Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Guardianship and Advocacy Commission

Cassandra Hill will continue to serve as a Member of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission.* Hill currently serves as Professor of Law and Dean of Northern Illinois University (NIU) College of Law. She is the first African American woman to lead the NIU College of Law. Previously, Hill served as Director of Legal Writing, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. A nationally recognized leader in education, Hill earned the 2021 Association of American Law Schools Section Award for the section on legal writing, reasoning, and research. In 2014, Hill became the first African American elected to the Board of Directors for the Legal Writing Institute. Earlier in her career, Hill clerked for a federal district court judge and practiced law at Baker Botts, LLP in Houston, Texas, specializing in employee benefits. Hill earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Spanish from The University of Virginia and her Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law.

Pollution Control Board

Michael Mankowski will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.* Mankowski has served as Member of the Illinois Pollution Control Board since his initial appointment in 2023. Previously, Mankowski served as Technical Advisor with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and as Director of the IDNR Office of Oil and Gas Resource Management. As Director, Mr. Mankowski oversaw the regulation of over 1,500 oil and gas operators and 28 underground natural gas storage fields. Prior to his time at IDNR, Mankowski served as Assistant Attorney General in the Illinois Attorney General's Office (AGO). While in the AGO's Springfield Civil Environmental Bureau, he represented multiple state agencies in numerous significant cases dealing with air, water, and land pollution, as well as natural resource damages and agency permitting matters. Mankowski has been active in the Illinois State Bar Association serving on the Environmental Law and Mineral Law Section Councils as well as the Strategic Marketing and the Marketing and Communications Committees. Mankowski earned his Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from Ohio State University and his Juris Doctorate from Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Jennifer Van Wie will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.* Van Wie has served as Member of the Illinois Pollution Control Board since her initial appointment in 2020. Previously, Van Wie served as Counsel at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, LLP, where she supported partners in counseling clients. Prior to Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, LLP, Van Wie served as Special Counsel at Foley & Larder, LLP, and as an Assistant Attorney General at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in the Environmental Civil Bureau. She has also served as Co-Chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Chicago Bar Association. Van Wie earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Policy from Indiana University and her Juris Doctorate and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Illinois State Board of Investment

Sanjeev Krishnan will serve as a Member of the Illinois State Board of Investment.* Krishnan currently serves as Managing Partner and Co-Lead of S2G Investments, formerly known as Seed 2 Growth Ventures. In this role, he oversees investment strategy, portfolio management, and the firm's systems investing approach across energy, food and agriculture, and oceans. With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in identifying innovative investment opportunities that drive productivity, profitability, and long-term systems change. Previously, Krishnan held investment leadership roles at CLSA Capital Partners, formerly known as Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia, Global Environment Fund, the International Finance Corporation, and JP Morgan. Krishnan earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the London School of Economics.

Quad Cities Regional Economic Development Authority

Louisa Ewert will serve as a Member of the Quad Cities Regional Economic Development Authority.* Ewert most recently served as Rock Island County Treasurer, retiring from the role after having served for over a decade. Previously, Ewert served as Administrative Assistant with the Rock Island County Treasurer’s Office. Ewert earned her high school diploma from Moline High School.

Southeastern Illinois Economic Development Authority

Patrick Scates will serve as a Member of the Southeastern Illinois Economic Development Authority.* Scates currently serves as President and General Manager of Scates Group Intermodal Transportation and as General Manager of Scates Valley Inc., in Carmi. Previously, Scates served as Special Assistant to the Administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Risk Management. Earlier in his career, Scates served as District Director for U.S. Representative Brad Ellsworth and as Field Representative for then U.S. Senator Barack Obama. Scates earned his high school diploma from Carmi-White County High School.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate. ​

###