“Family means everything to me, and as my career has grown, so has my commitment to giving back. That's why my family and I are starting the Max Strus Family Foundation. We want to ensure that communities like the one I grew up in have the resources to help young people achieve their dreams, just as I did. By strengthening these communities, we hope to provide the love and support that shaped my journey. Family over everything.” - Max Strus
Maggie is a seasoned professional with a deep commitment to the nonprofit sector, where she has dedicated the majority of her career. A proud graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Maggie holds the distinction of being the all-time digs leader for the UIC Flames volleyball team, a record that reflects her unwavering work ethic, resilience, and leadership skills—qualities that have shaped her career in the nonprofit world.
Passionate about fundraising, volunteerism, and building strong community connections, Maggie’s approach is rooted in a genuine desire to make a positive impact. As the Executive Director of The Max Strus Family Foundation, she leads with a mission to leave the world better than she found it, focusing on initiatives that empower individuals and uplift communities.
Outside of her professional life, Maggie treasures spending quality time with her family, further deepening her commitment to creating meaningful connections both personally and professionally.
As the Creative Director for the Max Strus Family Foundation, Jake plays a vital role in shaping the foundation’s vision and message. With a deep-rooted passion for both creativity and community, Jake is committed to amplifying the foundation's mission of empowering youth through sports, cancer research, mental health, and family support.
Jake has worked closely with Max for several years, managing Max’s social media presence and helping organize and run the Max Strus Basketball Camp for the past four years. His personal connection to the Strus family is at the heart of his work. Having grown up alongside Max, Jake views the Strus family as his own, and this close bond is reflected in the Foundation’s core values. For Jake, family is everything, and he is proud to help bring this message to life through his creative work.
Through his role, Jake brings a thoughtful and authentic perspective to the Foundation's initiatives, ensuring that each project resonates deeply with the community.
Deb Strus has devoted her career to the YMCA’s mission of putting principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. She embraced this mission through the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility until her retirement in 2018.Deb spent 25 years at the Greater LaGrange YMCA, where she managed aquatics, preschool and childcare programs, summer camps, and Special Olympics. Her highest priority was making a difference in people’s lives while maximizing their growth and potential.Her work at the YMCA also led to leadership and volunteer positions with the local Kiwanis Club, where she served as President, Vice President, and Chair or Co-Chair of various fundraising events, including Pancake Breakfasts, Disc Golf Tournaments, Flower Sales, Peanut Box Sales for the Military, and local restaurant fundraisers.After retirement, Deb continued her service to the community through her ongoing membership in the Kiwanis Club. She was also a founding member of the Aktion Club, established in 2007, a service organization that sponsors programs and fundraising events for adults with disabilities.
As a Board Member of The Strus Family Foundation, Deb focuses on fundraising to improve mental health resources, enhance programs for children participating in youth sports, and foster a stronger sense of community in her neighborhood.
Marty Strus is currently a high school teacher working in the Intervention Room and Credit Recovery program at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, Illinois where he graduated from in 2008. Additionally, Marty serves as the head boys basketball coach at Stagg and has been in both of these roles since 2017. During the summer, Marty helps to organize basketball summer camps at Stagg, including the Max Strus Basketball Camp that was started in 2022 and serves over 400 community youth annually.
Marc Samson has spent his entire 25+ year career in accounting and finance helping companies maximize their profitability and efficiency. Most recently, he joined Priority Sports in 2015 as the Chief Financial Officer. In this role, he focuses on finance and operations, but also works to support the various needs of their athletes. Prior to joining Priority Sports, he spent 6 years at Dyson as Controller & Director of Financial Reporting where he focused on financial reporting, budgetary review and other various sales & marketing analysis. He also was an active board member of the James Dyson Foundation North America. Marc has a BS in Business from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and is a certified public accountant (CPA). He currently resides in Lincolnshire, Illinois with his wife and two children.
Nic Weishar is currently a Fund Operations and Investment Associate at West Monroe Capital, the private equity co-investment arm of West Monroe. Prior to joining West Monroe Capital, Nic was Co-Founder and Head of Finance of a 15-person technology startup responsible for all financial and accounting operations. Nic began his career as a financial analyst at Kraft Heinz as a member of the revenue management team. Nic holds an M.S. in Finance from the Mendoza School of Business at University of Notre Dame and a B.S. from the University of Notre Dame, where he was also a team captain and member of the football team. Nic is also a Board member for the Andrew Weishar Foundation.
Graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2007 with a dual degree in Economics and American Studies. Graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 2010. Upon graduation from law school, practiced law as an associate attorney at Bond, Schoeneck, & King for 4 years, focusing his practice on Collegiate Sports Law and Labor and Employment Law. Joined Priority Sports and Entertainment in 2014, where he is an NBPA certified agent and heads their basketball division.
Kevin Love, World Champion and five-time All-Star, is a forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association and founder of the Kevin Love Fund, a mental health non-profit.
His professional career began in 2008 when Love joined the Minnesota Timberwolves. With the Timberwolves, Love emerged as one of the league's premier power forwards, earning multiple All-Star selections, establishing himself as a double-double machine, and winning gold medals at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Summer Olympics. However, it was Love's tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers that cemented his legacy in NBA history. Joining forces with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Love played a pivotal role in the Cavaliers' championship run in 2016, capturing the franchise's first-ever NBA title.
Beyond his accomplishments on the court, Love has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. In 2018, he penned a powerful essay for The Players' Tribune, detailing his struggles with anxiety and depression. His courageous openness sparked a national conversation about mental health in professional sports and inspired countless individuals to seek help.
In the same year, Love established the Kevin Love Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health education and providing resources to those in need. Love has been awarded the ESPY Arthur Ashe Courage Award, Change Maker Award by the Child Mind Institute, the NBA Cares Assist Award, and was a ESPY Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award finalist due to his work in the mental health space.
Since then, the Kevin Love Fund has launched several impactful programs, including a free evidence-based SEL curriculum. In collaboration with K-12 educators and SEL experts, the 15-lesson curriculum is tailored for middle school, high school, and college students, and was developed to combat the growing mental health pandemic, and supporting students in expressing emotions and destigmatizing mental health challenges. Love's commitment to using his platform for good has made a profound impact, helping to shatter the stigma surrounding mental health issues and offering hope to countless individuals struggling in silence.
Whether he's dominating the boards or championing mental health awareness, Kevin Love continues to inspire both on and off the court, leaving an indelible mark on the NBA and society as a whole.
As the Merchandise and Community Manager for the Max Strus Family Foundation, John plays a key role in building strong connections with supporters and partners while upholding the Foundation’s unique and intentional brand.
Before joining MSFF, John built a long and accomplished career as a sales leader with Riddell, where he spent years developing meaningful relationships across communities, schools, and athletic organizations. His ability to connect with people and his genuine passion for teamwork have made him a trusted presence both professionally and personally.
A former collegiate baseball player, John brings the same competitive spirit, dedication, and sense of community that shaped his athletic career to his work with the Foundation. His focus on authenticity, collaboration, and local engagement continues to drive MSFF’s mission forward — strengthening the bond between the Foundation and the communities it serves.