President Preckwinkle Names New Chief of Staff
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has named Tasha R. Green Cruzat as her new Chief of Staff. Cruzat has been Deputy Chief of Staff since joining the Preckwinkle administration in November 2013.
She replaces Kimberly Foxx, who has announced that she will run for Cook County State's Attorney in 2016.
I am pleased to name Tasha to this key role in our administration, Preckwinkle said. The Chief of Staff has myriad responsibilities in communicating with our numerous bureaus and departments, with other elected officials and in moving our agenda forward. Given her professional background and skill sets, Tasha is well-equipped to handle these tasks.
Cruzat, 46, is a Chicago native and current resident of the Bronzeville neighborhood. As Deputy Chief of Staff she had oversight of the County's Bureau of Administration, Asset Management, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources and Technology. In addition, she served as chair of President Preckwinkle's Green Leadership Team, which champions efforts to reduce the County's Greenhouse Gas emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050.
It is an exciting and challenging time to step into the Chief of Staff role, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to serve President Preckwinkle and the citizens of Cook County, Cruzat said. I am looking forward to working closely with the President on advancing her priorities, and working with our talented staff to continue running a responsive, efficient and effective County government.
Cruzat boasts deep experience in a variety of government posts. Before joining Cook County, she served as Senior Management Advisor to the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, providing recommendations for establishing an efficient administrative structure for state government, along with advancing the implementation of a statewide performance management system.
She was also the Chief Operating Officer for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, one of the largest state agencies, and oversaw the operation of programs and services that provided support and resources to numerous state agencies.
Prior to joining the State of Illinois, Cruzat was the Executive Director of High Jump, a non-profit organization devoted to providing enriched academic opportunities for talented, low-income middle school students in Chicago. She also worked for Chicago Public Schools as a program manager in the Department of Human Resources.
Cruzat is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, with active duty service from 1987 to 1993. She earned a National Defense Service Medal, a Good Conduct Medal and a Marksman Medal during her service.
Her educational credentials include a BA degree in political science from Brooklyn College; an MA in Education, Leadership and Administration from University of Illinois at Chicago; and an MBA from University of Notre Dame.
Kim Foxx has served me well as Chief of Staff and leaves big shoes to fill, Preckwinkle said. I have no doubt that Tasha, with her knowledge of government and the leadership abilities she possesses, will do an outstanding job as well.
She replaces Kimberly Foxx, who has announced that she will run for Cook County State's Attorney in 2016.
I am pleased to name Tasha to this key role in our administration, Preckwinkle said. The Chief of Staff has myriad responsibilities in communicating with our numerous bureaus and departments, with other elected officials and in moving our agenda forward. Given her professional background and skill sets, Tasha is well-equipped to handle these tasks.
Cruzat, 46, is a Chicago native and current resident of the Bronzeville neighborhood. As Deputy Chief of Staff she had oversight of the County's Bureau of Administration, Asset Management, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources and Technology. In addition, she served as chair of President Preckwinkle's Green Leadership Team, which champions efforts to reduce the County's Greenhouse Gas emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050.
It is an exciting and challenging time to step into the Chief of Staff role, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to serve President Preckwinkle and the citizens of Cook County, Cruzat said. I am looking forward to working closely with the President on advancing her priorities, and working with our talented staff to continue running a responsive, efficient and effective County government.
Cruzat boasts deep experience in a variety of government posts. Before joining Cook County, she served as Senior Management Advisor to the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, providing recommendations for establishing an efficient administrative structure for state government, along with advancing the implementation of a statewide performance management system.
She was also the Chief Operating Officer for the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, one of the largest state agencies, and oversaw the operation of programs and services that provided support and resources to numerous state agencies.
Prior to joining the State of Illinois, Cruzat was the Executive Director of High Jump, a non-profit organization devoted to providing enriched academic opportunities for talented, low-income middle school students in Chicago. She also worked for Chicago Public Schools as a program manager in the Department of Human Resources.
Cruzat is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, with active duty service from 1987 to 1993. She earned a National Defense Service Medal, a Good Conduct Medal and a Marksman Medal during her service.
Her educational credentials include a BA degree in political science from Brooklyn College; an MA in Education, Leadership and Administration from University of Illinois at Chicago; and an MBA from University of Notre Dame.
Kim Foxx has served me well as Chief of Staff and leaves big shoes to fill, Preckwinkle said. I have no doubt that Tasha, with her knowledge of government and the leadership abilities she possesses, will do an outstanding job as well.