Recent state appointments to boards, commissions announced by governor
Governor JB Pritzker recently announced the following appointments in his administration:
Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund
Jeffery Pruyn will serve as a Member of the Police Officers’ Pension Investment Fund.* Pruyn currently serves as Partner and Certified Public Accountant with Anthes, Pruyn & Associates Ltd, an accounting firm in Itasca. In addition to his accounting practice, Pruyn serves as Mayor of the Village of Itasca, first taking office in 2009. Previously, Pruyn served as Village Trustee for over a decade. Additionally, Pruyn serves as Vice Chairman of the DuPage Water Commission, Treasurer of the Suburban O’Hare Commission, and as Board Member and Past President of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference. Pruyn earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Nebraska Lincoln.
Public Administrator and Public Guardian
Erin Conner will serve as Public Administrator and Public Guardian of Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, and Washington Counties.* Conner founded, owns, and operates a private law practice, The Conner Law Firm LLC, in Belleville. Her firm specializes in state-level criminal defense, criminal appeals, post-conviction petitions, and expungements and sealing, as well as orders of protection and stalking no contact orders. Previously, Conner served as Associate Attorney with Kuehn, Beasley & Young, P.C. Conner has also spent eight years at the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, serving as both Supervisor of the Violent Crimes Unit and Chief of the Criminal Bureau. Conner currently serves as Member on the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Belleville Cemetery Board; she also serves as Secretary of the St. Clair County Bar Association and as Treasurer of the East St. Louis Bar Association. Conner earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Political Science from McKendree University and her Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law.
Illinois Valley Regional Port District Board
Janette Marie will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Valley Regional Port District Board.* Marie currently serves as Account Manager at the Acrisure Insurance and Hartauer Insurance Agency. Earlier in her career, Marie was the cinematographer of the 2015 independent feature documentary, For the Incurable Insane. Marie earned her Associate Degree in Science from Illinois Valley Community College and her Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Photography from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrators
Jeanne AuBuchon will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Since her initial appointment in 2020, AuBuchon has served as Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator. Previously, AuBuchon owned and operated a private law practice, AuBuchon Law LLC. AuBuchon currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lansdowne Community Initiative and is Member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, St. Clair County Bar Association, East St. Louis Bar Association, National Association of Counsel for Children, and Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation Pro Bono Bar. AuBuchon earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from University of Missouri-Columbia and her Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University School of Law.
Jennifer Bae will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Bae has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since her initial appointment in 2023. Previously, Bae served as Director of Employee Discipline within the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. In this role, she supervised a department charged with disciplining over 6,000 sworn officers, including civil employees throughout various levels of hearings. Prior to her time with Cook Country Sheriff’s Office, Bae was Staff Attorney with the City of Chicago and Member of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office Merit Board. Earlier in her career, Bae owned and operated her private law practice, the Law Offices of Jennifer Bae, in Chicago and Des Plaines. There, she specialized in criminal law and administrative hearings. Bae has been recognized several times by her peers, being presented the Korean American Law Enforcement Group Advancement of the Mission Award, State of Illinois Supreme Court Outstanding Service on the Committee on Character and Fitness, and Pan Asian Humanitarian Award. Bae earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from University of Houston and her Juris Doctorate from University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law.
James Byrnes will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Byrnes has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since his initial appointment in 2023. Previously, he served as Partner with Ganan & Shapiro, P.C. in Chicago, where he managed the firm’s in-house continuing legal education program, managed the law clerks, and provided mentoring for younger attorneys. Byrnes earned his Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations from University of Notre Dame and his Juris Doctorate from University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign.
Linda Cantrell will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Cantrell has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since her initial appointment in 2019. Previously, Cantrell served as an Attorney for Winters, Brewster, Crosby, and Schaffer. Cantrell is currently Member of the Missouri Bar Association, Williamson County Bar Association, Illinois Bar Foundation, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Cantrell earned her Bachelor of Science from St. Louis University and her Juris Doctorate from Southern Illinois School of Law.
Magda Derisma-Oyewole will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Derisma-Oyewole has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since her initial appointment in 2024. Previously, Derisma-Oyewole served as Chief Special Projects Officer with the Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. In this role, she managed a portfolio of State agencies, including the Department of Insurance, Department of Employment Security, and the Labor Relations Board. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Derisma-Oyewole served as Legislative Director and In-House Counsel for the Illinois American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, where she drafted over sixty successful bills in a single legislative session. Derisma-Oyewole earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Florida at the age of 19, her Master of Public Policy from Loyola University Chicago, and her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Bradley Gillespie will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Gillespie has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since his initial appointment in 2021. Previously, Gillespie served as Associate with Gori Law Firm, P.C., in Edwardsville. Gillespie handled all aspects of workers’ compensation matters, from initial consultations through the Appellate Court. Prior to Gori Law, Gillespie served as Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Attorney General in the General Law Bureau representing state workers and agencies. Gillespie earned his Bachelor of Liberal Studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and his Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University School of Law.
Paul-Eric Seal will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Seal has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since his initial appointment in 2018. Previously, he worked at Zurich North America for a decade as staff counsel. Seal earned his Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Loyola University Chicago and her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Rachel Sinnen will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Sinnen has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since her initial appointment in 2018. Sinnen previously served as Senior Trial Attorney with Grant & Fanning in Chicago. Sinnen also serves as Adjunct Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago Kent College of Law teaching evidence and trial skills, and she serves on the Cook County Board of Ethics. Sinnen previously served as Vice Chairwoman of the Young Lawyers’ Section for the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association and is Member of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois. Sinnen earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, her Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago, and her Juris Doctorate from Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago Kent College of Law.
Charles Watts will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Watts has served as a Workers’ Compensation Commission Arbitrator since his initial appointment in 2020. Previously, Watts served as Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois House Republicans under Leader Jim Durkin. In this role he served as Floor Parliamentarian, Freedom of Information Act Officer, and Legislative Analyst. Watts earned his Bachelor of Science in Education from Eastern Michigan University and his Juris Doctorate from University of Loyola Chicago School of Law.
* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
