Margaret Blackshere

Retired

Member

Recently retired President of the Illinois AFL-CIO, which represents one million Illinois workers.  A former classroom teacher, Margaret has served in all levels of the Labor Movement beginning as president of her local union, the Illinois Federation of Teachers in downstate Madison, Illinois.

Barbara Brown

Clerk of the Court

Office of Circuit Court

1 Taylor Street, #302

Chester, Illinois 62333

Board President

Elected Clerk of Courts for Randolph County.  Lecturer in Political Science at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale where she has also co-directed the Summer Institute on the American Political System. 

William Burns

Senior Advisor

Office of the Senate President

JRTC 16-600

100 W. Randolph Street

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Member

Senior Advisor to Senate President Emil Jones.  Assists the Senate President and the Senate Democratic Caucus in the development of progressive legislation. Formerly the Vice President of Programs and Field Offices of the Chicago Urban League, one of Chicago's leading social and civil rights agencies working toward the elimination of racial discrimination and segregation. 

Joel Carp

Senior Vice President

Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

Ben Gurion Way, 30 South Wells

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Member

Senior Vice President for Community Services and Government Relations of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.  Has spent his professional career in social work, social planning and advocacy.

Todd Dietterle

Director of Civic Action

Community Renewal Society
332 S. Michigan Ave. -Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60604

Member

Director of Civic Action for Community Renewal Society.  Has over 20 years of experience in community organizing, issue-oriented citizen lobbies, community development organizations, philanthropy and public affairs campaigns.

Edward Geppert, Jr.

President
Illinois Federation of Teachers
500 Oakmont Lane
Westmont, Illinois 60559

Member
Ed Geppert, Jr. has worked on behalf of public education, public services and the rights of working men and women for nearly 40 years. He was elected president of the 90,000-member Illinois Federation of Teachers at the union’s 2007 convention. Geppert began his career in education as a social science teacher at Cahokia High School (1969-1977). He has been an IFT member since 1969 and is the former president of the Cahokia Commonfields Federation of Teachers, Local 1272.  His expertise in education and labor has been recognized by such groups as the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Learning Partnership and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

Frances R. Grossman

Executive Vice President

ShoreBank Corporation

7054 South Jeffery Boulevard

Chicago, IL  60649

Member

As Executive Vice President at ShoreBank Corporation, Ms. Grossman manages external relations and investor and stakeholder activities.  She is responsible for ShoreBank's civic affairs and contributions in the Chicago and nationally.  Ms. Grossman is also involved with business development and managing government/municipal and business relationships.    Ms. Grossman is active in the community and most recently served on a Blue Ribbon Commission addressing critical issues at Chicago Public Schools.

Robert S. Kallen
Founder, RSK Strategies, LLC
1870 N. Larrabee Street
Chicago, IL  60614

Member

Founder of  RSK Strategies, LLC, which provides expertise and capital to small and growing companies specializing in the food and education sectors.  Bob has served on numerous boards and advisory boards in the private sector over the last 15 years. Bob has taught for over 20 years and is currently an adjunct professor of law and economics at DePaul University and the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, where he received the 2002 Distinguished Faculty Award.  

Leonard Lieberman

Associate Vice President

Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

520 South Second Street, Suite 2-200

Springfield, IL  62701

Member

Associate Vice President, Government Affairs of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and lead representative since the opening of the Springfield office in May 1981.  Has led advocacy efforts to establish the first state funded program for the homeless, as well as actively supported and shaped state government Medicaid reforms.  Mr. Lieberman has assisted local Jewish Community Relations in state legislative interests, and continually remains active in health and human service public policy generally, and in issues of concerns to non-profit organizations.

David Marzahl

Executive Director

Center for Economic Progress

29 E. Madison, Suite 910

Chicago, IL  60602

Member

Executive Director of the Center for Economic Progress in Chicago, Illinois.  The Center is a statewide and national advocacy and service organization that seeks to increase economic opportunities for low-income families, children and individuals by improving access to public, private and non-profit programs and services.  Prior to joining the Center in 1998, David was the founding director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights, a statewide coalition of organizations promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees.  He has worked in the Chicago non-profit community since 1981, as a community organizer, outreach worker and activist seeking to advance opportunities for economically and politically disadvantaged persons. 

William McNary

Co-Director

Citizen Action/Illinois

28 E. Jackson, Suite 605

Chicago, Illinois 60604

Member

President of US Action and Co-Director of Citizen Action/Illinois, the largest consumer watchdog group on health care reform, environmental safety, utility reform, education funding and campaign finance reform.  Currently serves as the Senior Policy Advisor to Public Campaign, a Washington DC based organization.  Mr. McNary is one of the leading advocates in health care reform and has participated in legislative forums, panels and town hall meetings on both the state and federal levels.  Mr. McNary continues to be active in the fight to win social, racial, economic and environmental justice.

