Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Illinois Gaming Board

Sean Brannon will serve as a Member of theIllinois Gaming Board.* Brannon retired from the Illinois State Police (ISP) as a Captain in July 2024, following over 27 years of service. His most recent assignment was managing ISP’s Statewide Gaming Command while simultaneously serving as the Illinois Gaming Board’s Deputy Administrator of Field Operations. Throughout his ISP career, Brannon heldvarious positions, including Trooper, Special Agent, Sergeant, Master Sergeant, and Lieutenant. Brannon earned a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement Administration from Western Illinois University and a Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University.

Illinois Finance Authority

Lynn Sutton will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Finance Authority.* Sutton is the Managing Principal of Kairos Worldwide, a consulting firm she founded in 2004. For the last twenty years, Sutton has supported a team of process engineers and project management professionals, managing several portfolios, including Southern Company, the U.S. Department of Navy, Fleet & Industrial Supply Centers, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to founding Kairos Worldwide, she was the Business Systems Manager of Information Technology for Kraft Foods. She is affiliated with multiple organizations, including the Women’s Energy Network, the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, and Women Impacting Public Policy. Sutton earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master Certification in Project Management from George Washington University.

Illinois Student Assistance Commission 

Caleb Herod will serve as a Member of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.* Herod currently serves as the Director of Income Growth at The Chicago Community Trust, where he manages efforts to support educational attainment, workforce development, and inclusive business practices in the Chicago region. He also co-manages the Bridges to Brighter Futures funding initiative with the Kinship Foundation. An experienced educator, project manager, and policy advocate, Herod began his career with Teach for America Mississippi Corps, teaching Algebra II and Geometry at West Tallahatchie High School in Mississippi. This led him to work with the Delta Health Alliance where he served as Project Manager for Extended Learning Initiatives. Herod earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Leadership with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and a certificate in Civic Leadership from the Center for Effective Government’s Civic Leadership Academy. 

State Universities Retirement System Board of Trustees

John K. Lyons will continue to serve as a Member of the State Universities Retirement System Board of Trustees.* Lyons is a partner at the global law firm DLA Piper. He represents major U.S. and global corporations, committees, and boards of directors in complex business reorganizations, acquisitions, and divestitures across various industries. As a restructuring lawyer, Lyons has played a key role in notable reorganizations, including those of US Airways, Delphi Corporation, Interstate Bakeries, Einstein Noah Bagels, Montgomery Ward, and American Airlines. Lyons wasrecently appointed to the Board of Directors of INTERSECT Illinois, an organization that collaborates with the Governor’s Office, Illinois policymakers, and business leaders to attract businesses and investments to Illinois. Lyons earned a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University and obtained a Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law.

Workers’ Compensation Commission 

Magda Derisma-Oyewole will serve as an Arbitrator of the Workers’ Compensation Commission.* Derisma-Oyewole currently serves as the Chief Special Projects Officer at the Governor’s Office. In this role, she manages a portfolio of State agencies,including the Department of Insurance, Department ofEmployment Security, and the Labor Relations Board. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Derisma-Oyewole served as the Legislative Director and In-House Counsel for the Illinois AFL-CIO, where she drafted over sixty successful bills in a single legislative session. She also owned an education policy consulting firm that provided life-changing opportunities for underserved children in Miami and Chicago. She was a Loyola Public Interest Fellow and focused on labor and employee discipline investigations within Chicago Public Schools. Derisma-Oyewole earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida at the age of 19, a Master of Public Policy from Loyola University Chicago, and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

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