Former Neighborhood House Association President & CEO to Lead Organization's Next Chapter of Student Impact and Workforce Readiness
Author: Sally Eastman
Corporate Responsibility
Published:
Thursday, 15 Oct 2026
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Image caption: Julie Bonar
Junior Achievement of Central Illinois is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Bonar as its new President, effective October 26, 2026.
Bonar most recently served as President and CEO of Neighborhood House Association, where she strengthened community partnerships, expanded food security and family-support initiatives, advanced affordable housing efforts, and championed programs that improve the lives of children, families, and seniors throughout the Peoria region. She brings five years of executive leadership experience and a deep commitment to empowering young people and building strong community partnerships.
“I am honored to join Junior Achievement of Central Illinois and become part of an organization that has such a profound impact on young people,” said Bonar. “I look forward to working alongside our board, staff, volunteers, educators, and community partners to expand opportunities for students and build on the organization’s strong legacy.”
Bonar succeeds Mary Pille, who is retiring after 13 years of dedicated service. Under Pille’s leadership, JA of Central Illinois nearly doubled student impact, expanded its reach from four to 18 counties, strengthened community partnerships, and advanced workforce readiness initiatives through the creation of CareerSpark and the implementation of JA BizTown and JA Finance Park.
In her new role, Bonar will support Junior Achievement’s mission to prepare students for the future by providing real-world learning experiences that build the knowledge, skills, confidence, and connections needed for lifelong success.
As a leader in experiential learning, Junior Achievement of Central Illinois serves more than 20,000 students annually across 19 counties, helping young people connect classroom learning to future careers, financial capability, and entrepreneurship.
Please join us in welcoming Julie to the JA Central Illinois family as we continue empowering the next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
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