Michelle Morrison

Senior Associate

KPMG LLP

303 E. Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1512

Member
Senior Associate at KPMG, with expertise in state and local tax issues.  Prior to joining KPMG, Ms. Morrison was legal council for the Senate President and Senate Committee on Revenue where she conducted complex legal research in all areas of state and local taxation and advised the Chairman and Committee Members accordingly.

Diana Nelson

Retired

Member

Former Republican State Legislator from the western suburbs.  A long-term proponent of public school finance reform, she remains active in the Chicago school reform movement.

Patrick Patt

1228 W. Kajer Lane

Lake Forest, Illinois 60045

Board Treasurer

Former Superintendent of Oak Grove School District 68, in Green Oaks, Illinois.  Mr. Patt has been active in various statewide tax reform and public school finance reform campaigns.  Mr. Patt also serves on the board of directors of Family Services of Southlake County.

William C. Perkins

SEIU, Local 1
111 E. Wacker, Suite 2500
Chicago, Illinois 60601

Member
Legislative Director of the Service Employees International Union, Illinois Council.

Jim Ryan
680 South Mitchell
Elmhurst, IL 60126

Member
Jim Ryan is a Distinguished Fellow at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois where he lectures in the area of law and government. Mr. Ryan served as Attorney General of the State of Illinois from 1995-2003.  Prior to becoming Attorney General, Mr. Ryan served for 10 years as DuPage County State's Attorney (1984-1994). Jim Ryan was an active member of the National Association of Attorneys General and is a past president of the Illinois States Attorneys Association.

Kappy Lawler Scates

12347 McGuire Road

Shawneetown, Illinois 62984

Member

Staff Assistant to US Senator Dick Durbin.  Taught English and Spanish for 26 years in Gallitan County.  Kappy works with her husband and sons in running Illinois’ largest family farm.  Serves on numerous statewide boards including Illinois Agri-Women.

Hank Scheff

AFSCME Council 31

29 N. Wacker, Suite 800

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Member

Director of Research and Employee Benefits of AFSCME Council 31, which represents over 95,000 active and retired public employees in Illinois.  Has a strong working knowledge of public sector tax and spending issues in Illinois. Currently serves on several labor/management committees on employee benefits.  Former public member of the Illinois Pension Law Commission.

Stephen B. Schnorf

Illinois Liquor Control Commission

101 West Jefferson, Suite 3-525
Springfield, Illinois 62702

 

Board Vice President

Stephen B. Schnorf has had a distinguished 26 year governmental career, spending 22 years as senior advisor or Cabinet member to Illinois Constitutional officials including:   Director, Illinois Bureau of the Budget (1997-2002); Director of Policy, Office of the Governor (1995-1997); and Director, Illinois Department of Central Management Services (1991-1995).  He currently serves as a member of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission.

Alexander Sharp

Executive Director

Protestants for the Common Good

77 West Washington Street, Suite 1124

Chicago, Illinois 60602

Board Vice President

Executive Director of Protestants for the Common Good.  Formerly served as Vice President for Business and Finance at the University of Chicago and Commissioner of the Department of Public Welfare for the State of Massachusetts.

Suzanne Strassberger

Vice President, Government Affairs

and Strategic Initiatives

Metropolitan Family Services

One North Dearborn

Chicago, IL 60602

Member

Vice President of Government Affairs and Strategic Initiatives at Metropolitan Family Services. Suzanne has twenty-three years of legislative advocacy experience on behalf of public policies, which strengthen families and communities.  She also has a strong working knowledge of issues that affect the design, funding, and regulation of human services. Suzanne is a member of various state advisory groups and former co-chair of the Work, Welfare, and Families Coalition.

David Wilhelm

Founder and President

Woodland Venture Management

2580 Fair Avenue

Bexley, OH 43209

Member

Founder and President of Woodland Venture Management, which aims to foster shared and sustainable economic growth in regions of the county that lie between the coasts.  Selected by President Clinton to head the Democratic National Committee and previously served as executive director of Citizens for Tax Justice.

Lori Williams

Vice President
Illinois Hospital Association
Small & Rural Hospital Affairs
215 W. Raylots
Spaulding, IL  62561

Member

Lori Williams has spent 17 years working on behalf of rural health, community, and economic development in Illinois.  She spent 14 years working at the highest levels of state government as Program Director for Governor Edgar and in the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council under the leadership of Lieutenant Governors Ryan, Kustra and Wood.  In addition, she served as the Manager of the Area Development Representatives for the IL Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (Formerly DCCA).  Since leaving state government in 2004, Lori owns her own consulting firm, has served as Executive Director of the Illinois Rural Health Association and is currently the Vice President of Small and Rural Hospital Affairs for the Illinois Hospital Association.  She also serves on the board of directors for UCP Land of Lincoln, the Farm Resource Center, Lower Sangamon River RC&D, and the Illinois Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies.