Fellows Program - Institute of Government & Public Affairs ...

Fellows Program2012

Buildinga strongerIllinois.

It’s been four decades, but Jim Edgar often reflects on thatcharacter-honing moment.As a young aide to W. Russell Arrington, the Senate Republican leader andmost dominant force in the Illinois General Assembly, Edgar tried to comforthis distraught boss at the close of a legislative session by suggesting the impasseon a critical transportation issue actually might benefit the leader politically.“That’s not the point, Jim,” replied Arrington. “We’re here to solve problems,and we didn’t solve the problem.”When Edgar became Illinois’ 38th governor in 1991, he inherited what wasthen the largest budget deficit in the state’s history. Eight years later, he lefta $1.5 billion cushion for his successor. The downstate governor worked on abipartisan basis with representatives and senators from every corner of Illinois– including the four legislative leaders from the Chicago metropolitan area.Now he wants to share the lessons from his distinguished career in publicservice with emerging leaders from public and private sectors throughout thestate. Edgar’s initiative focuses on the requirements and responsibilities ofleadership and governing. It holds the promise of facilitating bipartisan andcross-regional cooperation as participants – diverse in race, gender, politicalpersuasion and geography – assume more influential roles.“The Edgar Fellows Program is an opportunityfor me to share the lessons I learned throughoutmy public service with future leaders.”Governor Jim Edgar

The 2012 Edgar FellowsMore than two hundred upand-comerswere nominated byestablished leaders from across thestate to participate in this year’sprogram. Forty were selected by acommittee to become the inauguralclass of the Edgar Fellows Program.The class includes emerging leaders from state and localgovernment, community groups, civic organizations and theprivate sector. Fellows are from Chicago, the suburbs anddownstate Illinois and reflect the gender, racial, political, andgeographic diversity of Illinois. This year’s fellows demonstratedthe desire and capability to make a positive difference in theircommunities and the state.4 Edgar Fellows 2012

Veronica AlanisDirector of Strategic InitiativesChicago Transit Authority (CTA)valanis@transitchicago.comVeronica Alanis is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the ChicagoTransit Authority (CTA). In this capacity, she facilitates the agency’slong-term strategic and management planning efforts. Other positionsshe has held at the CTA include Chief of Staff, Vice President of BusinessDevelopment and Supply Chain, and Vice President of Real Estate andGovernment Affairs.Prior to joining the CTA, Ms. Alanis worked with the Chicago HousingAuthority (CHA) for ten years, where she last served as the Director ofAdministration. Initially joining the CHA as an aide to the CEO, shewas the first Hispanic woman to form part of the agency’s new executiveteam in 1999 when the city of Chicago assumed control of the notoriouslydistressed public housing agency. She worked closely with four of theagency’s CEOs, and was responsible for facilitating policies and projectsthat helped move forward the CHA’s plan to transform public housinginto integrated, mixed-income communities. During her tenure withthe CHA, she developed streamlined relocation and leasing processes,assisted in the improvement of property management functions, anddevised strategies for more effective communication with CHA residents.Ms. Alanis also worked as a Project Manager and CommunicationsDirector for the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association(HACIA), and formerly, as editor and reporter for a local communitynewspaper, the Lawndale News Group.Ms. Alanis has been involved with the United Neighborhood Organization(UNO) for almost 19 years and currently serves as the Chairpersonof its Executive Board of Directors. UNO has become a model for thesuccessful assimilation of Hispanic children and families in Americansociety though its civic engagement, leadership development, andeducation initiatives, including the operation of a network of 11 charterschools. Ms. Alanis also previously served as President of the 18th StreetDevelopment Corporation (ESDC) Board of Directors where she oversawthe financial recovery of the organization which was near collapse.5

Adam AlonsoDirector of Community EngagementUnited Way of Metropolitan Chicagoadamalonso@gmail.comAdam M. Alonso has spent 18 years in non-profit beginning his careerwhile a student at the University of Chicago. He and a friend co-foundedThe Giving Tree, a student organization that sought to address the needsof homelessness in Chicago while creating student awareness on campus.After graduating college, he worked at Casa Central as a School AgeDirector moving up to Director of Youth Services overseeing the youthprograms for the agency. He went on to direct the MOST initiative atAction For Children, a statewide initiative to promote capacity-buildingin after school programs. He has also served on local and statewidecommittees and work groups around youth services and has taught atthe City Colleges of Chicago.While attending graduate school for social work at Loyola University, helaunched Corazon Community Services, a non-profit agency in Cicero.Eight years later, the agency has grown from an agency with 4 volunteersand $5,000 budget to a 30 staff agency and an almost $2,000,000 budget.Adam currently is the Director of Community Engagement for UnitedWay of Metropolitan Chicago.6 Edgar Fellows 2012

Jason BarickmanState Representative105th Legislative Districtjill@jasonbarickman.orgState Representative Jason Barickman was sworn into office January 10, 2011,and represents the 105th Legislative District in Illinois. He is the Republicannominee to the Illinois State Senate for a term commencing in January2013, and is currently unopposed in the November election.RepresentativeBarickman is a Principal at the law offices of Meyer Capel, P.C. His practicefocuses on real estate, including acquisitions, sales and developments ofoffice buildings, multi-family residential properties, industrial sites andother residential and commercial properties. He has regularly representedclients in a variety of leasing transactions, build-to-suit arrangements andsale-leasebacks. Additionally, Mr. Barickman has assisted numerous clientsthrough the complexities of the regulatory process, including the resolutionof zoning and eminent domain issues. His representation includes propertyowners, businesses, developers, operators, contractors and architectsthroughout North America in connection with residential, commercial,industrial and other real estate projects.Representative Barickman was born May 1, 1975 in Streator, Illinois. He wasraised on a family farm in Livingston County near Ancona. He graduatedfrom Woodland High School in 1993. Jason also served in the IllinoisArmy National Guard from 1992 to 2000. Barickman attended Illinois StateUniversity, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 1998.During his senior year, he served as ISU Student Body President. At thesame time, he worked as a legislative intern for Congressman Thomas W.Ewing in Washington, D.C., as well as for then-Representative Bill Brady inBloomington. After graduation, Jason spent four years in business, workingfor Ernst & Young and power company Dynegy.He enrolled at the University of Illinois College of Law, graduating inMay 2005. During law school, he completed his legal internship withthe Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons, and worked as agraduate assistant to Governor Jim Edgar at the Institute of Governmentand Public Affairs.Jason and wife were married in 2010 and have one son.7

Jean BrownExecutive DirectorChicago Federal Executive Board (FEB)jean.brown@gsa.govJean Brown serves as Executive Director of the Chicago Federal ExecutiveBoard (FEB). She manages intergovernmental coordination among 178federal offices and agencies in the Chicago area and is the primary liaisonbetween the federal government, state and local governments, andprivate entities with business impacting the federal community. Jeanplayed a critical role in emergency preparedness for federal agencies andon-site logistics for the NATO Summit recently held in Chicago.Prior to joining FEB, Jean worked for the U.S. Department of State, Officeof Foreign Missions, providing diplomatic services to over 80 foreignconsulates located in the Midwest. In assisting foreign diplomats Jeandrew on her experience serving at the U.S. Embassies in South Korea,Tunisia, and in Washington, DC.Jean holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Loyola University and anM.A. in Public Affairs from Indiana University. She resides in Chicagowith her husband Jason and their two daughters. Jean is a humorlesschess player and an aspiring squash rackets champion.8 Edgar Fellows 2012

Kelly BurkeState Representative36th Districtkburke@kellyburkerep36.orgElected in 2010, Kelly Burke is serving her first term as state representative.She sits on the following committees: Agriculture, Cities and Villages,Financial Institutions, General Services Appropriations, Health CareLicenses, Telecommunications, and Tollway Oversight.An active volunteer, coach, attorney and community leader, Kelly servedtwo terms on the Evergreen Park Library Board and was president ofthe board for five years. From 2006 to 2011, Kelly worked at Saint XavierUniversity as part of the fundraising and development team.Prior to joining Saint Xavier, Kelly practiced law for 14 years. She alsoserved as a law clerk to two circuit court judges and was a legislativeaide to former State Representative Andrew McGann.Kelly received a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaignand a J.D.from the John Marshall Law School. Kelly and her husbandand their three children have lived in Evergreen Park for 20 years. The36th District includes parts of three wards on the South Side of Chicagoand seven southwest suburbs.9

Dave CocagnePresident and CEOVermilion Developmentdave@vermiliondevelopment.comDave Cocagne is President and CEO of Vermilion Development andis the firm’s principal. He has spearheaded the development of office,retail, and medical office facilities across the Midwest, developmentsthat have played a catalytic role in neighborhood revitalization. Mostrecently, he led the development team that won a joint City of Chicago/University of Chicago RFP for redevelopment of a 3.5-acre site in HydePark. Mr. Cocagne spearheaded all aspects of this $100 million project.In recognition of his work, Mr. Cocagne was named the 2012 YoungVisionary by the Urban Land Institute’s Chicago chapter.Mr. Cocagne serves on a variety of not-for-profit boards, including theUniversity of Illinois Alumni Association Board of Directors and theBoard of Directors of the Chicago Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.He has served on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, the MeritBoard of the State University Civil Service System, the Campustown2000, Inc. Board of Directors, and a variety of other civic boards.Mr. Cocagne received a B.A. in finance from the University of Illinois.He earned an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, graduating as aPalmer Scholar. He was awarded the Chartered Financial Analystdesignation in 2004.10 Edgar Fellows 2012

Lori S. Curtis LutherCounty AdministratorPeorialcurtisluther@peoriacounty.orgLori S. Curtis Luther began her tenure as Peoria County Administratorin August 2011. Prior to Peoria County, Lori had 15 years experience inprogressively responsible management positions at the local governmentlevel, including serving as City Administrator for the City of Reedsburg,WI, and the City of Waukesha, WI.Lori is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of PeoriaCounty government, an organization with an annual budget of $135million. Peoria County encompasses 27 departments - including nineelected offices - and approximately 1000 employees. Lori has supervisoryauthority over the following departments: Animal Protection Services,Bel-Wood Nursing Home, County Administration, EmergencyManagement Agency, Facility and Grounds Operations, FinanceDepartment, Highway Department, Information Technology Services,Planning & Zoning Department, Recycling and Resource Conservation,and the Supervisor of Assessment’s Office.Lori is a member of the National Association of County Administrators,the International City/County Manager’s Association, Illinois City/County Management Association, and the Illinois Associationof County Administrators. Lori earned her Master of PublicAdministration from the University of Kansas and her Bachelor ofArts Degree from Baker University.11

Scott DruryCandidate, State Representative58th Districtscott_drury@comcast.netScott Drury is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, currently running forState Representative in Illinois’ 58th District. In 2003, Scott left a successfullegal career at a prominent Chicago law firm in order to serve the publicas an Assistant U.S. Attorney, working under Patrick J. Fitzgerald. Forthe next 7.5 years, Scott prosecuted and convicted criminals of all kinds,including corrupt public officials, white-collar criminals, child sexoffenders and violent criminals.Before running for public office, Scott was a community leader, fightingagainst special interests that sought to destroy his community’s character.Regardless of the issue, Scott could be trusted to stand up for honest,ethical, transparent and responsible government. Scott seeks to do thesame as State Representative.Scott grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago and currently livesin that area with his wife, Shelby, and two children. Scott coachesAYSO soccer and youth baseball. Scott is an adjunct professor at theNorthwestern University School of Law and a trial team advisor atDeerfield High School.12 Edgar Fellows 2012

Scott EisenhauerMayorDanvillemayor@cityofdanville.orgScott Eisenhauer is a life-long resident of Danville and is in his ninthyear as Mayor of his hometown. Eisenhauer was first elected to theoffice in 2003, and won re-election campaigns in 2007 and 2011. Priorto being elected, he served for five years as the Assistant Director of theVermilion County Emergency Management Agency writing emergencyoperations plans, school and business safety plans, and focusing onterrorism and issues of homeland security. In 2001, he became one ofthe first nine in the State of Illinois to receive a Professional EmergencyManagers Designation.Scott’s political career began in 1993 when he was appointed as Aldermanto the Danville City Council and held that position for five years. Duringthat time he also served on the Strategic Planning Committee and chairedseveral sub-committees. He was elected to the Illinois Municipal LeagueBoard of Directors in 2005 where he serves on the Executive Committee,IMLRMA Operations Committee, and Budget Committee.Last October, Eisenhauer was elected First Vice-President of the Board atthe IML Annual Conference.Scott and his wife Amy stay busy by playing golf, following her twodaughters to all their activities, and playing with their four canine sons.13

