Gov. Pritzker Announces Twenty-Two Appointments to Boards and Commissions, Public Administrators and Public Guardians

Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following appointments in his administration.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Roger Daniel Monroe will continue to serve as a Trustee of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Board of Trustees. * Monroe is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Millikin University where he has worked for over 15 years. Monroe is the President of the Illinois State Historical Society, a recipient of the Faculty Member of the Year at Millikin University and has been recognized for his scholarly contributions to the history of Lincoln. He received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Bradley University, a Master of Science in History from Illinois State University, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in American History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Glyn Ramage will continue to serve as a Member of the Capital Development Board.* Ramage is the Business Manager at the Southwestern Illinois Laborers' District Council where he has worked for over 20 years. He has served as Chairman of the Southwestern Illinois Laborers' Political League, as well as the Foundation for Fair Contracting of Southwestern Illinois Inc., the Labor Management Work Preservation and Construction Industry Promotional Trust of Southwestern Illinois, and the Southwestern Illinois Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust. He has also served on the Employers' and Laborer's 100 and 397 Health and Welfare Pension Fund and the Midwest Region Retiree Council.

COMMISSION ON EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Bruce Montgomery will serve as a Member of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.* Montgomery is an active contributor to Chicago's business, technology, and cultural communities. He is the founder of Montgomery & Company, a digital media, information, and communications technology company. He founded Technology Access Television, Chicago's long running weekly television news show of which he is the Executive Producer and Host. Montgomery also established the Entrepreneur Success Program, which serves early-stage business founders in accelerating their path to sustainable growth. He has also previously been employed at Sunshine Enterprises and Operation HOPE. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Advertising and Marketing from Hampton University, and a Master's from the Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Daniel Reichen will serve as a Member of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.* Reichen currently serves as the Director of Human Resources for the Illinois Army National Guard where he manages recruitment and human capital resources. In his role, he has planned, directed, and administered the human resources programs for nearly 2500 full-time National Guard personnel. Prior to his service as Director, Reichen served the Illinois Army National Guard as the Senior Human Resources Officer and the Deputy Director of Plans, Operations and Training, roles in which he budgeted, managed, and appropriated a $50 million dollar training budget. He received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and International Business from Illinois State University and a Master of Social Science from the United States Army War College.

CONCEALED CARRY LICENSING REVIEW BOARD

Lionel Craft will continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Craft most recently served as an Investigator at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. He previously served as a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for over 10 years, and as a Corrections Officer for the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Craft's extensive career in public service has also seen him work as an Inheritance Tax Clerk for the Illinois Attorney General's Office for five years. He is a member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Craft received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Roosevelt University.

Nancy DePodesta will continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* DePodesta is Partner and Co-Chair of the White Collar and Government Investigations Practice Group with Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, where she has worked for seven years. She has previously served as the Assistant United States' Attorney for the United States' Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Illinois for twelve years. DePodesta has also served as Law Clerk and Staff Attorney of the United States District Court in the Northern District of Illinois. She received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Indiana University, and a Juris Doctorate from the IIT Chicago Kent College of Law.

Donald Wilkerson will continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Wilkerson is an Adjunct Professor at the  Washington University at St. Louis School of Law and the St. Louis University School of Law. He has also instructed as an Adjunct Professor at the Southern Illinois University School of Law. In addition to his experience in the field of higher education, Wilkerson has also worked in the field of public service as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice in the Easter District of Missouri, a role in which he served for 10 years. He also served as a Magistrate Judge for the United States Courts for 15 years. Wilkerson received a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University, Master of Science from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and his Juris Doctorate from the St. Louis University School of Law.

Inger Burnett-Zeigler will continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Burnett-Zeigler has worked as a Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor at Northwestern University for over 10 years, where she specializes in psychological assessment and treatment and clinical research. Burnett-Zeigler is a board member of the Heartland Alliance and co-Chair of the Chicago Council for Mental Health Equity. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and Doctor of Philosophy from Northwestern University.

Jon Johnson will continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Johnson previously served as an Illinois State Police Inspector and Rock Island County Deputy Sheriff on the Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, a local drug taskforce. Johnson served for 25 years in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as Special Agent and Group Supervisor. He also served as a Special Agent in the U.S. Treasury Department. Johnson was first appointed to the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board in 2015. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Illinois.

Joseph Duffy will continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Duffy currently practices law at Loeb and Loeb. Previously, he worked at Stetler, Duffy and Rotert, and Schiff, Hardin, and Waite. Duffy additionally served as Assistant United States Attorney with the Department of Justice and as a Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service. He was named "Illinois Super Lawyer" in Criminal Defense: While Collar and Business Litigation by Thomson Reuters (2005-2020), "Top Lawyers in Illinois" in Criminal Defense Law: White Collar by the Leading Lawyers Network (2005-2018), and "Local Litigation Star" among Illinois litigators in General Commercial Litigation and White Collar Crime, Benchmark Litigation. Duffy earned his Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University and Juris Doctorate from The John Marshall Law School.

COMMISSION ON DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES

Marvet Sweis will serve as a Member of the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.* Sweis is the Founder of MSD Injury Lawyers, where she works as an Attorney on cases pertaining to medical malpractice. She also Of Counsel with Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman. She previously worked as an Associate Attorney and Director of Intake and Case Management at Levin & Perconti where she supervised over five-hundred active client files. Sweis received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from DePaul University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law.

