The IELRB has offices in Chicago and Springfield, which are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The IELRB is closed on Saturday and Sunday, as well as all state holidays.

160 North LaSalle Street
Suite N400
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Telephone: (312) 793-3170

320 West Washington Street
Suite 260
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Telephone: (217) 782-9068

Charges, petitions and other documents may be filed in either office by mail, in-person or telefax (see Rules, Section 1100.20). The IELRB does not accept filings by email. Please note that visitors to the IELRB’s Chicago office are required to sign in and show identification in the building lobby.

Executive Staff:

• Victor E. Blackwell, Executive Director
• Helen Higgins Kelly, General Counsel

Chicago Staff:

• Eileen Brennan
• Willa Lee
• Katherine Levin
• Kathy Lyons
• RyAnn McKay
• Renee Strickland
• Susan Willenborg

Springfield Staff:

• Norma Breckon
• Cindy Handy
• Michael Meyers
• Matt Moody

Victor E. Blackwell

Helen Higgins Kelly

Helen Higgins Kelly was born and raised in Chicago, the oldest of seven children. Her father and grandfather were Chicago firefighters. She attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana for undergraduate and graduate school. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations; her major was in collective bargaining. She graduated with high honors from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1984.

In May 1984, she was hired as an Administrative Law Judge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB)--the first employee of that newly-created agency. In 1987, she joined the Chicago Law Office of the United States Postal Service, litigating labor and employment cases for 15 years. In November 2002, Helen returned to the IELRB as General Counsel.