Among appointments announced by Governor Bruce Rauner Friday was Nicholas Kachiroubas, former McHenry County College Board member and current Crystal Lake City Clerk.

Governor Announces Appointments

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has named a new Director of the Illinois Department on Aging. He has also made appointments to the Illinois Community College Board, the Western Illinois Board of Trustees, the Illinois State Museums Board of Trustees, the Illinois Court of Claims, the Illinois Board of Employment Security, and the Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission.

Name: Jean Bohnhoff

Position: Director – Illinois Department on Aging

Governor Bruce Rauner will appoint Jean Bohnhoff as the Director of the Illinois Department on Aging. She has served on the Effingham City/County Committee on Aging and will bring tremendous experience to this position.

In her current role, Bohnhoff oversees the day-to-day operations of the Effingham City/County Committee on Aging, which manages five offices and spans nine counties. The committee provides programs and services to seniors 60 years of age and older, and individuals with disabilities. Previously, she served as an associate manager of sales administration for Yellow Book USA and a dealer services coordinator for Nova Solutions.

Bohnhoff is an active community member, dedicating her free time to many boards, commissions and clubs including the Effingham County Chamber, the Effingham County Youth Commission, the Effingham County United Way, and the Dieterich Women’s Club, as well as 12 years of service to the Dieterich Unit #30 School District. She also volunteers for Meals on Wheels, the Special Olympics, and is a past Girl Scout troop leader.

Bohnhoff received a bachelor’s degree from Simon Fraser University in business administration. She lives in Dieterich.

Name: Guy Alongi

Position: Board Member – Illinois Community College Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Guy Alongi to the Illinois Community College Board. He has served on the board since 2003, including eight years as chairman.

Alongi has an extensive history in public service, currently serving as the mayor of Du Quoin. He was also the Executive Director of the Perry County Housing Authority for 26 years. He is also a former instructor for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

Alongi graduated from John A. Logan College. He lives in Du Quoin.

Name: Ann Kalayil

Position: Board Member – Illinois Community College Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Ann Kalayil a member of the Illinois Community College Board. She brings years of experience in the public sector and secondary education.

Kalayil is currently the Great Lakes Region Regional Administrator for the General Services Administration, and she was the first woman appointed to this position for this region. In this role, she is the federal agency’s regional chief executive and oversees the operations for provide federal agencies and federal courts in the six-state region.

Prior to her appointment at the GSA, she worked for the University of Chicago in Information Technology Services. She held a number of roles including Emerging Technologies Strategist where she led the team that established the first enterprise-wide IT Service Catalog. She also served as the Director of Client Services and Support where she oversaw all major technology upgrades.

In addition, Kalayil has taught interdisciplinary courses at DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Kalayil earned her bachelor’s degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Northeastern Illinois University, a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She lives in Lincolnwood.

Name: Nicholas Kachiroubas

Position: Board Member – Illinois Community College Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Nicholas Kachiroubas to the Illinois Community College Board. He brings years of experience in education and public service to the board.

Kachiroubas has served as a City Clerk for the City of Crystal Lake since 2009. He has also worked as an Associate Teaching Professor at DePaul University since 2012. Kachiroubas previously was the Executive Director of University Advancement at Judson University.

Kachiroubas earned his bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Illinois at Springfield and his Ph.D. from Cardinal Stritch University. He lives in Crystal Lake.

Name: J. Douglas Mraz

Position: Board Member – Illinois Community College Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed J. Douglas Mraz to the Illinois Community College Board. He brings exceptional legal insight to the board.

Mraz works at CNA Surety as Senior Claims Counsel. In this capacity he handles claims on surety bonds for construction projects in all 50 states. This includes paying vendors, finding contractors, supervising litigation and drafting settlement agreements. He has worked with the company since 2001. Prior to this, he served as an associate attorney at Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol.

Mraz received a bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. He lives in Chicago.

Name: Todd Lester

Position: Board Member – Western Illinois University Board of Trustees

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Todd Lester to the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees. He brings over 25 years of financial experience to the board.

Lester currently serves as Community President of Citizens Bank, a division of Morton Community Bank. In this role, he oversees day-to-day operations of the Macomb offices and helps increase efficiency to best serve their customers. He has been with the bank since 1990.

On top of his career, Lester is an active member of the community. He serves as a board member of the Macomb Noon Rotary Club and President of Macomb Area Economic Development Corporation. He is a former McDonough County Girls Softball League coach. He also serves on the Executive Committee of Western Illinois University Foundation Board of Directors.

Lester earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Illinois University. He lives in Macomb.

Name: Beth Shadur

Position: Board Member – Illinois State Museum Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Beth Shadur to the Illinois State Museum. She brings years of experience in art to the board.

Shadur is currently the Art Gallery Director at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights. In this role, she oversees eight exhibitions a year and serves as the liaison to other cultural organizations in the South Suburbs of Chicago.

She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor of Art at Carthage College from 2009-2011 and has been an artist at Beth Shadur Paintings since 1975. Shadur has served as an artist with the Illinois Arts Council Artist-in-Education Program since 1983.

Shadur earned her bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and Art and Architectural History from Brown University. She received her graduate degree in Studio Art from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She lives in Highland Park.

Name: Peter J. Birnbaum

Position: Chief Justice – Illinois Court of Claims

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Peter J. Birnbaum as the Chief Justice on the Illinois Court of Claims. Birnbaum has served on the Court of Claims since 2004.

Birnbaum is also the President and CEO of the Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., a lawyer services company. He has served in this capacity since 1981.

In addition to his work in the legal field, Birnbaum has held or holds leadership positions on several corporate and philanthropic boards. He is the past president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, and has been a Big Brother for the past 18 years.

Birnbaum is a graduate of the University of Iowa. He earned his law degree from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. He lives in Chicago.

Name: Maria G. Perez

Position: Board Member – Illinois Board of Employment Security

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Maria Perez to the Illinois Board of Employment Security. She is a retired police officer from the Chicago Police Department.

Perez worked as a Chicago Police Officer for 23 years until 2005. She is the co-founder and past president of the Mexican-American Police Organization, the co-founder and first president of the Chicago Police Women’s Association, and was a negotiator for the Fraternal Order of Police.

Perez is a graduate of Lewis University, and she earned an MBA from St. Xavier University. She lives in Chicago.

Name: Stephen J. Thurston, Sr.

Position: Alternate Public Member – Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Stephen Thurston, Sr. to the Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission. He brings a lifetime of community service to the commission.

Thurston serves as the Pastor and CEO of New Covenant Baptist Church in Chicago, where he oversees the church congregation and serves as chairman of the board of directors. He has been with the church since 1979.

Thurston’s community service outside of his church includes being a member of the NAACP and a former president of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. He also previously served on the Illinois Ethics Board from 2008 to 2011.

Thurston received a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy from Bishop College. He lives in Olympia Fields.