In January 2019, a number Illinois Democrats began their service with the Pritzker administration. Others have decided to step aside their Democratic Party duties to make room for new energy. And, sadly, some have passed.
IN MEMORIAL: Robert “Bob” Pautler (1933–2019) former Chair, Randolph County Democrats. Bob was a dedicated member of his county Democratic Central Committee and the IDCCA. He was a precinct committeeperson for many years and served as Randolph County Chair for 12 years. Bob was a Navy veteran, a coal miner, a small business owner and a husband, father and grandfather. He will indeed be missed.
STEPPING DOWN: Chair Bob Peickert has decided to close the book on an 11-year run as leader of the growing DuPage County Democratic Party. For over a decade Peickert has shepherded the growth of Democratic officeholders in the county known for decades as the headquarters of the Illinois GOP. Peickert never accepted that…and the results show. A new chair will be selected by the DuPage County Democrats on February 27.
Pritzker Picks
JB Pritzker has hit the ground running as Illinois’ 43rd Governor. To meet his agenda of getting Illinois back on track, Pritzker has attracted some of the top talent in Illinois and the nation to manage the state’s executive offices. The governor has made it a priority to continue his campaign’s commitment to diversity, as evidenced in his top picks for administrative advisors. In addition, he’s already selected some well-known names to run major Illinois agencies.
Here are some of Governor Pritzker’s administrative picks:
Top Gubernatorial Advisors & Staff:
Anne Caprara, Pritzker’s campaign manager, is Chief of Staff for the new administration;
Dan Hynes, former Illinois comptroller, is serving Pritzker as Deputy Governor;
Christian Mitchell, left his seat as State Representative and interim director of the Democratic Party of Illinois to serve as a Deputy Governor;
Jesse Ruiz, will serve as Deputy Governor;
Sol Flores will serve as Deputy Governor;
Nikki Budzinski will maintain her role as a Senior Adviser to the governor;
Ann Spillane, who served as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Lisa Madigan, has been selected at Pritzker’s General Counsel;
Emily Bittner, is Pritzker’s Deputy Chief of Staff for communications;
Jordan Abudayyeh continues her role as Press Secretary;
Sean Rapelyea, is the Deputy Chief of Staff for External Affairs
Tiffany Newbern-Johnson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs.
Top Agency Appointments:
John Sullivan, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA). Sullivan, a retired Illinois State Senate Democrat, served his Western Illinois district for 14 years, leaving in 2017 as an Assistant Majority Leader;
Brendan Kelly, has been appointed to serve as Director of the Illinois State Police. Kelly is St. Clair County State’s Attorney and, in 2018, ran a competitive, but unsuccessful, race for Congress;
Janel L. Forde, has been recommended by Pritzker to be served as director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS);
Erin Guthrie, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO);
Alicia Tate-Nadeau, director of Homeland Security and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA);
Theresa Eagleson, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS);
Heidi Mueller, director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ);
David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR);
Alexis Sturm, director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB);
Matt Perez, Illinois Fire Marshal;
John Kim, director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA);
Jim Bennett will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR);
Michael Kleinik will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL).
