Township Supervisor
David Avila
Born to a Marine and Vietnam war veteran father, and a mother who was a 30-year government employee, and is an alumni from Morton West High School and Morton College.
David went on to work as an undercover investigator for Fortune 500 companies so he could save money to go to Western Illinois University, and continued vending at Wrigley Field, which he started at age 16 and continued for many years. He graduated from WIU in the Honor Society with his graduate work in criminal justice and administration. While there, David had the privilege of studying for a semester in Salamanca, Spain, then earning a scholarship to attend a semester at El Tec De Monterrey in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he studied Spanish and international business while playing for the university baseball team. Upon returning to WIU, David enrolled in a Learning to Lead program, a 30-day, intense mental bootcamp, before interning in Washington DC at the White House.
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During his college years, David met his wife Malisa, a registered nurse who now teaches at Morton College and works at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn. The couple have been married for 15 years and have two children, Alondra and Annalise, who are very involved in Girl Scouts, music and sports.
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David went back to work as an undercover investigator for a time, then went on to teach at St. Gall Middle School, where he volunteered to teach English after school, coached boys' basketball and started the school's first talent show and play.
Ultimately, in 2009, David became Policy Director for Cook County Commissioners Edwin Reyes and Stanley Moore, until he became Berwyn Township Assessor in 2014. For several years, he continued to help write and create policy for the City of Chicago and Cook County Government, until shifting focus to his small business as a State Farm agent in Berwyn, and immediately began a culture of philanthropy within his business .
Since taking office, David has created a variety of workshops, such as a free legal clinic, self-defense classes, homeowner symposia, property tax appeal workshops, as well as programs such as Eyes for Education, The Children's Wellness Program, Transparency Act and many others. He also started a not-for-profit, Educational Giving Tree, which creates and subsidizes after-school programs and teaching materials.
Berwyn Township Assessor
Jacqueline Pereda
A lifelong area resident, Jacqueline was born in Chicago and raised in Little Village. She learned her values from hardworking immigrant parents who have been small business owners throughout their lives.
Jacqueline is a graduate of Lourdes High School and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she was awarded a full academic scholarship. As a member of Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority, she volunteered to teach English to the local immigrant population and visited senior citizens in nearby nursing homes. She interned at CNA Insurance, Bank of America and Pederson & Houpt Law offices on her way to earning her bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in Latino/a studies.
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After earning her degree, Jacqueline worked as a litigation paralegal at several successful Chicago law firms devoted to representing diverse members of the community. Its diverse, embracing population drew Jacqueline and her family to Berwyn, where she has lived with her husband and two children for the past 12 years. She has been an active volunteer at her son's school, Pershing Elementary.
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As township assessor, Jacqueline aims to help constituents understand and navigate the tax appeal and assessment process through workshops and education, and she pledges to provide fairness and accessibility to every resident with property tax concerns. She also hopes to guide a strong post-COVID-19 recovery for all residents and businesses of Berwyn.
Berwyn Township Trustee
Currently serving as a trustee of Berwyn Township, Ed is retired from a 30-year career at AT&T, where he was a telecommunications specialist and union steward for IBEW Local 21. He started when the company was still known as Illinois Bell and by the time he retired, he was a certified electrical technician responsible for training new employees. Ed is a former accredited health service and food service sanitation inspector, and a member of Township Officials of Illinois. He has been a 708 Mental Health Board member and was township collector from 2002–2005.
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Active in the community, Ed serves as a board member for the North Berwyn Educational Foundation and volunteers at a wide range of local events such as the Berwyn Farmers Market, Houby Day and Berwyn Depot District's Oktoberfest. In 2008 and 2009, he helped citizens in need prepare taxes through a partnership with Proksa Park.
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He and his wife Ana have lived in Berwyn over 38 years, where they have raised two daughters. Since being elected trustee in 2009, Ed has played a vital role on the team currently responsible for recharging and revitalizing Berwyn.
Looking forward, Ed hopes to seek new ways to provide support and activities for township seniors, invest an economic surplus for maximum impact and assure greater intergovernmental cooperation for the good of Berwyn residents.
Edward Espinoza
Jesse Miranda
For more than 40 years, Jesse and his wife Charlene have been residents of Berwyn—a community that makes him proud.
Accustomed to the rigors of standing up for social and economic justice, Jesse has been a member of the Teamsters Union for 54 years—with the last 30 years as an elected business agent, officer and trustee. His roles have included:
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National Teamsters Hispanic Caucus
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Recording Secretary
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Chicago Teamsters Hispanic Caucus
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Vice President
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Teamsters Local 703
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Trustee Business Representative
Jesse's qualifications, experience and commitment to improve the lives of working men and women uniquely prepares him to meet the essential needs of our city and township as we navigate COVID-19, seek to enact new services and consider expanded services for seniors.
He is committed to serving as a trustee with vigor and vision in conjunction with the others on this talented, values-driven team.
Berwyn Township Trustee
