Ron Barker

Ron Barker has a bachelor's degree in Music Performance from Bradley University. He first began to compose educational songs for his two daughters. Because of their extraordinary success in school, Mr. Barker continued to teach other children through story and song.

Over the last ten years, Mr. Barker has worked with an extremely diverse group of children, from wards-of-the-state at Uhlich Children's Home, to students in Chicago's Public School system. He has been a special education teacher with the Chicago Board of Education, a teacher of incarcerated youth at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center (Audy Home), a reading lab director for Successlab, and an instructor of adult inmates for the Safer Foundation.

In every case, the key to Mr. Barker's success was his ability to change the attitudes of his students about learning. He helped them to view learning as something that they wanted to do... something that was fun! This success inspired Mr. Barker and his business partner Tim Whalen to start Wild About Learning!

Timothy M. Whalen

Timothy M. Whalen, co-founder of Wild About Learning, Inc., and founder and president of the Chicago Producers Circle, has been a Chicago area songwriter, singer, pianist and performer for over 20 years. He currently has over 200 original compositions to his credit.

Jeffrey A. Thompson

Jeffrey A. Thompson is the media specialist for Wild About Learning, Inc. He is also an audio producer and engineer, and has worked at Streeterville Studios on audio for FOX Sports TV promos, CD's and TV spots. Jeff was also involved in creating voice-over dubs for Toy Story 2 while working for Chicago Recording Company. He has a Bachelors of Science degree in Music Performance with a minor in Business Administration from
Millikin University in Decatur, IL.