Illinois e-News Release

Brian Richardson will serve as a Member on the Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission.* Brian Richardson has twenty years of progressive leadership and management experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Richardson is the Director of the Midwest Region for Lambda Legal Defense Fund (LLDF). The mission of LLDF is to achieve full recognition of the civil rights for those who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. In this role, Richardson leads the team across ten states in the Midwest. LLDF is one of the oldest and largest national LGBTQ+ legal organization. Prior to his work for the Lambda Legal Defense fund, Richardson was the Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs for the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Director of Public Affairs. While at CDPH Richardson oversaw the development and implementation of communications, public policy, and engagement plans for the $160 million government agency. Brian Richardson is an active Board Member on both the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Network and the ACLU of Illinois Executive Committee. Richardson received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago and Master of Business Administration from the University of California-Berkeley.

Jordan Campanella will serve as a Member on the Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Review Board.* Jordan Campanella has over thirteen years of experience as a public attorney. Campanella is a Partner at Campanella & Campanella, Brothers at Law. In this role Campanella represents both individual and corporate clients. Campanella also serves as a public defender in federal court as the Federal Public Defender on the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel for the Southern District of Illinois. Prior to establishing his own practice, Campanella served as the Clerk of the Court for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Du Quoin State Bank. Jordan Campanella received his Bachelor of Science from Eastern Illinois University and Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Sophia Zaman will serve as a Member on the Labor Advisory Board.* Sophia Zaman is a community organizer with over a decade of policy experience. Zaman currently serves as the Executive Director for Raise the Floor Alliance. While in this role she serves as the chief spokesperson and advocate for non-unionized, low-wage workers in Illinois and manages a $2.8 million budget. Preceding her role at Raise the Floor Alliance, Zaman served as the President and Vice President for the United States Student Association/Foundation. Sophia Zaman has been able to impact many South Asian youths as a member of the Chicago Desi Youth Rising. Zaman received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Chandra Christmas-Rouse will serve as a Member on the Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund.* Chandra Christmas-Rouse has been an advocate for environmental justice for over a decade. She currently serves as the Equitable and Sustainable Communities Manager with the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC). Prior to joining MPC she served as a Program Office for Enterprise Community Partners. In this role she directed climate resilience programs and strategies for equitable affordable housing policies. As a student Christmas-Rouse was able to intern at several organizations focusing on improving environmental systems. She was an intern at CH2M as an Environmental Scientist. She supported the Global Managing Director of City Solutions. As an intern she developed and assisted in revising a service delivery model that helped local government agencies to evaluate, periodize, fund and accelerated citywide improvement projects in the Washington D.C. area. Christmas-Rouse received her Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and Master of Urban Planning from Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Joel Freehling will serve as a Member on the Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund.* Joel Freehling has over twenty years of experience capitalizing energy finance programs. Freehling currently serves as the National Director of Clean Technology for APTIM. While in this role he serves as the principal consultant for providing sustainable services at O’Hare and Midway airports and the largest universities in Chicago. He was able to produce more than $7 billion in energy savings while Financial Director. Preceding APTIM, Freehling was the President for SBK New Markets Funds. He managed the New Markets Tax Credit Fund, a fund dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, and renewable energy in low-income communities. Freehling has board experience being Co-Chair for the Energy Efficiency Finance Forum with American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) Board Treasurer and Chair of the Governance Committee. Joel Freehling received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts from University of Florida and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

James Mackenzie will serve as a Member on the Illinois State Medical Board.* Dr. James Mackenzie has been practicing medicine for over fifteen years. Dr. Mackenzie currently practices at Advocate Aurora Health as a Pediatric Physician and Pediatric Psychiatric. He also teaches medical students as an adjunct professor at Midwestern University. Dr. Mackenzie was awarded the Educator and Member of the Year Award by the Illinois Psychiatric Society. Dr. James Mackenzie received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota and his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

Ahmadou Dramé will serve as a Member of the Illinois Affordable Housing Advisory Commission.* Ahmadou Dramé has been dedicated to bettering his community for his entire career. He currently works at the Illinois Justice Project (IJP) as the Program Director. While in this role Dramé has successfully managed IJP’s Reentry Housing Demonstration Program. Prior to working with IJP Ahmadou Dramé served as the Housing and Community Development Policy Manager at Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC). While at MPC Dramé developed and advanced MPC’s local, state, and federal legislation agenda on housing and community development. Dramé currently serves on the Board of Directors for Chicago United for Equity, as the Chairman. He also is a part of the Cook County Equity Fund Taskforce. Ahmadou Dramé received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration from DePaul University.