Mike FrerichsState Senator52nd Districtmichaelfrerichs@gmail.comMike Frerichs was born in Gifford, IL and graduated from RantoulTownship High School. He worked his way through Yale Universitywhile competing for four years on the varsity crew. Upon graduating,Mike studied Chinese and taught English in Taiwan.In 2006, Senator Frerichs was elected to the Illinois State Senate. Hecurrently serves as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and ConservationCommittee; Vice-Chairman of the Higher Education Committee andCo-chair of the Enterprise Zone Extensions committee. In addition, healso serves on: Commerce, Education, Financial Institutions, LicensedActivities, Pensions and Investments, the Subcommittee on PensionReforms, Procurement. He is also a member of the CGFA, Commissionon Government Forecasting and Accountability committee.Senator Frerichs currently resides in Champaign, IL with his wife Lauraand their daughter Ella.14 Edgar Fellows 2012

Kent GaffneyState Representative52nd Districthrskent@yahoo.comKent Gaffney is the current State Representative for the 52ndLegislative District. He is a graduate of Purdue University with adegree in Political Science.Kent began his career in public service working summers during collegewith the Illinois Senate, and upon graduation Kent interned at the Officeof Illinois Government in Washington, D.C. After the internship, Kentbegan working for Smith Barney at the Chicago Board of Trade.In 1997, Kent took a positon with the House Republican Research andAppropriations Staff, and in 2001 he became Director of Appropriationsfor the House Republican Caucus. In June, 2011, Kent was appointed StateRepresentative to the 52nd Legislative District. Kent has been married tohis wife, Elizabeth, for 14 years. They reside in Lake Barrington and arethe proud parents of 2 boys.15

Kyle HamChief of StaffIllinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherfordkyle@danrutherford.orgKyle Ham currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the Illinois StateTreasurer Dan Rutherford. At any given time, the State Treasurermanages about $17 billion in state and local funds and serves as thestate’s banker whose primary responsibility is to protect and wiselyinvest taxpayer’s money.Prior to his current role, Kyle served as President and Chief OperatingOfficer of PeoriaNEXT – a technology commercialization companywhose mission was to create jobs and stimulate economic growth fromthe development of start-up technology based companies. He also servedas Vice President for The Heartland Partnership where his positionconsisted of formulating policies, programs and strategies for TheHeartland Partnership, the Economic Development Council for CentralIllinois (EDC), and the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce.For five years Kyle worked in various capacities for the Illinois AttorneyGeneral’s office and in 2001 he was the Executive Assistant to the IllinoisState Attorney General Jim Ryan.Kyle also served a four year term as Mayor of The City of Toulon, and hasalso assumed other roles and responsibilities while serving on a numberof different boards and organizations throughout his career.16 Edgar Fellows 2012

Chad HaysState Representative104th Districtchad.hays@provena.orgChad Hays is a Vermilion County native who grew up in Catlin, Illinois.He graduated from Catlin High School (1981), Danville Area CommunityCollege (1983) and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (1986).Hays served as Mayor of Catlin for two terms from 1991 – 1999. During histenure as Mayor, Hays balanced eight consecutive budgets. He chaired theCatlin Recreation Complex committee initiative that won the Governor’sHometown Award for Excellence Through Volunteerism in 2003.He chaired the Vermilion County Mayor’s Council and was a memberof the Board of Directors for many community based organizationsincluding Danville Area Economic Development Corporation (VermilionAdvantage), Danville Rotary Club (President in 2005-2006), and theVermilion Area Community Health Center.Hays was named Catlin’s Citizen of the Year in 2004.He was most recently Vice President of Development & Mission Servicesat Provena United Samaritans Medical Center. In this capacity, he ranthe Provena United Samaritans Foundation and is the organization’schief fundraising officer, raising over $16 million for the local hospitaland it’s outreach efforts.As a member of the Senior Management team, Hays helped to implementover $12 million in cost savings and performance improvement initiativesin 2009 alone.Chad was elected State Representative for the 104th District in 2010 bya 68%-32% plurality. He carried every precinct in Champaign County,and 90% of the precincts in Vermilion County. He serves on the followingHouse committees: Agriculture & Conservation, Healthcare Access,Aging, Higher Education, State & Local Government, Appropriationsfor Human Services.Hays and his wife Ruth, have three children ages 26, 25 and 15, andreside in Catlin. They also have a one year old grandchild.17

Chad HoosierDeputy Chief of Staff for External AffairsLt. Governor Sheila Simonchadqh@gmail.comChad Hoosier serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for External Affairs for Lt.Governor Sheila Simon. Hoosier got his start in politics and governmentby helping elect Illinois State Representative Eddie Lee Jackson in the2010 primary election. Hoosier then became political director for Simonwhen she ran for Lt. Governor in the general election. After Simon andGovernor Quinn won the 2010 gubernatorial ticket, Hoosier served on theLt. Governor’s transition team and became a part of the Lt. Governor’sstaff. His day to day responsibilities include scheduling and advance,outreach to constituency groups throughout the Chicagoland area, andmaintaining relationships with other elected officials and their offices.Hoosier was born and raised in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago’sSouth Side. He graduated from Simeon Career Academy High Schooland earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science andpublic administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale(SIUC). While attending SIUC, Hoosier worked at the Paul Simon PublicPolicy Institute for five years. There he learned about public policyissues facing units of government and interacted with visiting policy anddecision makers. Hoosier enjoys cycling, jazz music, and spending timewith family and friends.18 Edgar Fellows 2012

Toi HutchinsonState Senator40th Districttwhutch@gmail.comState Senator Toi Hutchinson has earned a reputation as a highlyeffective and well-regarded public servant with a strong commitmentto the residents of the 40th district. Upon joining the Senate in January2009, Hutchinson was faced with a national recession, a state budgetcrisis and pending impeachment proceedings against Illinois’ Governor.Given these hurdles, Hutchinson has still been able to sponsor numerouslegislative measures that have helped working families.A proud mother of three children, Hutchinson has placed a highimportance on improving education since joining the Senate. As recentlynamed chairwoman of the Senate Revenue Committee, Hutchinson hasteamed with the House Revenue and Finance Committee in travelingaround the state for a series of hearings dedicated towards evaluatingIllinois’ business tax structure. Hutchinson sponsored and helped passlegislation in 2010 that laid the groundwork for the construction of theIlliana Expressway, a new highway connecting Interstate 55 in Illinois toInterstate 65 in Indiana.A dedicated public servant for over 15 years, Senator Toi Hutchinson hasserved the 40th District since January of 2009. Hutchinson representsportions of Cook, Iroquois, Kankakee and Will counties.Hutchinson earned a Bachelor of English degree from the University ofIllinois at Urbana and was a student at Northern Illinois University’sSchool of Law when she began her first term in the Illinois Senate.Hutchinson and her husband Paul live in Olympia Fields with theirthree children.19

Kris KieperTrustee, Village of WinnebagoPresident/CEO, YWCA of Rockfordkkieper@villageofwinnebago.comKris Kieper is one of six Trustees’ on the Village of Winnebago Board ofTrustees; she chairs the Police Committee, is a member of the FinanceCommittee and Administrative Team. In addition, Ms. Kieper is President/CEO of the YWCA of Rockford; a position she has held since 2006.Kris’s experiences encompass government, for-profit, and non-profitleadership. Having began her professional career in the U.S. Army,assigned to Washington, D.C. working in personnel management toa position of Senior Consultant at a Naperville, Illinois philanthropicconsulting firm providing major gifts expertise to a wide range of nonprofitsand privately held foundations, to President/CEO of a nationalAssociation, she has achieved a unique look at how non-profits shouldbe evolving to meet today’s economic demands and society’s needs.Kris has a passion for empowering women and families and strivesto promote equity in her community; she believes we can create aninclusive, diverse and empowering community that embraces andvalues all residents by working together. She authors a RockfordRegister Star blog focused on racism, women’s issues and currentcommunity concerns.Kris and her husband, Gary, live in Winnebago, Illinois with daughter,Paxton and son, Gaibrial.20 Edgar Fellows 2012

Aaron LawlorBoard MemberLake County and Lake County Forest Preserveaaronlawlor@gmail.comAaron has served on the Lake County Board and Lake County ForestPreserve Board since 2009.He has led efforts to reduce the size of the County Board, cut spending,strengthen ethics rules and preserve open space.On the County Board, Aaron serves as the Chairman of the Health andCommunity Services Committee, Vice-Chair of the ReapportionmentCommittee and a member of the Finance and Administration Committeeand Rules Committee.As a Forest Preserve Commissioner, Aaron is the Chairman of the EthicsCommittee, Vice-Chair of the Planning and Restoration Committee andMember of the Finance Committee.Prior to joining the County Board, Aaron served as Board President andTrustee of the Cook Memorial Public Library District for six years. Hewas sworn in at the age of 21 and elected president at the age of 23.Aaron previously served as then-Congressman Mark Kirk’s DeputyDistrict Director and Political Director. Aaron also worked as theCoalition Director on Kirk’s 2010 U.S. Senate campaign.He received his Bachelors of Arts from Lake Forest College and iscurrently pursuing a Masters in Business Administration at the LakeForest Graduate School of Management.21

Rey Lopez-CalderonЃЃExecutive DirectorCommon Cause Illinoisreylc@commoncause.orgRey López-Calderón is the executive director of Common CauseIllinois. Prior to working with Common Cause, Rey López-Calderónwas an organizer with the Gamaliel Foundation, where he foundedAlianza Leadership Institute, a unique Latino organizing institute. Healso launched Alliance of the Southeast, a faith-based, social-justiceorganization that brings together African-Americans and Latinos on thesouth side of Chicago.In addition to his work in community organizing, he has been a unionorganizer, a political consultant, education consultant, and a strategicplanner. He has served on several boards including the Alliance ofLatinos and Jews, Latino Union, and the South Chicago Arts Center.López-Calderón studied philosophy at the University of Chicagowhere he was graduated with General Honors and received the AlumniAssociation’s medal for outstanding student leadership as a founder ofthe first chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA)in Illinois. He also holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul College of Law. Heblogs in his spare time at cockroachpeople.com22 Edgar Fellows 2012

Eric B. LugoVice President in Global PhilanthropyJPMorgan Chase & Co.ericblugo@gmail.comEric B. Lugo, Vice President in Global Philanthropy, is currentlyresponsible for the local implementation and communication of theglobal philanthropic strategy at JPMorgan Chase & Co. In this capacity,Eric oversees grant-making activities, along with coordinating effortsacross various stakeholders including internal senior business partners,non-profit organizations, public sector officials, and clients.Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, Eric held the position of SeniorDevelopment Officer at Instituto del Progreso Latino, a leadingworkforce development, education, and civic organization in the Cityof Chicago, where he played a transformative role in the institution’sgrowth. From securing the seed dollars that lead to the creation of acollaboration serving hundreds of Latina single mothers, to spurringan endeavor that integrated career and financial coaching into the coreof Instituto’s alternative high school model, Eric’s presence cementedrelationships with private philanthropic organizations. His leadershipfacilitated new opportunities that linked economic development andinvestment in human capital to the pursuit of social justice.Eric received his Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Latina/o Studiesfrom the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and earned dualMasters Degrees in Business Administration and Integrated MarketingCommunications from Loyola University Chicago, Graduate School ofBusiness. He currently resides in Stone Park, Illinois.23

Jennifer McDadeCity Council member, BloomingtonPublic Affairs, State Farmmcdade61701@gmail.comJennifer McDade works in Public Affairs at State Farm. She earneda Bachelors degree from Monmouth College and a Masters degreein Communication from Illinois State University where she focusedon political communication, civic engagement, and curriculum andinstruction. Before joining State Farm in May 2012, Jennifer was anaward-winning instructor in the School of Communication at ISU and acoordinator of faculty professional development.In May 2009, Jennifer was elected to the Bloomington City Councilwhere she serves on several city committees and as an appointee tothe Executive Board of the Economic Development Council of theBloomington-Normal Area. Jennifer also serves on the United Way ofMcLean County Campaign Cabinet and the Metcalf School PTO. Jenniferis a past participant of Leadership McLean County and was named a2012 YWCA Woman of Distinction.She lives in Bloomington with her husband, Rob, and children Pierce (7)and Pearl (6) and enjoys visiting family on both coasts. Jennifer enjoysfamily, friends, and community; a good sense of humor; and exercise(especially CrossFit and triathlon)--in any combination.24 Edgar Fellows 2012

