SPRINGFIELD – Nominees of Gov. JB Pritzker hold 10 of 14 seats on the Prisoner Review Board while the Senate stalls on their confirmation.
Members are paid a salary of $89,443; board chairman Craig Findley is paid $99,842.
Here are the 14 members, in summaries of biographies on their website:
Governor George Ryan appointed Findley, of Jacksonville, who has held the chair since 2015. He published three weekly newspapers and ran a consulting firm. He helped run the transportation department. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and worked for Congressman Bob Michel. He was president of the local library and chairman of the chamber of commerce.
Pritzker appointed Jared Bohland of Macon County in May. He counseled teens in residential treatment, managed cases of the homeless, worked for Decatur housing authority, and trained for a domestic violence program.
Governor Pat Quinn appointed Edith Crigler of Chicago, a balance and restorative justice trainer and adjunct professor of criminal justice at Chicago State University. She has worked in human service positions for more than 40 years.
Governor Bruce Rauner appointed Lisa Daniels, who lost her youngest son to street violence. As a result she trained as a facilitator for restorative justice. She founded a behavioral health organization assisting families who lost a loved one to violence or incarceration.
Pritzker appointed Oreal James of Chicago in 2019. He is a mediator focusing on restorative justice in public education and community organizations.
Rauner appointed Virginia Martinez, an attorney who has spent most of her career in nonprofit organizations as advocate for Latinos, women, children and the poor. She was a management consultant and collaborative leadership trainer. Pritzker re-appointed Martinez.
Pritzker appointed Jeff Mears in March. He has demonstrated versatility and strong commitment to team dynamics in criminal justice. Administrators relied on him to develop and implement a staff wellness program that served as a road map for other facilities. He coordinated a de-escalation team and led a hostage negotiating team.
Rauner appointed Aurthur Perkins, who retired from Peoria public school district. She was a classroom teacher and principal of a primary school. She was an adjunct faculty member at Bradley University. She currently serves on Peoria housing authority board. She and husband Howard have been married 60 years. Pritzker re-appointed Perkins.
Rauner appointed Joseph Ruggiero, who worked 30 years as a DuPage County prosecutor. He prosecuted and tried murderers and other high profile cases. He was president of Illinois Prosecutors Bar Association. Pritzker re-appointed Ruggiero.
Quinn appointed Donald Shelton, a retired Champaign police sergeant. He started the department’s crime scene unit. He taught basic investigative photography for downstate departments and digital photography at College of DuPage.
Pritzker appointed Ken Tupy in May. He was an assistant state’s attorney in Sangamon County and chief of the felony division. He was Republican attorney for the House criminal law committee. He was chief counsel for the board from 1998 to 2016. He accepted appointment as a board member and retired last year.
Pritzker appointed Eleanor Wilson in 2019. As a consultant she has almost 50 years of experience in social justice and nonprofit organizations. She taught from elementary to graduate schools. She founded Wells Prep School, an elementary school for public housing children. She is a restorative justice practitioner and circle keeper trainer.
The board’s website states that biographies of LeAnn Miller and Max Cerda will be posted at a later date.
Pritzker appointed Cerda in March, Miller in September.
An online search for Miller brings up a House resolution in 2015, congratulating her on retirement after 32 years in education. The resolution described her as an aggressive advocate for education of inmates.
An online search for Cerda brings up two murders he committed in 1979, at age 16.
He challenged his conviction in federal court but Seventh Circuit appellate judges affirmed it in 1985.
A community group by name of “Build” announced his appointment by Pritzker and stated he was the first former offender to hold the position.
The group’s website stated he worked on the streets with young people, building trust and mentoring them to leave the gangs. It stated he invested countless hours in what was essentially a life saving mission.