CHICAGO – Governor Bruce Rauner today announced he has made appointments to the Prisoner Review Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
Name: John Clough
Position: Board Member – Illinois Prisoner Review Board
Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed John Clough to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Clough’s experience in law enforcement make him extremely suited for the position.
Currently, Clough is a deputy sheriff with the Coles County Sherriff’s Office and a part-time police officer with the Kansas Police Department. He has been honored for his work in law enforcement including a commendation for saving an inmate’s life and multiple recognitions for DUI enforcement.
Clough attended Lake Land Community College and Eastern Illinois University. He lives in Charleston.
Name: Asaf Bar-Tura
Position: Commissioner – Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Asaf Bar-Tura to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Bar-Tura’s experience in education non-profit management and development will greatly benefit the commission and its success.
Bar-Tura is currently the Director of the Posse Foundation’s Chicago chapter. The Posse Foundation works with high school students who may be overlooked in the traditional college selection process and assists them in pursuing personal and academic success. Bar-Tura runs the program, staff and fundraising operations of the non-profit. Previously, he was the director of programs at the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and the after school program director of an after school program at a New York City public school.
Bar-Tura graduated from Ben Gurion University in Israel and earned his Ph.D. from Loyola University. He lives in Evanston.
Name: Claudia Quezada
Position: Commissioner – Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Claudia Quezada to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Quezada’s background in public education management will bring an important perspective to the commission.
Currently, Quezada is the director of quality school options at the Illinois State Board of Education. In this position, she works with Illinois’ charter schools to ensure they are providing students with a high-quality education. Previously, she worked at Chicago Public Schools as the director of school operations and compliance and at the CPS Board of Education.
Quezada earned her bachelor’s degree from DePaul University. She lives in Chicago.
Name: Luz M. Ramirez
Position: Board Member – Illinois Housing Development Authority
Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Luz Ramirez to the Illinois Housing Development Authority. Ramirez will bring experience in education and non-profit program development to the board.
Currently, Ruiz is the Vice President of YWCA La Voz Latina, which is a program under the YWCA of Northeastern Illinois. La Voz Latina works to help Hispanic families in the Rockford area achieve self-sufficiency, and Ramirez helps oversee programming for the program. Previously, she served as the program’s executive director, running its day-to-day operations. In addition, she worked as the special assistant to the superintendent of Rockford Public Schools, where she oversaw community engagement and parent development, organized major district events and worked directly with six schools.
Ramirez is a graduate of Columbia College and earned her master’s degree from Phoenix University. She lives in Rockford.
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