Ralph Schultz serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Forest Preserve District of Will County where he leads a talented team of individuals responsible for the operation, development, construction and development of Forest Preserve lands, facilities, programs and services.
Ralph was born and raised in Naperville, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned a Bachelor’s of Landscape Architecture in 1988. Ralph moved to Joliet in 1990 and married his wife Patty in 1991. Ralph and Trish were blessed with their daughter Lea in 1993 the same year Ralph began working with the Forest Preserve.
Prior to Lea’s arrival and during pregnancy, Ralph and Trish learned that Lea had Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21. Shortly after diagnosis, they contacted Easterseals to begin planning for early intervention services believing these would be critical to Lea’s development and future success. This proved to be true. Easterseals provided Lea’s therapy and daycare for her first three years prior to enrolling in the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District. Circling back around, Ralph joined the Easterseals Joliet Region Board of Directors in 2016.
Ralph, Trish and Lea still live and work in the Joliet community.
