives.
  4. Fundraising and Development: Supporting fundraising efforts and cultivating relationships with donors, sponsors, and partners to secure resources for LBSC's educational and cultural programs.
  5. Advocacy and Community Engagement: Acting as ambassadors for LBSC within the community, advocating for the importance of Bulgarian language, culture, and heritage education, and fostering partnerships that enhance LBSC's impact.
  6. Evaluation and Accountability: Evaluating the effectiveness of LBSC's programs and initiatives, and holding the operational leadership accountable for achieving organizational goals and maintaining high educational standards.
  7. Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating risks that could impact LBSC's operations or reputation, ensuring the organization's long-term sustainability.

The Board of Directors meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday to discuss strategic matters, guide the Executive Director and operational team, and support LBSC's commitment to excellence in Bulgarian education and community empowerment..

By fulfilling these responsibilities with dedication and integrity, the Board of Directors plays a critical role in advancing LBSC's mission and ensuring a vibrant future for the Bulgarian community in Chicago and beyond. The Board directorship is not a paid position in the organization.  

Jivka Petrova
Chair of the Board

The founder and Chair of the board. Mrs. Petrova also serves as a principal for the Little Bulgarian School and school The Little Bulgaria. Chief Professor Assistant at the University of Burgas, Bulgaria as well as a teacher in Chicago, including ESL and citizenship at districts D214, CCSD62. She has a master’s degree in Bulgarian linguistics/language from Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as well as a TESL master’s degree from Northeastern University in Chicago.

Simona Schiopu
Secretary

Simona Schiopu has a master's in linguistics with a second major in psychology from St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Bulgaria, and a bachelor’s degree in English major from the University of Burgas, Bulgaria. She is also a licensed translator for the Consulate General of Bulgaria in Chicago Illinois. She has years of experience in educational management as Assistant Director at Burgas Technical University and currently oversees the educational programs at LBS.

Lubomir Kroulev
Treasurer

Lubomir Kroulev has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He has more than 19 years of finance and accounting experience in various roles within Bank One (Chase), Allstate Insurance, Hospira (Pfizer), and Fresenius Kabi. Mr. Kroulev has more than 10 years of experience in the portfolio management and business development arena within the pharmaceutical industry, where he currently holds the position of Sr. Director, Portfolio and Strategic Marketing at Fresenius Kabi USA.

Ivan Kirchev
Director

Ivan Kirchev has a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He is an Executive Director at JP Morgan Chase. Mr. Kirchev is a registered U.S. Patent Attorney with a wide variety of intellectual property experience. He worked previously as a Patent Counsel and Portfolio Manager for the Software and Analytics Lab in Hewlett Packard Labs.

Georgi Boshnakov
Director

Georgi Boshnakov has a bachelor’s in computer science from Varna Technical University,  Bulgaria. He runs his own logistics company in Chicagoland. Mr Boshnakov is an event organizer and project manager at Little Bulgarian School.

Daniel Atanassov
Director

Daniel Atanassov is a vicepresident of Eurotrans Express since 2005. He has extensive experience in investments, start-ups, and management. Mr. Atanassov is a philanthropist and a well-known sponsor of many cultural events for the community. 

Konstantin Marinov - Kotseto
Director

Konstantin Marinov was born into a family of Bulgarian folk dancers and throughout his life, he's been devoted to the preservation and popularization of the Bulgarian folklore. He graduated from the National School of Dance Art. Mr. Marinov is the organizer of the largest Bulgarian folklore festival in North America - Verea. Art director of the organization.

George Petrov
CEO (non-voting member of the Board)

George Petrov is a co-founder of Little Bulgarian School in Chicago. He has a bachelor's degree in Informatics from the Sofia University, Bulgaria. Mr. Petrov has more than 20 years of managerial experience in different IT companies. 

 

operations and administration

 

Executive Director George Petrov gpetrov@mbuchicago.com
Pricipal Jivka Petrova jpetrova@mbuchicago.com
Vice Principal Simona Schiopu sschiopu@mbuchicago.com
Art Director Konstantin Marinov kmarinov@mbuchicago.com
Little Bulgaria Center Manager Angel Slavchev aslavchev@mbuchicago.com
Secretary and Accountant Daniela Peeva admin@mbuchicago.com
Marketing Janeta Likov janeta@mbuchicago.com