Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board

Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler will continue to serve as a Member of the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Burnett-Zeigler currently serves as Chief Behavioral Health Officer at the Illinois Department of Human Services. Previously, Burnett-Zeigler was a licensed clinical psychologist with the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation and also worked on the psychologist staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. While practicing psychology, Burnett-Zeigler was also an Associate Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She has previously served on the boards of Heartland Alliance Health, Chicago High School for the Arts, and the Women’s Board of the Joffrey Ballet. Burnett-Zeigler has been recognized for her commitment to public service and health equity, receiving the Impact Award from the Chicago Foundation for Women, Wellness Woman of the Year from Sista Aafa, and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from DePaul University. Burnett-Zeigler earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Cornell University and her Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University.

Burnett-Zeigler's appointment is effective January 13, 2026.

Nancy DePodesta will continue to serve as a Member of the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* DePodesta is currently Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP. DePodesta holds decades of experience, having previously served as Partner and Co-Chair of White Collar and Government Investigations Practice Group with Saul Ewing Arnstein, & Lehr. She also previously served as Assistant United States’ Attorney for the United States’ Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Illinois as Law Clerk, Staff Attorney of the United States District Court in the Northern District of Illinois, and as Legal Counsel at the Illinois Department of Corrections. DePodesta earned her Bachelor of Science in Business and Marketing from Indiana University Bloomington and her Juris Doctorate at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent School of Law.

DePodesta's appointment is effective January 13, 2026.

Donald Wilkerson will continue to serve as Chair of the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.* Wilkerson is currently Adjunct Professor at St. Louis University School of Law, previously teaching at Washington University School of Law and Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Law. Wilkerson was appointed United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Illinois in January 2005, and he retired from the role in 2019. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Wilkerson served as Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Department of Justice in the Eastern District of Missouri for 10 years. Before his service with the U.S Department of Justice, Wilkerson practiced commercial litigation at a multitude of local St. Louis law firms. Wilkerson earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Illinois State University, his Master of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and his Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University School of Law.

Wilkerson's appointment is effective January 13, 2026.

Eastern Illinois Economic Development Authority

Dr. Ronda Sauget will serve as a Member of the Eastern Illinois Economic Development Authority.* Sauget is President and CEO of Coles Together Economic Development Organization, promoting the business and economic opportunities of Coles County. Previously, Sauget was President and CEO of Validus Business Strategies, LLC and Executive Director and CEO of Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois. Sauget has held numerous other roles in business and marketing in her 30-year career, and she is a champion for her community across the state. Sauget received her Bachelor of Finance and Marketing and her Master of Business Administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and she earned her Doctor of Management from Webster University.

Sauget's appointment is effective January 19, 2026

Public Administrators and Public Guardians

Dawn Weekly will serve as the Public Administrator and Public Guardian of Iroquois County.* Weekly is currently Attorney at Law at the Legacy Law Firm, LLC, where she has served for over 15 years. Previously, she was Associate Attorney at Law Elder Law, a division of Law Hesselbaum, LLP, where she specialized in estate planning and veterans’ assistance, preparing and filing claims to help veterans receive pension benefits. Additionally, Weekly previously served as Prehearing Attorney for the Michigan State Court of Appeals, where she conducted research related to legal issues, prepared a judicial report, and managed civil issues including negligence, medical malpractice, property, tax, age discrimination, and insurance. She also handled criminal defense in the divisions of misdemeanors, DUI and traffic, and prepared appellate briefs while completing a Summer Clerkship for the Office of the State Appellate Defender, Third District of Illinois. Weekly holds memberships in several professional organizations, including the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, where she previously served as President of the Illinois Chapter. Weekly earned her Bachelor of Science in Management from Columbia College Chicago and her Juris Doctorate from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

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