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

Illinois Finance Authority

William Hobert will continue to serve as Chair of the Illinois Finance Authority.* Hobert currently serves as the managing member of WH Trading, a global proprietary derivatives trading firm he founded in 1994. WH Trading provides liquidity to a wide range of global futures and options markets including interest rate, foreign exchange, agricultural commodity, and energy products. Hobert also serves on the Board of Directors of the CME Group, where he chairs the Clearing House Risk Committee and the IRS Risk Committee. Additionally, he chairs the board of My Block, My Hood, My City, a nonprofit with a mission to inspire youth and empower communities in Chicago. Hobert earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University.

Illinois Department of Early Childhood

Irma Martinez Snopek will serve as the Acting Secretary of the Illinois Department of Early Childhood while the executive search continues. Snopek began her career as an elementary bilingual teacher. While teaching, she pursued her Juris Doctor and became the Assistant General Counsel for the Illinois State Board of Education. She then served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, where she collaborated with various stakeholders to advance district goals and promote equity. Snopek later served as the First Assistant Deputy Governor for Education before becoming the Policy and Communications Officer for the Illinois State Board of Education, where she led the operations of multiple departments and spearheaded transformative public education policies. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership, and a Master of Education in Policy and Administration from the University of Illinois Chicago. Snopek earned her Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

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