Illinois e-News Release

Angela Brooks will serve as a Member of the Illinois Affordable Housing Advisory Commission. * Angela Brooks has dedicated her entire career as an advocate for affordable housing. She is the Illinois Program Director for Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). Brooks brings a wealth of knowledge from her time spent at the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). While at CHA Brooks led many projects as a Real Estate Development Manager and Senior Contract Administrator. Brooks is currently a Board Member of the American Planning Association, and chairs the Immediate Past Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Committee. Angela Brooks received her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies with a Minor in Housing & Community Development from Jackson State University. She then went on to receive her Master of Urban and Regional Planning with a focus in Housing Policy from the University of New Orleans.

Alan Zais will serve as a Member of the Illinois Affordable Housing Advisory Commission.* Alan Zais has over 28 years of affordable housing experience. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Winnebago County Housing Authority and Boone County Housing Authority. As Director of these two HUD-designated agencies he led the completion of over $80 million in new construction and rehab using Low Income Housing Tax Credit, HOPE VI, and Rental Assistance Demonstration I and II. Zais has also been awarded numerous awards including The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) National Award of Merit in Resident and Client Services, NAHRO’s National Award of Merit in Program Innovation-Affordable Housing for Westport Village, and the Illinois Association of Housing Authorities Excellence in Outstanding Creativity. He currently serves as NAHRO’s State of Illinois Senior Vice President and is a member of NAHRO’s International Research and Global Exchange Committee, Legislative Committee, and Housing Committee. He also sits on the Board of Governors. Alan Zais received his Bachelor of Arts from Western Illinois University and his Master of Public Administration from Walden University.

Deborah Hagan will continue to serve as a Member of the Employment Security Board of Review.* After nearly 40 years of service to the State of Illinois, Hagan retired from her position as Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Hagan previously served as Consumer Protection Division Chief and Assistant Attorney General at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. In her role as leader of the Consumer Protection Division, she advanced and defended the interests of Illinois consumers in critical areas such as mortgage origination and servicing, student loan servicing, debt collection, identity theft and other areas of financial risk. Hagan has played a critical leadership role in many groundbreaking settlements on the state and national level, helping to recover billions of dollars in restitution for victims of consumer fraud and other wrongful conduct. She received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Miami University and Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law.

Rob Karr will continue to serve as a Member on the Employment Security Advisory Board.* Karr currently serves as President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. He was previously Vice President, Government and Member Relations for the Retail Merchants Association and a Manager, Government Affairs for the Illinois Manufacturers Association. Karr is a member of the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University.

Mark Denzler will continue to serve as a Member on the Employment Security Advisory Board.* Denzler currently serves as the President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association representing nearly 4,000 facilities across the state. Prior to joining the IMA, he worked as a Public Affairs Specialist for State Farm Insurance and worked in the Illinois General Assembly. Denzler is a current member of the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board, having been appointed by the two previous administrations. He earned his undergraduate degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and graduate degree from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Alec Laird will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Laird brings a decade of experience as an attorney. Alec is currently the Vice President of Government Relations with the Illinois Retail merchants Association (IRMA). While at IRMA Alec represents the interest of IRMA and its members before the Illinois General Assembly. Prior to IRMA Laird spent time as a Staff Attorney and Senior Legal Counsel to the House Minority Leader in the Illinois House of Representatives. As Senior Legal Counsel, Alec researched and prepared legal memoranda for the House Minority Leaders, Representatives, and the Chief of Staff. Prior to his experience with governmental relations Alec practiced employment and labor law in the private sector. Alec received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Memphis.

Anthony Alfano will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Alfano has over 25 years of experience helping working families across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. He is currently the Sub-District 1 Director of District 7 for the United Steelworkers (USW) International Union. Alfano has spent his career with USW as an Organizing Counsel, Staff Representative, and Organizer. While in these roles he was able to negotiate and enforce bargaining rights, as well as oversaw worker involvement initiatives including Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR). Alfano is a member of AFL-CIO Union Lawyer’s Alliance and the National Labor Relations Board- Region 13 where he is a member of the Policy and Planning Committee. Alfano received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts & Sciences from DePauw University. He also received his Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law.

Jerry Womick will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Jerry Womick has been fighting for working families his entire career. He is currently the Business Manager at Laborers Local 773 where he negotiates contracts, grievances, and assists in arbitration. He is also experienced in recruiting new members as his time a Field Representative for Laborers Local. Womick serves as the Treasurer of The Laborers Care 501 c 3 Foundation. He was awarded the Award of Excellence for addressing food insecurity in his community by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Womick received his Associates Degree from John A. Logan College and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois.

Marisa Richards will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Richards currently serves as the Outreach and Engagement Program Manager for Painters District Council (PDC) No. 30. As the Program Manager, she has championed community organizing efforts within her community. Richards is the PDC 30 Labor Management Industry Development Fund Director and is on the Board of Trustees. Devoted to furthering the work she does, she is the author of the children’s book “Girls Who Build”, which will be available this spring. Richards received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois.

Mike Newman will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Newman has over 40 years of experience working in Labor. He started his career as an Assemblyman for Chrysler and is currently the International Union Vice-President for AFSCME International Union. Newman also brings legislative experience from his time as Legislative Director for AFSCME Council 31. He taught labor education including OSHA related subjects at the University of Illinois. He has also been awarded the Charles A. Hayes Award from the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Newman received his Bachelor of Arts from Beloit College and Master of Science from the University of Illinois.

Pam Monetti will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Monetti has been an advocate for working families on the federal, state, and local level. She is currently the Public Relations Marketing Specialist with Globe Life Insurance Company. In this role she works with over 300 labor unions in central and southern Illinois and Missouri. Monetti is a Board Member of the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership Training Academy and is a member of the Office Professionals Employees International Union (OPEIU) 277. Monetti received an Associate of Arts degree from Lewis & Clark Community College, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts from the University of Illinois Springfield.

Scott Cruz will serve as a Member of the Labor Advisory Board.* Cruz has over 20 years of legal experience in employment and labor law. He is currently the Shareholder at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., representing both public and private sector employers. Cruz is a Board Member of the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce. In recognition of his efforts, Cruz received the Benchmark Litigation Labor & Employment Start Award and has been recognized as Crain Chicago’s Notable Minority Executives in Accounting, Consulting and Law. Scott Cruz received his Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University and Juris Doctor from University of Illinois.

Dion Redfield will serve as a Member of the Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Review Board.* Dion Redfield brings over 25 years of experience as a Chicago Police Detective. Since retiring as a Detective, she now works with the Chicago Police Department as a Law Enforcement Investigative Analyst. Redfield has strong roots in her community as she is a member of the Imani Pearls Community Development Foundation, Cook County Regional Inter-Agency Fatality Review Team, Jesse Owens Park Advisory Council, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Dion Redfield received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Communication Design and received her Master of Public Administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Patricia Nugent will serve as a Member of the Illinois State Board of Education.* Nugent brings a wealth of knowledge from her time as an educator at the secondary and collegiate level. She is currently a Professor at Bradley University. She is also the Chair for the Department of Education, Counseling, and Leadership. While at Bradley University Nugent has received multiple awards including the Charles M. Putnam Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2022. She has also been awarded the College of Education & Health Sciences Center for Research and Service Faculty Research Award. She has been an active member of the Illinois Association of Teacher Educators (IATE), currently serving as the Treasurer. Nugent received her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Millikin University, her Master of Science in Educational Foundations and Leadership and her Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Education from Illinois State University.