Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Chicago State University Board of Trustees

Michelle Gooze-Miller will serve as a Member of the Chicago State University Board of Trustees.* Gooze-Miller is an accomplished attorney and estate planning partner at Latimer Levay & Fyock, where she assists nonprofits in maintaining compliance with exemption requirements and provides estate planning and trust administration services. Additionally, Gooze-Miller serves on the Board of Directors of Devon Bank and on the Advisory Board of Summit Design + Build. Previously, she was General Counsel and Director of Strategic Initiatives with Secure Community Network and a partner at Patzik Frank & Samotny. Gooze-Miller earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and Juris Doctor from University of Chicago Law School.

Dixie Erwin will serve as a Member of the Chicago State University Board of Trustees.* Erwin is a managing partner for Hybrid Cloud Services at IBM Consulting, where she is currently leading the integration of multiple acquisitions into the organization. As IBM’s senior state executive for Illinois, she leads partnerships with state government, universities, and other ecosystem partners to drive innovative solutions to business and community issues. Throughout her career, Erwin has designed and executed complex, multi-national programs that have increased efficiency and reduced costs for large global companies. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of Chicago Youth Centers. Erwin earned a Bachelor of Science from California State University, Chico, and a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Illinois State University Board of Trustees

Julie Hoeniges will serve as a Member of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees.* Hoeniges is a seasoned trade compliance professional with over 25 years of experience in translating business needs, regulatory requirements, and operational constraints into sustainable business solutions. She currently serves as Director of Trade Compliance at Rivian, where she leads the development of trade policy, customs import compliance, export control operations, and ensures compliance with international trade regulations. Prior to joining Rivian in 2019, she spent 20 years at Caterpillar Inc., where she led a global team overseeing trade compliance policy, strategy, and oversight of more than $50B in import and export activity across 26 countries. Hoeniges is a licensed U.S. Customs Broker and long-time member of the American Association of Exporters and Importers, where she serves on the Board of Governors. She also served two terms on the Illinois District Export Council. Hoeniges earned a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University.

Secure Choice Savings Board

Erica Marquez Avitia will continue to serve as a Member of the Secure Choice Savings Board.* Avitia is an accomplished financial executive with experience in building business processes and streamlining operations. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Old Mission Holdings and partner with Innovative AV Systems. Additionally, Avitia is on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Finance Exchange and the Board of Governors of the Metropolitan Planning Council. She is also a founding member of Angeles Investors and the Chicago chapter of Chief, an organization that supports women executives. Previously, she served as Vice President of Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing. Avitia earned a Bachelor of Science from DePaul University.

University of Illinois Board of Trustees

Bryan Traubert will serve as a Member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.* Traubert is the Chairman of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, a philanthropy dedicated to equalizing opportunity in Chicago, and Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Chicago Community Trust. He also has served on Loyola University Chicago’s Board of Trustees, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Board of Directors, and Steppenwolf Theatre’s Board of Trustees. Additionally, Traubert founded Take the Field, which builds artificial turf fields in Chicago’s underserved communities, and he also founded and served on the board of the Chicago Parks Foundation. A practicing ophthalmologist for over 30 years, Traubert earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois, completed his residency at Michael Reese Hospital, and was a fellow in clinical medical ethics at the University of Chicago.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

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