Gov. Pritzker Announces Three Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Illinois Employment Security Advisory Board

Mark Denzler will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Employment Security Advisory Board.* Denzler is president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA), the oldest and one of the largest state manufacturing trade associations in the nation. Under Denzler’s leadership, the IMA was named as “One of 100 Associations Saving the World” by the American Society of Association Executives in 2021 and received the inaugural “Manufacturing Leadership Award” from the Coalition of State Manufacturing Association in 2022. Prior to joining the IMA, Denzler served in various posts including overseeing Illinois government affairs for State Farm Insurance, a Fortune 50 company headquartered in Bloomington. In addition to serving on the Illinois Employment Security Advisory Board, he serves on the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board, Board of Directors for Intersect Illinois, and the Board of Trustees for Illinois Wesleyan University. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois. Denzler earned a bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan University.

Illinois Human Rights Commission

Demoya Gordon will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Human Rights Commission.* A distinguished civil rights attorney, Gordon serves as Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Prior to her appointment, Gordon served as the Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Officer for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS), overseeing policies and programs related to EEO/AA, disability equity, and language access. Before joining CMS, Gordon was a Supervising Attorney at the New York City Commission on Human Rights and led litigation and policy advocacy as an attorney at Lambda Legal, a national LGBTQ+ rights non-profit organization. In recognition of her work for marginalized communities, she was honored by the New York State Diversity Coalition in 2016 and named one of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s Best LGBTQ+ Attorneys Under 40 in 2014. Gordon earned a Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College and a Juris Doctor from UC Berkley School of Law.

Illinois State Board of Education

Sherly Chavarria will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois State Board of Education.* Dr. Chavarria is a highly experienced leader with over 15 years of experience spanning the classroom, school, community, and district levels. Currently, she serves as the Senior Program Officer for Education at the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. Previously, as Chief of Teaching and Learning at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), she spearheaded major initiatives, including the Skyline Curriculum Equity Initiative, expanding access to high-quality curriculum and instructional resources for all CPS students. Before her district leadership role, Dr. Chavarria served as Principal of William P. Nixon Elementary School, where she led the school’s transition into a Dual Language school. She began her career as a teacher in CPS, teaching intermediate grades. Dr. Chavarria earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and cultural and social anthropology from Stanford University, a master's degree in teaching from National Louis University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Illinois Chicago.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

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