Gov. Pritzker Announces Four Appointments to Agencies, Boards and Commissions

Illinois Department of Transportation

Thomas Carney will serve as Assistant Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).* An innovative and reliable leader with over two decades of public service experience, Carney previously served as Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT). During his time as Commissioner, he helped secure passage of the $830 million Build Better Together Capital Bond. Carney also directly managed CDOT’s work to successfully host the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and he implemented the first expansion of the city’s Automated Speed Camera program in over a decade. Prior to his appointment, he served in CDOT roles across various divisions, gaining expertise in labor relations, capital program management, and executive leadership. Carney has received the Employee Excellence Award from the City of Chicago. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University and a Master of Science from DePaul University.

Carney’s appointment is effective August 4, 2025.

Illinois State Police Merit Board

Chala Holland will serve as a Member of the Illinois State Police Merit Board.* Holland is an award-winning educator and an experienced organizational change agent. She currently serves as Superintendent of Schools for Township High School District 113. In this role, Holland provides strategic leadership and vision to ensure academic excellence and positive student outcomes across all high schools in the district. Previously, she was Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services for Naperville Community Unit School District 203 and Principal at Lake Forest High School. During Holland’s tenure as principal, Lake Forest High School received a National Blue Ribbon Award for an Exemplary High Performing School. Holland was also named the Lake Region High School Principal of the Year by the Illinois Principals Association. She received a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University, a Master of Arts from DePaul University, and a Doctor of Philosophy from University of Illinois Chicago.

Illinois State University Board of Trustees

Kris Lutt will serve as a Member of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees.* Lutt is a results-oriented executive in the agriculture and food ingredient industry with a track record of increasing profits, encouraging expansion, and fostering a positive corporate culture. He currently serves as President of Sustainable Materials and Strategic Initiatives at Archer Daniels Midland. In this role, Lutt is responsible for the growth of strategy in key areas such as defossilization, decarbonization and BioSolutions. He is an active member of the community, serving as a board member of the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation. Lutt received a Bachelor of Science from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Master of Business Administration from Illinois State University.

Illinois Student Assistance Commission

Thomas Dowling will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.* Dowling has dedicated his career to responsible government fiscal oversight. He currently serves as Director of TaxProper, an enterprise data and property tax compliance software business, which was acquired by Opendoor in 2022. In this role, Dowling is responsible for managing multi-product tax data within a leading Fortune 500 real estate technology business. Prior to the Opendoor acquisition, he was TaxProper’s CEO and Co-Founder. Dowling received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science from University of Oxford.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

###