Early Learning Council, Illinois

Board and Commission Details

Function

This council is created to coordinate existing programs and services for children from birth to 5 years of age in order to better meet the early learning needs of children and their families.

Term

3 years.

Senate Confirmation

No

Compensation

Expenses

Composition

The Illinois Early Learning Council shall include representation from both public and private organizations, and its membership shall reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to ensure representation of the needs of all Illinois children. One member shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and other members appointed by the Governor. The Governor's appointments shall include without limitation the following: (1) A leader of stature from the Governor's office, to serve as co-chairperson of the Council. (2) The chief administrators of the following State agencies: State Board of Education; Department of Human Services; Department of Children and Family Services; Department of Public Health; Department of Healthcare and Family Services; Board of Higher Education; and Illinois Community College Board. (3) Local government stakeholders and non-government stakeholders with an interest in early childhood care and education, including representation from the following private-sector fields and constituencies: early childhood education and development; child care; child advocacy; parenting support; local community collaborations among early care and education programs and services; maternal and child health; children with special needs; business; labor; and law enforcement. The Governor shall designate one of the members who is a nongovernment stakeholder to serve as co-chairperson. In addition, the Governor shall request that the Region V office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families appoint a member to the Council to represent federal children's programs and services.

Chair

Appointed by the Governor - one member who is a non-government stakeholder and the member from the Governor’s office shall be a co-chair

Authority

20 ILCS 3933/5


Member Names

Name Member Expiration Member Since Affiliation Appointed By Position Title County
Janney, April 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Illinois Action for Children
Eggleston, Carl Region V office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families Region V office of the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services' Administration for Children and Families
Mannen, Cathy 01/01/2026 07/13/2021 Governor Member Illinois Federation of Teachers Douglas
Kimble, Ruth 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Austin Child Care
Howell, Eugene 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Head Start/EHS Provider
Steans, Robin 01/01/2025 04/04/2022 Governor Member Advance Illinois, Child Advocacy
Rooney, Patricia 01/01/2026 06/16/2021 Governor Member IDHS Will
McFarlane, Tameeka 01/01/2024 07/13/2021 Governor Member Pre-K Teacher Evanston SD 65
Lifson, Mitchell 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Child Advocacy
Hatcher, Courtney 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Project Child-CCR&R
Brown, Marcus 01/01/2026 06/14/2021 Governor Member ICCB Macon
Kotowski, Dan 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Kids Above All
Hernandez Jr, Sergio 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member ISBE
Glink, Phyllis 01/01/2025 11/30/2012 Governor Member, Co-Chair Irving Harris Foundation
Rocha, Martina 01/01/2023 06/16/2021 Governor Member Best Friends Day Care (FFN)
Jor'dan, Jamilah 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member GOECD
Noble, Sean 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Business community
Bowman, Barbara 01/01/2024 10/07/2011 Governor Member Higher Ed Workforce
Souto-Manning, Mariana 01/01/2025 07/11/2022 Governor Member President Erikson Institute
Chadwick, Christi 01/01/2026 10/07/2022 Governor Member IBHE
Mote, Bela 01/01/2026 06/02/2021 Governor Member Carole Robertson Center Cook
Torres, Martin 01/01/2025 12/13/2021 Governor Member, Co-Chair Governor's Office Representative
Bassler, Elissa 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member Illinois Public Health Institute
Hodges, Vicki 01/01/2024 06/24/2021 Governor Member ISBE Mckinney-Vento Homeless Education
McRae, Kenya 01/01/2025 06/14/2021 Governor Member IDPH
Ejeh, Shauna 01/01/2025 08/12/2016 Governor Member Illinois Action for Children
Vacant 01/01/2024 Governor Member
Monnier, Denise 01/01/2023 06/02/2021 Governor Member Montessori Association
Talan, Teri 01/01/2023 06/07/2021 Governor Member
Mendenhall, Marcy 01/01/2026 06/02/2021 Governor Member CCRR-SAL Family & Community Services Rock Island
Regenstein, Elliot 01/01/2023 11/07/2011 Governor Member
Bailey, Chevelle 01/01/2024 06/22/2021 Governor Member IL DCFS
Thomas, Dawn 01/01/2025 06/03/2021 Governor Member Data & Research
Chernawsky, Kirsten 01/01/2025 04/04/2022 Governor Member
Berman, Karen 01/01/2024 10/12/2012 Governor Member Child Advocacy
Puente, Sylvia 01/01/2023 10/07/2011 Governor Member Child Advocacy-Latino Policy Forum
Cerda, Jose 01/01/2023 01/11/2015 Governor Member Business
Reick, Steven 03/30/2021 House Minority Leader Member State Representative
Su, Joanna 01/01/2026 06/02/2021 Governor Member DHS Home Visiting Kane
Lilly, Camille 06/21/2021 Speaker of the House Member State Representative
Peace, Curtis 01/01/2023 06/02/2021 Governor Member Illinois Afterschool Network/Build Chicago
Loughran Cappel, Sen. Meg 01/08/2025 08/31/2023 Senate President Member State Senator
Golliday, Rochelle 01/01/2024 06/04/2021 Governor Member For-profit Child Care
Yanguas, Josie 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member Bilingual/Dual language learners
Bardeleben, Lucinda 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member Parenting Support
Slaughter, Sara 01/01/2023 06/09/2021 Governor Member
Gonzalez, Rey 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member El Valor Center based Child Care
McKinily, Leslie 01/01/2024 07/15/2022 Governor Member
Bernoteit, Stephanie 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member IBHE
Burnett, Cerathel 01/01/2023 06/16/2021 Governor Member CDFSS
Williams, Wendy 01/01/2024 05/12/2022 Governor Member Director of Head Start Collaboration
Chapman, Dena 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member FAC Co-Chair
Doan, Kristina 01/01/2025 06/02/2021 Governor Member ISBE
Tracy, Jil 04/14/2021 Senate Minority Leader Member State Senator
Phelan, Laura 01/01/2023 08/10/2021 Governor Member IDHFS
Morrison-Fritchtl, Lauri 01/01/2025 06/07/2021 Governor Member IL Head Start Association
Borrero, John 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member Community Collaborations
Espeut, Loretta 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member Parenting Support-Family Focus
Harris, Daniel 01/01/2025 10/16/2012 Governor Member INCCRRA
Helfer, Jason 01/01/2024 07/11/2022 Governor Member ISBE
Washington Gurley, Edie 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member IDCFS Licensing
Hurley, Carisa 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member ISBE
Leatherman, Stacee 01/01/2024 06/02/2021 Governor Member Parent Leader, FAC Co-chair
Stokes II, Bryan 01/01/2026 06/04/2021 Governor Member McCormick Foundation Cook
Seibert, Brynn 01/01/2023 06/16/2021 Governor Member SEIU HI
Shah, Ushma 01/01/2024 06/04/2021 Governor Member Superintendet Oak Park
Mendley Rauner, Diana 01/01/2025 10/07/2011 Governor Member Start Early
Williams, Yolanda 01/01/2023 07/07/2021 Governor Member Parent Leader-COFI
Engelman, Kimberly 01/01/2023 07/13/2021 Governor Member Labor
Patten, Bethany 01/01/2026 08/18/2023 Governor Member IDHS DEC Cook