Best and Brightest

Headed here this weekend from all corners of the Land of Lincoln: the 40 “emerging leaders” chosen from a pool of 187 nominees to make up the ninth class of Edgar Fellows. ¶ The group includes elected and appointed officials from all levels of government, leaders of non-profit organizations and individuals who are making their mark in the business world. ¶ On Sunday, they’ll take part in the first of five days of intense executive training designed by former Gov. Jim Edgar and the UI’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. ¶ “People who were strangers on Sunday become good friends by Thursday, and it has been so gratifying to watch that happen over the eight years we’ve had this program,” Edgar says. “It’s what the Edgar Fellows program is all about — finding common ground and respect, so our fellows can work together throughout their careers to help shape a better Illinois.”

DAGMARA AVELAR

State

representative (D-Bolingbrook)

DR. JAY

BHATT

Chief clinical product officer, Medical Home Network

SUZY

BROWN

CEO,

The Newberg Group, Morris

KAM

BUCKNER

State representative (D-Chicago),

former Illini

football lineman

KAHALAH

CLAY

Circuit clerk

of St. Clair

County

ANNA

CRANE

Associate

general counsel, Office of

Gov. J.B. Pritzker

MARGARET CROKE

State

representative (D-Chicago)

EVA-DINA

DELGADO

State

representative (D-Chicago)

BRYAN K. ECHOLS

Senior advisor, Office of Illinois Treasurer

LAURA CLYMORE ELLMAN

State senator (D-Naperville)

TASHA GREEN CRUZAT

President,

Children’s

Advocates for Change, Chicago

JACKIE

HAAS

State

representative (R-Bourbonnais)

GREG

HART

Member,

DuPage

County Board

ADRIANE

JOHNSON

State senator (D-Buffalo Grove)

IANNA

KACHORIS

Senior director of policy and advocacy, The Chicago

Community Trust

KRISTINA KOCH STEPHENSON

District ops staff serving 58th and 59th senate districts, Metropolis

LINDSEY LaPOINTE

State

representative (D-Chicago)

JAKE

LEWIS

Communications director, Chicago Federation of Labor

CAMILLE

LILLY

State

representative (D-Chicago)

MARK

LUFT

State

representative (R-Pekin)

MATTHEW MARTIN

Alderman,

Chicago’s

47th Ward

DAN

McCONCHIE

Illinois Senate minority leader (R-Hawthorn Woods)

MARTIN

McLAUGHLIN

State

representative (R-Barrington Hills)

LESLI

MELENDY

Executive director, Metro West Council of Government, Huntley

JUAN

MORADO JR.

Partner,

Benesch

of Chicago

KEVIN

MORRISON

Cook County commissioner, 15th district

MARGARET NUNNE

Counsel, State Farm Mutual Automobile

Insurance

Company

DULCE

ORTIZ

Executive director, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center, Waukegan

TIM

OZINGA

State

representative (R-Mokena)

MEGAN

PECK

VP of governmental relations,

Community Bankers Association of Illinois

MANUEL

PEREZ

Deputy mayor for intergovernmental affairs, City of Chicago

ROBERT

PETERS

State senator (D-Chicago)

RIKEESHA PHELON

Exec. dir. of marketing, comms & engagement, SIU School of Medicine

LAURA

ROCHE

Chief of staff, Illinois

Environmental Protection Agency

MARK

SCHAUERTE

Speakers’ series director, U. of Chicago Institute of Politics

SAMIR

TANNA

Senior policy advisor, Office of Gov. J.B. Pritzker

MARIO

TRETO JR.

Acting secretary, Ill. Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation

DAVE

VELLA

State

representative (D-Rockford)

RICKEY

WILLIAMS JR.

Danville

mayor

ASHLEY

WRIGHT

Chief of legislative affairs, Office of Illinois Attorney General