Theresa "aka: Leslie Knope"

I’m a proud mom of two amazing adult kids: Dani, who lives near my family in Chicago, and Jacob, who calls Davenport home. For work, I’m basically Leslie Knope (yes, that Leslie Knope) for Davenport Parks and Recreation—passionate, loud, organized, and deeply committed to making things better for the community. Being loud has honestly worked in my favor my whole life. I’m outgoing, comfortable being the boss, and usually happy to take charge—but one of the reasons I love the Bag of Moms Book Club so much is that it’s full of strong leaders and organizers. I don’t have to run the show, and that’s a beautiful thing.

I love sports far more than your average fan. Growing up on Chicago’s north side made me a lifelong Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks devotee, and after earning my undergraduate degree at Iowa, I proudly added the Hawkeyes to my heart (and wardrobe).

You’ll also hear us talk about Scott Foglesong—a dear friend to everyone in book club and my partner for eight years, who passed away suddenly from a brain aneurysm in August of 2023. We miss him deeply, but we also laugh a lot, because Scott was… a lot. Often referred to as “formerly creepy Scott,” he was known for his dramatic flair, questionable decisions, sexual innuendos, and habit of getting drunk and walking miles home for absolutely no reason. One of his most famous book club moments involved him pouting and declaring, “I hate book club! It is ruining my life!”

Scott will always be part of our story—missed, remembered, and laughed about—because that’s exactly how he’d want it.