Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Amylee Hogan Simonovich will serve as a Member of the Workers' Compensation Commission.*  Hogan Simonovich has experience providing legal counsel for over a decade, currently serving as a staff attorney for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Previously, she was an associate attorney at Ridge & Downes, where she successfully argued before the Illinois Appellate Court. She also provided important legal counsel on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act, Public Employees Disability Act, Public Safety Employee Benefits Act, HIPAA, and the Illinois Pension Code. Hogan Simonvich was elected as Trustee of the Village of Westmont in 2021. She received a Bachelor of Arts in History and International Government and Politics from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame.

Mitchell Horwitz will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board.* Horwitz has served on the board since September 2019, and is currently the head of the Workers' Compensation practice at Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates where he has practiced law for 40 years. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Illinois Workers' Compensation Lawyer Association, and the Workers' Injury Law and Advocacy Group. Horwitz has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Workers Compensation Lawyers in Illinois by his peers and was included in the 2019 edition of the Best Lawyers in America. He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and received his law degree from John Marshall Law School.

Mark Denzler will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board.* Denzler currently serves as the President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA), representing nearly 4,000 facilities across the state. Prior to joining the IMA, he worked as a Public Affairs Specialist for State Farm Insurance and worked in the Illinois General Assembly. Denzler is a member of the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board, having been appointed by the two previous administrations. He earned an undergraduate degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and graduate degree from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Barbara Baurer will continue to serve as a Member of the Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees.* Baurer is passionate about her alma mater, Eastern Illinois University. She has been a member on the Board of Trustees since 2017, and has served as its Chair. She also has experience on Eastern Illinois University's Foundation Board and Business Advisory Board. Baurer received a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Masters in Business Administration from Eastern Illinois University.

Benjamin Salentine will serve as a member of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.* Salentine has advocated for equity and inclusion for over fifteen years. He currently serves as the Associate Director of Health Sciences Managed Care at University of Illinois Health, managing business development and finances for several Health Science Colleges. Prior to joining UI Health, Salentine was the community care coordinator for Meridan Health Plan. He also has experience as a Public Policy and Advocacy Fellow with the American Association of People with Disabilities Placement with the National Council on Aging. Salentine has played an active role with the University of Illinois at Chicago's Advisory Committee for Behavioral Health Stratified Treatment. He received an Associate Degree from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Silver Lake College, a Master of Science Degree in Rehabilitation and Community Health from the University of Illinois Urbana, and will receive a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.