Christopher MeisterExecutive DirectorIllinois Finance Authoritycmeister@il-fa.comAs the Executive Director of the Illinois Finance Authority, ChristopherMeister leads a staff of finance and legal experts that provide hands-onsupport to help Illinois businesses get the capital they need for growth.Meister was appointed to head the IFA in July 2009 after two years asthe agency’s General Counsel and Deputy Director. His focus at IFA hasbeen to develop creative new financing tools to help meet the needs ofIllinois businesses seeking to create and retain jobs around the state. Afrequent speaker and panelist before business groups, Meister activelymarkets IFA programs and services to reach the broadest possible sectorof the business community.Meister has a record of leadership in strengthening economicdevelopment statewide. He served as Legislative Director/AssociateGeneral Counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce & EconomicOpportunity, where his most notable achievement was drafting andsecuring passage of legislation for the Illinois Film Tax Credit.His private practice experience focused on municipal law and litigationwith the firm Holland & Knight LLP. He also served as a law clerk underIllinois Supreme Court Justice McMorrow.Meister is a graduate of DePaul University and the University Of IllinoisCollege Of Law. He and his family live in Oak Park, Illinois.25

Susana MendozaCity ClerkChicagocityclerk@cityofchicago.orgSusana Mendoza was sworn in as City Clerk of Chicago on May 16,2011 and is the first woman ever elected to the Office of the City Clerk.Before City Clerk, she proudly served six terms as a Democratic memberof the Illinois House of Representatives from 2001 to 2011, representingthe 1st District of Illinois - which includes the Chicago communitiesof Brighton Park, Little Village, Gage Park, and Back of the Yards.As an Illinois State Representative, she has been publicly recognizedfor her leadership and legislation on social services, education, lawenforcement and job creation.Susana Mendoza graduated from Bolingbrook High School where sheearned All-State and All-Midwest honors in varsity soccer. She attendedNortheast Missouri State University, (now Truman State University)on a soccer and academic scholarship, earning All-Midwest honors insoccer and a B.A. in Business Administration.Susana Mendoza was elected as the youngest member of the 92ndGeneral Assembly in 2001. She has proven to be an aggressive leader withher efforts to improve education, public health, public safety and livingconditions for the people of Illinois and the community she serves. Rep.Susana Mendoza was also a leading sponsor of HR 1650 which createdthe panel to impeach former Governor Blagojevich and she served as anactive alternate member of the impeachment committee.26 Edgar Fellows 2012

Christian MitchellCandidate, State Representative26th Districtcljmitchell@gmail.comChristian Mitchell is the 2012 Democratic nominee for StateRepresentative in the 26th District in Illinois. Christian began hiscareer as a community organizer where he worked with people intheir communities, to advocate for living wage jobs, adequate housing,improved transportation, and equitable schools. His efforts led todrafting two pieces of legislation that became law in Springfield.One highlight of that work was in 2009, Christian in consultationwith community leaders and members of the general assembly,drafted legislation that became the “Urban Weatherization Initiative,”a $425 million dollar state jobs program focusing on insulation,weatherproofing and upgrading of single family homes in low tomoderate urban areas in the state of Illinois – with a requirement tohire workers from those very communities.Christian graduated from the University of Chicago in 2008 with abachelor’s degree in Public Policy Studies. Christian worked as a politicalstaffer to Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Alderman Will Burns, andserved in the cabinet of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.27

Anna MoellerExecutive Director, McHenry County Council ofGovernments and Councilwoman, City of Elginamoeller@mchenrycountycog.orgAnna Moeller is the Executive Director of the McHenry County Councilof Governments and was elected Councilwoman for the City of Elginin 2011. Ms. Moeller has over 14 years of experience working in localgovernment management, budgeting and planning. Before her careerin local government, she served as Legislative Aide for former IllinoisState Representative Andrea S. Moore, 61st District, Legislative Internfor former Congressman John Porter, 10th Illinois District in WashingtonD.C. and English as a Second Language Instructor for the InlinguaInternational Language School in Andorra La Vella, Europe.Ms. Moeller has a BA in History and Masters Degree in PublicAdministration from Northern Illinois University and was inducted intothe Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration.She was appointed to the State Treasurer’s Advisory Committee onLocal Governments in 2011. She’s also served on the Elgin Planningand Development Commission, Elgin Human Relations Commission,Vice-President of Imagine McHenry County, as Vice-President of theNortheast Neighborhood Association of Elgin, Channing ElementarySchool PTO Treasurer and as an English as a Second Language Tutor forthe Literacy Connection.Ms. Moeller enjoys amateur astronomy and running and has twodaughters, Madeline (9) and Eleanor (6). She is married to Marc Moeller,a teacher in the Barrington School District.28 Edgar Fellows 2012

Josina Wing MoritaDirectorUnited Congress of Community and ReligiousOrganizationsjosinamorita@gmail.comJosina Wing Morita is the Director of the United Congress of Communityand Religious Organizations—a grassroots-led multiethnic human rightsalliance. As a leading redistricting mapper and advocate for raciallyequitable policy, she led a 50-organization multiracial redistrictingcoalition successfully advocating for a more racially equitable map.She authored Illinois’ first Grassroots Human Rights Policy Guide forRacial Equity engaging over 1,000 grassroots leaders in developingshared policy principles and priorities. From 2002 to 2008, Josina wasa Senior Research Associate for the Applied Research Center’s Chicagooffice where she authored the Illinois’ Legislative Report Card on RacialEquity reports. Josina’s human rights and racial justice work has beenrecognized by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Japanese AmericanCitizens League. In 2007, she was named one of the top 35 leaders under35 fighting racism and poverty in Chicago.Josina holds a B.A. in Sociology and International Race Relations fromPitzer College and a Masters in Urban Planning and Public Policy fromthe University of Illinois at Chicago. Josina currently serves on the boardsof the Woods Fund of Chicago and the Asian American Action Fund andwas elected a Delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention.29

