Gov. Pritzker Announces Sixteen Appointments to Boards, Commissions, and Authorities

Thomas Bennett will continue to serve on the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission.* Bennett has served on the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission since 2020. He is a State Representative of 106th District, the Assistant Republican Leader, and sits on multiple committees including the Child Care Access and Early Childhood Committee and the Appropriations-Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. Bennett previously worked as an IT Service Manager at State Farm Insurance and as a high school science teacher. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education from Eastern Illinois University, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration from Illinois State, and a Doctorate of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Frederick Chin will serve on the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Board of Trustees.* Chin is President of Universal Chemicals & Coatings, Inc. and is the Co-founder, President and CEO of the non-profit Connections of Illinois. He serves as a Student Mentor to first generation college students and an active member of Holy Family Catholic Community. Chin earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Leslie Breuer, Jr. will continue to serve on the Illinois Racing Board. Breuer has served on the Illinois Racing Board since 2020. He owns and operates his namesake company, LH Breuer and Associates, providing nutritional consulting services to horse breeding farms. Leslie served as Associate Professor at Texas A& University conducting research on animal nutrition. Breuer additionally worked at Ralston Purina Company as Horse Nutritionist and Director of the Horse Business Group. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Equine Science Society and served in the United States Army Security Agency starting in 1955 until 1958 when he was honorably discharged as First Sergeant. Breuer earned his Bachelor and Master of Science in Agriculture from the University of Missouri, and his Doctorate in Animal Nutrition from Cornell University.

Arlene Juracek will continue to serve on the Illinois Finance Authority.

Juracek has served on the board of the Illinois Finance Authority since 2015. She retired as Mayor of the Village of Mount Prospect after serving two terms. Her distinguished service includes leadership positions as the Chair of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission, Chair of the Northwestern Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency, and President of the Northwest Municipal Conference. Previously, she served as an elected Village Trustee of Mount Prospect, Acting Director of the Illinois Power Agency and served in the private sector for over thirty years in energy acquisition. Juracek received her Bachelor of Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology and her Master of Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Timothy Ryan will continue to serve on the Illinois Finance Authority.* Ryan has served on the board of the Illinois Finance Authority since 2021. He currently is the Tri-Fund Field Coordinator for the Laborers' Health & Safety Fund of North America where he coordinates safety, training and labor-management funds across the 10-state Laborer's Midwest Region. He also serves as a Marketing Representative for the Labors' Home Development Corporation. Prior to his current roles, Ryan served as a Market Representative for the Midwest and Illinois Laborers Employers Cooperation Education and Trust. Ryan is heavily involved in his community, serving on the Development Committee of the Carle Cancer Center and the Children's Christmas Party for Unemployed Families in addition to volunteering for the Salvation Army and the Special Olympics. Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and a Juris Doctorate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Dennis O'Brien will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* O'Brien has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2019. Previously, he worked as a Vice President and Secretary of Livingstone, Mueller, O'Brien & Davlin, P.C, reviewing workers compensation cases. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Dominican University and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University of Chicago.

Edward Lee will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Lee has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 1997. His entire professional career, Lee has practiced and advised workers compensation cases. Beginning in 1976 as an attorney for Perez & McGuire and then later at Edward N. Lee & Associates. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Tulane University and a Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School.

Elaine Llerena will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Llerena has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2019. Previously, she was an attorney for Seyfarth Shaw Law Office in Chicago and for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Elaine earned a Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Criminology from Florida State University and a Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School.

Frank Soto will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Soto has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2016. Previously, he served as Village President for the Village of Bensenville, was as an attorney at the Law Office of Frank Soto, and as the Director of Management Operations at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Soto earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration from Eastern Illinois University and a Juris Doctorate from the John Marshall Law School.

Jaqueline Hickey Haralelli will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Haralelli has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2021. Previously, she was a Trial Attorney and Law Clerk at GWC Injury Lawyers in Chicago. Haralelli earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from DePaul University's Driehaus College of Business and a Juris Doctorate from the John Marshall Law School.

Michael Glaub will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Glaub has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2016. Before serving on the Commission, he practiced as an Attorney for Hennessy & Roach and Roddy, Leahy, Guill & Zima. Glaub earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University.

Roma Dalal will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Dalal has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2021. She previously was as an Associate Attorney and then Partner at Wiedner & McAuliffe, LTD. Dalal earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate, Magna Cum Laude from DePaul University.

William Gallagher will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Gallagher has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2012. Previously, he worked as an Attorney handling workers' compensation cases in Illinois and Missouri for over 20 years. Gallagher earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and a Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

William McLaughlin will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* McLaughlin has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2019. Previously, he was a sole practitioner at a private law practice, an Arbitrator for Cook County, a Staff Attorney for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and an Assistant State's Attorney for Cook County. McLaughlin earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Saint Xavier College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

Kurt Carlson will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.* Carlson has served as an Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission since 2004. Previously, he worked as a workers' compensation attorney at Macey, Chern & Diab, Teplitz & Bell, and Power & Cronin. Carlson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School.

Kathy Saltmarsh will continue to serve on the Illinois Criminal Justice and Information Authority.* Saltmarsh has served on the Illinois Criminal Justice and Information Authority since 2018. She is the Executive Director for the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council managing a team analyzing policy and fiscal impact where she has served since 2010. Previously she worked as the Legislative Affairs Bureau Director in the Office of the Attorney General. Saltmarsh earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Women's Studies and Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.