As President and CEO of the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln (CFLL), John Stremsterfer oversees the development, grant making, expansion and leadership activities of the Community Foundation.
John came to CFLL from the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) where he worked for the University of Illinois Foundation. Prior to UIS, he worked for his high school alma mater, Ursuline Academy in Springfield and also spent two years working in the Illinois Governor’s Office, where he was a Dunn Fellow and Legislative Liaison for the Department of Corrections.
In 2012, John was among the inaugural class of the Edgar Fellows, a fellowship designed by former Illinois Governor, Jim Edgar, focusing on the requirements and responsibilities of leadership and governing for emerging leaders across Illinois. In 2006, John was a participant in the American Memorial Marshall Fellowship, a trans-Atlantic exchange program for future European and American leaders, through the German Marshall Fund.
In 2018, John received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Leadership Springfield for his leadership contributions and dedication to the community of Springfield, Illinois. In 2014, he received the Young Alumnus Award from his alma mater, Illinois College. In 2012, John received the Rail-Splitter Public Service Award from the American Society of Public Administration, Central Illinois Chapter. John was the 2007 recipient of the “Outstanding Fundraising Professional” award of the Springfield, IL chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and in 2008 was recognized by the Springfield Business Journal by receiving the “Business Ethics Not-For-Profit” award.
Mr. Stremsterfer serves as Secretary of the Board of the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations and has served on the Board of Directors of Forefront. He currently serves on the Board of the Citizens Club of Springfield and the Community Health Roundtable of Springfield and Sangamon County. John is also a past-chair of the Board of Leadership Springfield.
John is a Springfield native. He holds a BA in Political Science from Illinois College. John lives in Springfield with his wife Trina and children Ileana, Dean and Cora.