Tom MorrisonState Representative54th Districtrepmorrison54@gmail.comTom Morrison represents Illinois’ 54th house district, which includesportions of ten communities in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Hisprofessional background includes small business ownership, elementaryschool teaching, and radio/TV broadcast journalism. He serves on sixHouse committees: Personnel and Pensions, Insurance, Elementary andSecondary Education, Tollway Oversight, Mass Transit, and GeneralServices Appropriations.With a bachelor’s degree in history from Hillsdale College in Michigan,Tom interned at WGN radio in Chicago and worked as a news reporterand anchor in Dubuque, Iowa. He was eager to return to the Chicagoarea, however, where he accepted a fifth grade teaching position athis former grade school, Christian Liberty Academy. Six years later,he partnered with his brother and purchased a SERVPRO franchise, acleanup company specializing in residential and commercial disasterrestoration. They grew their business from 2 to 10 employees and earneda 2010 Director’s Platinum Award for exceeding $1 Million in annualrevenue. He maintains a minority stake in the company.In his free time, he greatly enjoys reading, spending time with hiswife and two young children, endurance sports, and volunteering inhis community.30 Edgar Fellows 2012

Lydia MurrayAssociate PrincipalCivic Consulting Alliancelydia.murray@cookcountyil.govLydia Murray has worked for nearly two decades in public serviceto make cities run better. She is currently an Associate Principal atthe Civic Consulting Alliance working on issues of local governmentservice delivery.Lydia served two tours of duty as Deputy Chief of Staff to MayorRichard Daley working in the areas of technology, process improvementand performance management. In between stints in the Mayor’s officeshe served for two years as Chief of Staff for President of the ChicagoTransit Authority.Lydia’s other public service experience includes a stint as Director ofCharlotte, North Carolina’s Welfare-to-Work program and working forMayor Rudy Giuliani in New York City in various positions includingDirector of the Mayor’s Action Center and Assistant Commissioner forStrategic Planning of Housing, Preservation and Development.She holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and Political Sciencefrom The College of Wooster and a master’s degree in Urban Policy fromthe School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.Lydia a Board member of SCUPE - a training organization for urbanministers in Chicago and serves as chair of the Local School Council ofNewberry Academy, a Chicago Public School. She is an active member atSt. Pauls United Church of Christ and enjoys attending Cubs games withher husband Tom and two sons, Colin and Zack.31

Ameya PawarAlderman, Chicago City Council47th Wardpawara@uchicago.eduAmeya Pawar was elected to the Chicago City Council as an Aldermanof the 47th Ward of the City of Chicago in the 2011 municipal electionsheld on February 22, 2011 and is the first Indian - American in ChicagoCity Council history. He succeeds Eugene Schulter who had been theAlderman of the 47th Ward since 1975. Prior to his election, Ameyawas on staff at Northwestern University in the Office of EmergencyManagement. At Northwestern, Ameya was responsible for thedevelopment of a university-wide business continuity program.While working at Northwestern, Ameya and two of his classmatesfrom the University of Chicago were awarded a contract from Taylorand Francis to write a textbook based on their work in emergencymanagement. The textbook is based on a model Ameya developed withtwo of his classmates at the University of Chicago’s MSTRM program —the model is called Social Intelligence. Their work calls for the real-timeaggregation of data to develop composite views of communities to betterinform emergency preparedness, mitigation, response and recoveryactivities. Ameya and his co-authors have presented their work at annualFEMA conferences and other national conferences since 2008. Ameyaholds a M.S. in Threat and Response Management from the University ofChicago and a M.P.A. in Public Administration from the Illinois Instituteof Technology.Ameya is currently enrolled in a third master’s degree program at theUniversity of Chicago in the school of Social Service Administration. In2009, Ameya was a US State Department Scholar.Ameya is also active in his community — he sits on the board of directorson the 47th Ward’s Common Pantry and the state-wide advocacyorganization, the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention32 Edgar Fellows 2012

Nneka RimmerPartner and Managing DirectorChicago Office of Boston Consulting Groupnnekarimmer@gmail.comNneka Rimmer is a Partner and Managing Director in the ChicagoOffice of Boston Consulting Group. She is a leader in the ConsumerGoods Practice Area, the Education Practice Area, and the Social ImpactPractice Area. In addition, Ms. Rimmer is the regional topic leader forTrade Spend. In 2012, she co-authored “Winning Practices of AdaptiveLeadership Teams” – an acclaimed study that details how adaptiveleadership teams use unique traits to outperform their industry peers.Ms. Rimmer is also a member of the Americas Leadership Team. Priorto BCG, she held various roles at Motorola and George Group, anoperations consulting firm.Outside of work, Ms. Rimmer is a 2011 Fellow of Leadership GreaterChicago, and sits on the boards of Academy for Urban School Leadership(AUSL) and Girls in The Game.Ms. Rimmer holds an MBA from Northwestern UniversityKellogg Graduate School of Management, a JD from NorthwesternUniversity School of Law, and a BS in Chemical Engineering, fromStanford University.33

Heather RobertsBusiness Development CoordinatorRock Island County Metropolitan Mass TransitDistrict (MetroLINK)hroberts@qcmetrolink.comMs. Roberts is currently a Business Development Coordinator withthe Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District, known asMetroLINK. She is project coordinator on a key Multi-modal Stationwhich is leveraging public funding with private development that willenhance the livability of the Quad Cities Region. Her ability to dealwith complex coordination of varying needs and wants from differentsectors has allowed various projects to stay on track and be successful.She volunteers for and belongs to several community organizationssuch as Quad Cities Association for Immigrants &Refugees, Quad CitiesJunior Achievement, Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, Greater QuadCities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Quad Cities Boys & Girls Club,the Illinois Public Transit Association and the American Public TransitAssociation to name a few.Before coming to MetroLINK, Ms. Roberts served as the EconomicDevelopment Director for the City of Geneseo, Illinois. Prior to hermove to Illinois, Ms. Roberts lived in Minnesota. She served as CityAdministrator in Beaver Bay Minnesota and was a member of theNorth Shore Management Board, which was a tri-county initiative tohelp guide land use and economic development along the North Shoreof Lake Superior. She served her community as a volunteer firefighterfor ten years.Ms. Roberts holds bachelor degrees in Management and OrganizationalBehavior, both of which she received from the College of St. Scholastica,graduating Summa Cum Laude. She also holds designation as aCertified Municipal Clerk. Most importantly, Ms. Roberts enjoys thetrust and respect of her fellow professional affiliates, and her employers,past and present.34 Edgar Fellows 2012

