Illinois e-News Release

Ovelia Smith-Barton will serve as a Member of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.* Smith-Barton has 25 years of service with the State of Illinois, becoming a Certified Master Trainer in 2003. She has worked for the Illinois Departments of Human Services and Human Rights, receiving certifications as a facilitator from the National Curriculum & Training Institute, BCON LIFO International, Prairie Crossing Institute, American Heart Association and American Lung Association. Prior to her employment with the State Smith-Barton was employed by Transactive Corporation as the Client Program Manager-Retail Training Coordinator. Within this role she collaborated with the Illinois Department of Human Services in the successful implementation of the Illinois Link Program. Smith-Barton has served on the Board of Directors with the Springfield Urban League and Sojourn Shelter and Services and was a statewide team member with Illinois Imagines (ICASA) working to improve services for women with disabilities who had been victims of sexual violence. Smith-Barton is a graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Services Administration.

Stacy Crook will serve as a Member of the Governors State University Board of Trustees.* Crook has over twenty years of financial and investment experience. She currently serves the Principal and Director of Investment Accounting with Asset Allocation and Management Insurance Investment Company. Crook has held roles with Jackson National Life Insurance and Northern Trust Company. An active member of her community, Crook serves as the Chicago Chapter President for the National Black MBA Association and is Vice-Chair for Governors State University’s College of Business Advisory Board. She has been recognized by her peers as Diversity MBA’s “2018 Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leaders”. Crook is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and United Way of Metro Chicago’s Women United Creating Connections. Crook received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee, Master of Business Administration from Roosevelt University, and a Master of Science in Accounting from Governors State University.

Pranav Kothari will serve as Chair of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.* Kothari is the Founder and CEO of Revolution Impact, which focuses on helping empower social sector organizations to achieve their goals. He also serves as Adjunct Lecturer of Social Impact at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, teaching both MBA and executive education courses on the education sector, social sector performance measurement and board governance. Pranav has held prior leadership roles with KnowledgeWorks, StriveTogether and Mission Measurement and has served as Board President of the National College Access Network. Kothari received his Master of Business Administration in Corporate Strategy and Organizational Behavior from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan an A.B. in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis.

Marc Laino will serve as a Member of the Illinois Racing Board.* Laino has over thirty years of experience with the State of Illinois. He began his career as a Police Officer for Central Management Services before becoming an Investigator for the Illinois Racing Board. He served as a Pari-Mutuel Auditor, Deputy Director, and retired in 2015 after serving as the Executive Director. Laino was awarded the Len Foote Award in 2014 by the Association of Racing Commissioners International.