Our Team
John Groleau, CCPS, MSFS
John is the founder of Lighthouse Financial Group, Inc. and Lighthouse College Financial Planning, Inc. For more than 20 years, John has been helping families plan, prepare and pay for their students’ college education.
As a Certified College Planning Specialist, John’s expertise is navigating the complexities of the financial aid application and award process. He works with families on financial planning strategies to minimize their out of pocket college expenses, maximize their financial aid eligibility and meet their long-term retirement needs.
At the heart of Lighthouse Financial Group and Lighthouse College Financial Planning is John’s commitment to families. Lighthouse provides the highest standards of quality through ethical behavior and professional integrity.
John and his family are longtime residents of Aurora. All four of the Groleau children graduated from West Aurora High School. John and his wife are active in the community, the schools and their church.
Jeanne Czipri, Student Athletic Scholarship Counselor
Jeanne Czipri, of Aurora, has joined Lighthouse Financial Group, Inc. in Aurora, as Student Athletic Scholarship Counselor. Jeanne will be a guide for our student-athletes through the challenging but exciting recruiting process at Lighthouse College Planning, A Division of Lighthouse Financial Group, Inc. Jeanne is a graduate of West Aurora High School (’03) and an honors graduate from the University of New Hampshire (’07). At UNH, Jeanne earned her B.S. in Kinesiology, Sport Studies with a minor in Psychology. She also competed as a Division I athlete on a full athletic scholarship for volleyball. Jeanne has carried her love for the game into coaching, where she has coached at all age levels in a variety of arenas. Currently, she is in her second year as the Head Coach for the girls’ volleyball program at Aurora Central Catholic. In her first two seasons, she finished with school record wins of 27-11 and 29-8, and is the two-time SCC GOLD Division Champion. She also was the Volleyball Director for Velocity Sports Performance in Warrenville for two and a half years where she directed and ran the Volleyball Skills and Performance Training program. Czipri is currently completing her M.A. in Teaching with a focus on Elementary Education. She is thrilled to be a part of Lighthouse, and is looking forward to guiding young student-athletes through the same process her and her younger sister, also a Division I volleyball scholarship athlete, worked through. John Groleau, founder of Lighthouse Financial Group, Inc. and a Certified College Planning Specialist, notes “we are excited to have Jeanne join the Lighthouse team. Her knowledge and experience offer extra value and expanded resources to our college planning families.”
Terry Maciulewicz, Student Counselor
Originally from Connecticut, Terry brings with her over twelve years of experience working in Student Affairs, primarily with first-year student programs. She has worked on several college campuses including American University in Washington, DC, The Boston Conservatory, Boston, Massachusetts and Johnson and Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island. She has a Masters of Science Degree in Human Development, Counseling and Family Studies with a concentration in College Student Development from the University of Rhode Island. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University. In 2007, Terry started and implemented a private consulting business to effectively prepare high school students and their families for all facets of college life. John Groleau, founder of Lighthouse Financial Group, Inc. and a Certified College Planning Specialist, notes “we are excited to have Terry join the Lighthouse team. Her knowledge and experience offer extra value and expanded resources to our college planning families.”
Paul Piraino, Student Counselor
Paul has experience as a college instructor at Northern Illinois University teaching Career Planning courses. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Northern Illinois University. Paul is currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Education with a specialization in School Counseling. Paul is a member of the Illinois Counseling Association, Illinois School Counseling Association, and the Northern Illinois University Counseling Association. Paul also works as a Direct Support Professional working with individuals with developmental disabilities. John Groleau, founder of Lighthouse Financial Group, Inc. and a Certified College Planning Specialist, notes “we are excited to have Paul join the Lighthouse team. His knowledge and experience offer extra value and expanded resources to our college planning families.”
Scott Venters, Student Counselor
Scott has seven years of experience as a mathematics teacher for middle school and high school students. He spent five years working in student services at the collegiate level working to help make students’ transitions to campus successful. Scott graduated with a Masters of Science Degree in College Student Affairs from Eastern Illinois University. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from Millikin University. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Education with an emphasis in School Counseling. Scott is a member of the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling, Illinois School Counselor Association, and Illinois Counseling Association.