Genita C. RobinsonExecutive DirectorLawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Programgenita@genitarobinson.orgGenita C. Robinson is executive director of Lawyers Lend-A-Hand toYouth Program, which supports one-on-one mentoring programs.Genita is a tireless advocate for children. She was Director of theCharter Schools Office and Director of Special Projects in the Officeof the CEO for the Chicago Public Schools. Genita set policy forthe district’s relationship with 35 charter campuses serving 15,000students. In the CEO’s Office, she helped set policy and manageddistrict-wide projects including developing a program to supportschools receiving students from phased out or closed schools.Trained as an attorney, Genita practiced commercial litigation atSachnoff & Weaver, Ltd. (now Reed Smith LLP). During her transitionfrom law to education, she was the Assistant Dean for Admissions at theUniversity of Chicago Law School.In 2011, Genita ran for Alderman of Chicago’s 2nd Ward. Shefinished second in a field of six candidates, garnering over 30percent of the vote and the endorsements of the Chicago Tribuneand the Chicago Sun-Times.Genita is the governance chair of the Brady Campaign to PreventGun Violence, vice president of the Leadership Fellows Association ofLeadership Greater Chicago, and a member of the Board of Cook CountyJustice for Children. She previously served on the City of Chicago’sBoard of Ethics and the Serve Illinois Commission35

Chapin RoseState Representative110th Districtcr@chapinrose.netChapin grew up in the 110th District. Upon graduating from CharlestonHigh School, he enrolled in and received a bachelor’s degree from theUniversity of Illinois with a Major in Political Science with a concentrationin economics. He is also a graduate of the University of Illinois Collegeof Law. Before being elected to the legislature in 2003, Chapin served asa Senior Assistant State’s Attorney in Champaign County.Chapin’s current Legislative Committee assignments include:o Appropriations – Higher Educationo Financial Institutionso Environment & Energyo Redistrictingo Environmental Healtho Insuranceo Select Committee on DisciplineChapin and his wife Camille are members of Faith United MethodistChurch. They have four children: Jack, Annie and twins Kyra and Grace.36 Edgar Fellows 2012

Pam RothState Representative75th Districtrepresentativepamroth@gmail.comPam Roth is a State Representative in Illinois’ 75th district serving partsof Grundy, LaSalle, Will, Kankakee, Iroquois, and Livingston Countiessince January 2011. A native of Washington, Iowa, Pam Roth grew upembracing the old-fashioned values of hard work and communityservice embodied in the farming community in which she was raised.After earning a degree in Accounting from the University of Nevada –Las Vegas in 1997, Roth moved to Morris the following year to start bothher career and a family with her husband, Steve.A certified public accountant since 1999, Roth enjoyed a successfulcareer in the business and accounting industry with experience in boththe public and private sectors for 22 years prior to taking office as StateRepresentative. Previously, Roth created and managed a $120 millionannual budget for a nuclear power facility in Morris and formerlymanaged financial operations for a $1.8 billion Everglades restorationprogram in Florida.Roth was elected to the Saratoga School Board District 60C in April 2007and served as Board President from 2009-2011.Roth resides in Morris with her husband, Steve, and their two sons.37

Yesenia SanchezExecutive DirectorP.A.S.O.-West Suburban Action Projectyeseniasanchez.paso@gmail.comYesenia Sanchez is Executive Director of P.A.S.O- West Suburban ActionProject, a community-based organization serving the West Cook suburbsthat works to engage community members to act through their faithand values to address issues that affect them with the mission to buildstronger communities where all residents can live dignified lives.P.A.S.O.’s mission is founded on a core belief that ordinary people –people directly affected- have the power to make extraordinary changeby acting collectively with others.Yesenia Sanchez has been involved in the immigrant rights fieldsince 2003, working at the state and federal level for the passage oflegislation that upholds and recognizes the contributions of immigrantcommunities. Yesenia was involved in the passage of the HB60, the ILDREAM Act as well as the passage of the Access to Religious MinistryAct in 2010 and has worked in support of immigration reform and thefederal DREAM Act.Yesenia has also been an actively involved in immigrant integration andcivic engagement efforts in the Western Suburbs, including conductinga non-partisan voter engagement campaign that has registered 3,563new voters, specifically new citizens and children of immigrants andwas involved in the redistricting efforts to insure the fair representationof Latinos, working on the redrawing and passage of a new minorityminoritylegislative district map in the Western Suburbs.While a student at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana,she co-founded La Colectiva, a student-led organization focused onimmigrant rights. During this time, La Colectiva worked to engagethe administration and local stakeholders to address issues that wereimpacting immigrant students and the local immigrant community.Yesenia serves on the boards of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant andRefugee Rights and the Jesus Guadalupe Foundation and is a member ofthe Scalabrinian Lay Movement.38 Edgar Fellows 2012

Smita ShahPresident and CEOSPAAN TechnologyProfessional Engineer and LEED APsmita@spaantech.comSmita Shah is a professional licensed engineer and the President and ChiefExecutive Officer of SPAAN Tech, Inc. As the entrepreneurial principal,she pioneered the growth of SPAAN Tech from its inception in 1998 froman information technology infrastructure start-up to a dynamic, multifacetedengineering and construction management firm with multipleservice offerings, including design engineering, IT consulting, facilitiesand program management services for public infrastructure and privatesector projects.As President, CEO and Technical Lead of SPAAN Tech, Smita Shahprovides leadership for business development, operations and firmmanagement. In 1997, prior to establishing SPAAN Tech, Smita wasproud, as a first-generation American, to have led the negotiations ofa $700 million power purchase agreement with a public sector agencyin India, the country from which her parents immigrated. Ms. Shah hasalso worked as a structural engineer, designing and analyzing variousbuilding projects, including the Korean World Trade Center, LG ArtHall, Millennium Park, The Wyndham Hotel and a neighborhood policestation in Chicago.39

John StremsterferExecutive DirectorCommunity Foundation for the Land of Lincolnstremsterfer@CFLL.orgAs Executive Director of the Community Foundation for the Landof Lincoln (CFLL), John Stremsterfer oversees the development,expansion and leadership activities of the Community Foundation. Asa leading philanthropic institution in the capital city, the CommunityFoundation seeks to increase philanthropy and impact the quality oflife in Central Illinois.John came to CFLL from the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS)where he served as the Director of Major Gift Development. Prior to UIS,he was Director of Institutional Advancement for Ursuline Academy inSpringfield and also spent two years working in the Governor Jim Edgaradministration, where he was a Dunn Fellow and Legislative Liaison forthe Department of Corrections.In 2006 John was a participant in the American Memorial MarshallFellowship, a trans-Atlantic exchange program for future Europeanand American leaders, through the German Marshall Fund. Johnwas the 2007 recipient of the “Outstanding Fundraising Professional”award of the Springfield, IL chapter of the Association of FundraisingProfessionals and in 2008 was recognized by the Springfield BusinessJournal by receiving the “Business Ethics Not-For-Profit” award. In 2012John received the Rail-Splitter Public Service Award from the AmericanSociety of Public Administration, Central Illinois Chapter.Mr. Stremsterfer has served as the Vice-President of the Alliance ofIllinois Community Foundations, on the Board of Directors of DonorsForum and Midwest Community Foundations Ventures. He is a pastchairof the board of Leadership Springfield and currently serves on theboard of the Citizen’s Club of Springfield.John is a Springfield, IL native. He holds a BA in Political Science fromIllinois College. John, his wife Trina, daughter Ileana and son, Dean, livein Springfield, IL.40 Edgar Fellows 2012