EXECUTIVE ETHICS COMMISSION

Allison Powers will serve as a Commissioner of the Executive Ethics Commission. * Powers is a Partner at Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP, where she provides legal services in the area of employment law. She previously worked as an Associate Attorney at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP. Powers has also worked as a Summer Law Clerk for Cabrini Green Legal Aid and the Service Employees International Union, and as an NYC Urban Fellow in the Office of Emergency Management for the City of New York. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from Northwestern University, and a Juris Doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.

ILLINOIS INDEPENDENT TAX TRIBUNAL

Brian Barov will continue to serve as an Administrative Law Judge on the Independent Tax Tribunal.* Barov has served on the Tribunal since 2014 where he has played an active role in creating the Tribunal's policies and practices and presiding over open tax cases. Prior to his appointment, Barov devoted twenty years of his career as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General, representing the State on matters of taxation, revenue, labor, environmental and civil rights law. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary and Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law. 

ILLINOIS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION

Jeanne Richeal will serve as a Member of the Illinois Forensic Science Commission.* Richeal currently serves as the DNA Technical Leader of the Forensic Science Center of Chicago, a role in which she has grown and served for nearly 15 years. Prior to her leadership role, she served as a Forensic Scientist for the Illinois State Police and a Criminalist for the City of Chicago Police Department. Richeal is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences She received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from Northern Illinois University.

ILLINOIS STATE MUSEUM BOARD

Lisa Yun Lee will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois State Museum Board. * Lee is the Executive Director at the National Public Housing Museum, where she leads and manages the museum's mission. Previously, she instructed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an Associate Professor of Art History and Gender and Women's Studies. She also worked as the Director at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. Lee received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Bryn Mawr College, and a PhD in German Studies from Duke University.

Daniel Wright will serve as a Member of the Illinois Forensic Science Commission.* Wright has served as the Sangamon County State's Attorney since 2018. He previously served as the First Assistant State's Attorney and the Assistant State's Attorney. Prior to his public service, Wright was an Associate Attorney and then Partner at Brown, Hay & Stephens LLP where he was awarded the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating for his legal ability and professional ethics. In his spare time, Wright serves as a board member of The Outlet, Memorial Behavioral Health, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Leadership Council, the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Task Force and the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln among others. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Illinois College and a Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR AND PUBLIC GUARDIANS

Joseph Ghibaudy will continue to serve as Public Administrator and Public Guardian of the counties of Hamilton, Wabash and White.* Ghibaudy is a Partner at Turpin & Ghibaudy, Attorneys at Law where he has worked as a practicing lawyer for nearly a decade. Previously, he worked as a Law Clerk for Lincoln Legal Aid. Ghibaudy's experience also includes assisting in the delivery of food to the Memorial Medical Center, a role that he worked in for four years. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Illinois State University and a Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois University.

Christopher Scholz will continue to serve as Public Administrator and Public Guardian of Adams County, and will begin to serve the counties of Hancock, Brown and Schuyler.* Scholz practices law as Partner of the Scholz, Loos, Palmer, Siebers & Duesterhaus law firm. He served the City of Quincy as Legal Counsel for 20 years before working as an Associate at Scholz, Staff & Palmer.  Scholz has also served as Assistant State's Attorney at the Adam's County State's Attorney's Office and as Assistant Attorney General at the Illinois Attorney General's Office. He received a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctorate from Mercer University.

Elizabeth Nohren will continue to serve as Public Administrator and Public Guardian of Shelby County, and will begin to serve the counties of Effingham, Fayette, and Montgomery.* Nohren is Owner and Managing Partner of Elizabeth Nohren Law PC doing business as Dove & Dove Attorneys at Law. Prior to working in this capacity, she was an Associate at Field & Golan, which is now known as Golan, Christie & Taglia. Nohren has also served as Judicial Clerk for Chief Judge Sidney Jones. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Illinois Wesleyan University and a Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ray Koenig will serve as a Member of the State Employees' Retirement System Board of Trustees.* Koenig works at Clark Hill PLC, where his titles include Co-Leader of Litigation Practice Group, Member in Charge, and Practicing Lawyer. Koenig wields extensive experience in litigation, estate planning, elder law, guardianship and conservatorship, and trust and estate controversy within his practice. Since he began practicing, Koenig has been recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Illinois in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Previously, he worked as the Law Clerk, Associate Attorney, and Partner at Peck Ritchey LLC. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University College of Law.

TORTURE INQUIRY AND RELIEF COMMISSION

Bennett Kaplan will serve as Commissioner of the Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission. * Kaplan is  Managing Partner and Director at Axium Consulting LLC and The Kaplan Partners LLP. He previously worked as an Associate at Mayer Brown LLP, and as a Partner at The Kaplan Group Ltd., where he practiced law with a concentration in international investigations. Kaplan has also served as the Assistant State's Attorney for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, as well as the Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney's Office. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan School of Business, and a Juris Doctorate from the Northwestern University School of Law.

TRI-COUNTY RIVER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Dawn Jeffries will serve as a Member of the Tri-County River Development Authority.* Jeffries has served as President and CEO of the Tri-County Urban League since June 2021. She previously worked for Merrill Lynch as a Financial Advisor and is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Jeffries received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Spelman College, an Executive MBA from Bradley University, and a PhD from Benedictine University.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.