Illinois Governor's Office issued the following announcement on Oct. 26.
Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following appointments in his administration:
ILLINOIS FINANCE AUTHORITY
Bradley Zeller will continue to serve as a Member on the Illinois Finance Authority.* Zeller has served as a Member on the Authority since 2005, and he currently serves on the Conduit and Direct/Alternative Committees.
Zeller brings a strong background in agricultural economics, farming the land since 1979, including 700 acres of his family's Centennial Farm. Zeller serves as Vice Chairman of the Morgan County Board of Commissioners. He is a member of the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce and formerly Vice President of the Alexander Businessmen's Association.
ILLINOIS INTERNATIONAL PORT DISTRICT BOARD
Michelle McClendon will serve on the Illinois International Port District Board.* McClendon serves as the Project Executive for Gilbane Building Company where she is responsible for the overall direction, completion and financial outcomes of simultaneous complex construction projects. Previously, she worked for Leopardo Companies, Inc, beginning as a Project Assistant and rising through the ranks as a Senior Project Manager. McClendon serves on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Green Alliance and has been selected as a Committee Member for the City of Chicago's city-wide planning initiative, We Will Chicago. McClendon received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois Chicago and her Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois.
ILLINOIS STATE POLICE MERIT BOARD
Karen McNaught will serve on the Illinois State Police Merit Board.*
McNaught currently serves as Of Counsel at O'Halloran Kosoff Geitner & Cook, LLC where she represents local and county governments in litigation. Previously, she served for nearly twenty years in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, first as an Assistant Attorney General and then as the Bureau Chief of General Law. McNaught is involved in her community as a volleyball official for junior high, high school and collegiate athletics, and she was recognized for her service as the Illinois High School Association Volleyball Official of the Year in 2018. McNaught received her Juris Doctor from Drake University Law School and Bachelor of Arts from Drake University.
ILLINOIS STUDENT ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
Niketa Brar will continue to serve as a Member on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.* Brar currently serves as the Executive Director for Chicago United for Equity where she supports community engagement in policymaking through citywide racial equity impact assessments. Previously she served in the public sector as the Director of Policy for the Treasurer of the City of Chicago in addition to serving the State as the Director of Post-Secondary Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Education. Brar is a previous Board Member of the Chicago Area Fair Housing Alliance and was the Co-Chair of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Transition Team for Education. Brar received her Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan, her Master of Arts from American University and her Bachelor of Arts from George Washington University.
STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS
Tonya Genovese will serve on the State Board of Elections.* Genovese is currently an Attorney at the Gori Law Firm. Previously, she was an Attorney and Compliance Officer at Lewis & Clark Community College. Prior, Genovese was Attorney at the Madison County State's Attorney's Office. She received her Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Louis University.
* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
Original source can be found here.