Larry TishMayorCity of St. Elmolrt33@hotmail.comLarry Tish is currently Mayor for the City of St. Elmo. He was electedin 2009, making him the youngest Mayor in the City’s history. He hasalso served as the President and Vice President for the Southern IllinoisMayor Association. He is a St. Elmo native who attended the St. Elmoschool district. Upon graduation he attended Lakeland College to furtherhis education in business.He is married to his high school sweetheart and they are blessed withthree amazing sons. He is very active in the community by coachingbasketball, baseball and T-ball teams. He has also spent time being amentor in the big brother program. His biggest achievement is helpinghis community to be a place he is proud to call home.41

Martin TorresSenior Policy AnalystLatino Policy Forummartinvtorres@gmail.comMartin Torres guides the Latino Policy Forum’s legislative andadministrative advocacy with a focus on early childhood education,the budget, and government administration. In carrying out hisresponsibilities, Martin regularly convenes Latino service providers,civic leaders, and other stakeholders in order to develop and promotea common policy agenda. His contributions to the Forum’s policyanalyses, coalition building, and implementation strategies have raisedthe visibility and engagement of Latinos in state government.Prior to graduate school and his tenure at the Forum, Martin workedin Washington, D.C. at the Alliance for Excellent Education where hefocused on secondary school reform at the federal level. He also workedat the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for HispanicAmericans through a 1-year fellowship with the Congressional HispanicCaucus Institute.Martin holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign and a M.P.P. from the Irving B. Harris School ofPublic Policy at the University of Chicago.He lives in Chicago with his wife and 1-year old son.42 Edgar Fellows 2012

Arthur TurnerState Representative9th Districttina@reparthurturner.comRep. Turner was born, raised and continues to live in Chicago’s NorthLawndale neighborhood. He is a graduate of Chicago’s Providence St.Mel High School, and received his bachelor’s degree in Political Sciencefrom Morehouse College in Atlanta. Turner received his law degree fromSouthern Illinois University’s School of Law.After college, Turner served as a community organizer and mentorto youth in North Lawndale. He worked as a Tax Credit Analyst andUnderwriter for the Illinois Housing Development Authority. He waselected to serve as the State Representative in the 9th District in 2010.Turner currently serves as the vice-Chair of the Revenue & Financecommittee, as well as a member of the Committees for Appropriations-General Service, Judiciary I-Civil Law, Consumer Protections, SmallBusiness Empowerment & Workforce Empowerment, Housing, Salesand Other Taxes, and the Cemeteries Subcommittee.Turner continues a tradition of service that he learned from his father,the former State Representative & Deputy Majority Leader, Arthur L.Turner and his mother, Rosalyn Turner, an executive member of theCook County Clerk’s Office.43

Mike UnesState Representative91st Districtrepunes@gmail.comState Representative Mike Unes is currently serving his first term in theIllinois General Assembly representing the 91st District.Representative Unes has a background in accounting and computernetworking as well as experience serving on East Peoria’s city council,where he oversaw accounts and finance and served as mayor pro-tem.He also started a literacy campaign for the Tazewell-Woodford CountyHead Start program.Since being seated in the Illinois House in January, Rep. Unes has cosponsoredlegislation to give state elected officials a 10% Paycut, passeda bill requiring lawmakers to cut an equal amount for every newprogram instituted, and sponsored and passed a bill to curtail pay raisesin the Governor’s Office. In January 2012, Rep. Unes was named EastPeoria Distinguished Citizen of the Year by the East Peoria Chamber ofCommerce. He was also named Legislator of the Year by the IllinoisAssociation of Chiefs of Police.Rep. Unes received his Bachelor’s Degree from Bradley University in1996. Mike, his wife Natalie and their four children live in East Peoria.44 Edgar Fellows 2012

The Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) is a public policyresearch organization based in all three University of Illinois campus cities.IGPA’s mission is to improve public policy and government performance by:producing and distributing cutting-edge research and analysis, engaging thepublic in dialogue and education, and providing practical assistance in decisionmaking to policymakers. The institute’s work not only advances knowledge, butalso provides real solutions for the state’s most difficult challenges. IGPA plays animportant role in assisting government to better serve the public good.To learn more, visit igpa.uillinois.eduOffice of PublicLeadershipThere is an urgent need for a new generation of public leaders who are ready,willing and able to run Illinois State and local governments. Meeting this needis the core of our mission. The Office of Public Leadership (OPL) is a specializedstudy center of the University of Illinois Institute of Government and PublicAffairs (IGPA). We have a long history of producing high-quality leadershipprograms for elected and appointed state and local leaders and staff. Since 1993,hundreds of our leadership program participants have become UI alums.OPL’s participants learn from our cadre of extraordinary University of Illinois andIGPA faculty and expert practitioners. We design leadership programs to bridgethe gap between the academic world of research and complex policy analysis andthe practical world of running government and making policy decisions in realtime. OPL builds opportunities peer-to-peer mentoring, information exchangesand sharing, and networking for participants whose goal it is to serve the publicas leaders.Our current leadership education and development programs are LEAD Illinois,UCCI Leadership Academy, and the Municipal Clerks of Illinois Institute andAcademy. OPL leadership program graduates are UI alums who continue toexchange ideas about governing and leadership by joining other alums year-roundin the Leadership Forum, Leadership Book Dialogues, Learning Laboratory andLEAD Illinois Blog. For more on OPL, visit opl.igpa.uillinois.edu45

Notes

igpa.uillinois.edu ◆ @IllinoisIGPA ◆ igpa@uillinois.edu