HR0768LRB097 20115 KXB 65494 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are proud to recognize individuals and
4organizations that have contributed to the welfare of the State
5of Illinois and its citizens and have distinguished themselves
6through significant personal achievement; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Dr. Linda Renee Baker has held the title of many
8"firsts" in Illinois government by holding key managerial
9positions under 3 Illinois governors; and
 
10    WHEREAS, During her career in public service, Dr. Baker
11held positions of increasing responsibility in a variety of
12State agencies; Dr. Baker served as the first African-American
13legislative liaison for an Illinois governor; Dr. Baker served
14as the assistant director of the Department of Public Aid in
15the mid-1990s; in 1999, Dr. Baker served as director of the
16Illinois Department of Employment Security, opening 4 new
17Illinois Employment and Training Centers (IETC) during that
18year; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Dr. Baker has been instrumental in working
20collaboratively with the business community, organized labor,
21education, local governments, and community based
22organizations to revamp the State's workforce development

 

 

HR0768- 2 -LRB097 20115 KXB 65494 r

1system; Dr. Baker worked tirelessly to promote the Governor's
2vision of an inclusive public-private partnership for
3workforce development to bring together those in the State who
4need employees with those who prepare individuals for
5employment; and
 
6    WHEREAS, On January 28, 2000, Governor George H. Ryan named
7Dr. Baker as the new Secretary of the Illinois Department of
8Human Services, where she was only the second person to head
9and the first woman to lead the new super agency after its
10creation in 1997; and
 
11    WHEREAS, As secretary of the Department of Human Services,
12the State's largest agency, Dr. Baker led and managed a
13comprehensive human services agency with about 20,000
14employees and an annual budget of about $5 billion; the agency
15provided services in the areas of community health and
16prevention, mental health, substance abuse, developmental
17disabilities and vocational rehabilitation; the agency also
18directed and implemented the State's nationally-recognized
19welfare reform efforts; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Dr. Baker brought achievement in higher education
21to her public service, holding a bachelor's and a master's
22degree in gerontology and health-care administration and
23public administration from the University of Illinois at

 

 

HR0768- 3 -LRB097 20115 KXB 65494 r

1Springfield (UIS); In 2004, Dr. Baker earned a PhD in public
2administration from UIS; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Dr. Baker and her husband, G. Ronald Roby, are the
4parents of 2 children; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dr. Baker continued her commitment to public
6service by joining the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute on
7March 18, 2003, with a focus on expanding access to
8high-quality health care in partnership with the SIU School of
9Medicine and helping minorities and people with disabilities
10realize their full potential; Dr. Baker also teaches a course
11on leadership for SIU Carbondale; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we honor Dr. Linda Renee Baker for her pioneering achievements
15in Illinois public service for African-American women; we
16express gratitude for her hard work and accomplishments as they
17continue to have a positive impact on the lives of millions of
18Illinoisans; and be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to Dr. Linda Renee Baker as a symbol of our respect
21and esteem.