Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council

Ethan Kimbrel will serve as a Member of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council.* Kimbrel currently serves as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), where he coordinates with the Office of Water Resources, the Office of Land Management, the Office of Realty and Capital Planning, and the World Shooting and Recreational Complex. Prior to serving at IDNR, Kimbrel served as Commissioner with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), and he was ICC’s Chief Administrative Law Judge before that. He also served as Attorney with Joseph E. Tighe, P.C. and as Judicial Law Clerk with the Illinois Appellate Court. Kimbrel served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners during his time as ICC Commissioner. Kimbrel earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Chicago and his Juris Doctorate from George Washington University.

Rick Pohlman will serve as a Member of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council.* Pohlman currently serves as Acting Director of the Office of Water Resources at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). There, Pohlman oversees engineering planning, operations, construction, design, water supply, flood surveillance, dam safety, floodplain regulatory programs, and the coastal management program. Previously, Pohlman served with IDNR’s Division of Capital Programs as Manager, overseeing engineering studies, design and construction, technical services, and operations. Pohlman is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and the Illinois Association for Floodplain and Stormwater Management. Pohlman earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Todd Strole will serve as a Member of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council.* Strole currently serves as Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), supporting personnel, budget, strategy, policy, and operations efforts. Before that, Strole served as Executive Director of Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, where he provided leadership for the Illinois Nature Preserves System and supported conservation efforts across Illinois. Strole previously served as Chair of the Middle Mississippi River Partnership and as Member of the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center Advisory Committee. Strole earned his Bachelor of Science in Botany and Environmental Biology from Eastern Illinois University and his Master of Science in Biological Sciences from Illinois State University.

Illinois State Museum Board

Dr. Ashish Sharma will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois State Museum Board.* Sharma currently serves as Climate and Urban Sustainability Lead at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) Discovery Partners Institute (DPI). In addition to his role with DPI, he is also part of UIUC’s Department of Climate, Meteorology, and Atmospheric Sciences, holds a joint appointment at Argonne National Laboratory, and serves as Director of the Global Center on Clean Energy and Equitable Transportation Solutions. Previously, he served as Illinois Research Climatologist with UIUC’s Illinois State Water Survey. Sharma has significant boards and commissions experience, currently serving on the Illinois Commission on Environmental Justice and the Urban Environment of the American Meteorological Society Board. Sharma was also named in the Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 Class of 2023. He earned his Bachelor of Electronics and Communication Engineering from Jaypee University of Information Technology and his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering from Arizona State University.

Quality Care Board

Megan Norlin will continue to serve as a Member of the Quality Care Board.* Norlin is currently Project Manager for the Illinois Network of Center for Independent Living (INCIL)’s Personal Assistant Recruitment and Training Program. In this role, she supports INCIL’s work with centers for independent living across Illinois. Previously, Norlin served as Advocacy and Local Group Coordinator with the Illinois Self Advocacy Alliance, where she supported disability self-advocates in developing leadership skills. Norlin earned her Associate of Arts from Illinois Valley Community College and her Bachelor of Arts in English and Theater from Truman State University.

Western Illinois Economic Development Authority

Brenda Middendorf will serve as a Member of the Western Illinois Economic Development Authority.* Middendorf currently serves as Executive Director for Two Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Area (RC&D), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering economic improvement, protecting the environment, and addressing social concerns within Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Pike, and Schuyler counties. In addition to her duties at RC&D, Middendorf currently serves on the Pike County Health Department Environmental Health Board and as President of the Quail and Upland Management Association Board. Previously, Middendorf served as Interim Executive Director of Pike County Chamber and Economic Development Corporation, President of the Mental Health Center of Western Illinois Board, and Member of the Illini Community Hospital Advisory Committee. Middendorf earned her high school diploma from Pittsfield High School.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

###