The Illinois Public Defender Association was incorporated in 1969 as a non-profit 501 [c][6] educational organization for Public Defenders. There were 3 incorporators: Gerald W. Getty, then the Cook County Public Defender, Marshall J. Hartman, retired head of the Capital Litigation Division of the Office of the State Appellate Defender, and Morton Zwick, retired justice of the First District Appellate Court.
Currently, there are 36 officers and directors representing the geographical and demographic differences in the State. In addition, the Association employs no staff and thus relies heavily on members of the Office of the State Appellate Defender and other volunteers to coordinate its programs and services.
The goals of education, interchange of ideas, and camaraderie are reflected by semi-annual seminars serving Public Defenders and court-appointed counsel in all 102 counties. In recent years, efforts have begun to establish caseload standards and to fairly fund public defender services.
The Illinois Public Defender Association has cooperated with the Illinois State Bar Association and the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender in reviewing and suggesting amendments to criminal and juvenile bills in the legislature. It has also worked with the State Bar Association to develop model rules and statutes to standardize Public Defender appointment procedures.
In cooperation with the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender and the Office of the State Appellate Defender, the Association sponsors an annual Public Defender Trial Advocacy School, where hands-on experience makes both attendees and instructors better advocates, as well as regional Public Defender Advocacy Programs and two annual state-wide training seminars.
Stephen Baker
Legislative Liaison
Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
69 W. Washington, 16th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602
William Bertram
Livingston County Special Public Defender
219 W. Washington
Pontiac, IL 61764
Betsy Bier
Assistant Public Defender
Adams County Public Defender’s Office
529 Hampshire, Suite 522
Quincy, IL 62301
Kerry Bryson
Deputy State Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
1100 Columbus
Ottawa, IL 61350
Amy Campanelli, 1st Vice President
Public Defender
Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
69 W. Washington, 16th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602
Robert P. Carlson
Assistant Public Defender
DeKalb County Public Defenders’ Office
133 W. State Street
Sycamore, IL 60178
Kelli Childress
Public Defender
Kane County Public Defender’s Office
37W777 Route 38, Suite 200
St. Charles, IL 60175
Victoria Chuffo
Public Defender
Kendall County Public Defender's Office
807 W. John Street
Yorkville, IL 60560
Anne Clough
Jersey County Public Defender
PO Box 71
Carrollton, IL 62016
Nicholas Feda
Assistant Public Defender
Kane County Public Defender’s Office
37W777 Route 38 Suite 200
St. Charles, IL 60175
Angela Fillenwarth
Assistant Grundy County Public Defender
211 E. Jefferson Street, Suite A
Morris, IL 60450
Robert Gifford
Senior Assistant Public Defender
DuPage County Public Defender’s Office
503 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL 60187
Elder Granger
Granger, Cohen & Donahue
One Court Place Suite 100
Rockford, IL 61101
Keith Grant, President
Chief, Special Defense & Professional Development
Office of the Lake County Public Defender
15 S. County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Levi Harris
Assistant Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
909 Water Tower Circle
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
Catherine Hart
Assistant Director
Juvenile Defender Resource Center
Office of the State Appellate Defender
400 W. Monroe, Suite 202
Springfield, IL 62704
Baron Heintz
Rock Island County Public Defender
1540 Third Avenue
Rock Island, IL 61201
Jeffrey Howard, Past President
Retired Deputy of County Operations
Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
Jacqueline Leder
Assistant Public Defender
Kane County Public Defender’s Office
37W777 Route 38, Suite 200
St. Charles, IL 60175
Ronald L. Lewis
Chief, Felony Division
McLean County Public Defender’s Office
104 W. Front Street, Suite 603
Bloomington, IL 61701
Erin S. Mattson
Public Defender
Montgomery County Public Defender's Office
120 N. Main Street
Hillsboro, IL 62049
Darren E. Miller
Assistant Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
203 N. LaSalle, 24th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
Patrick J. Murphy
Marshall County Public Defender
404 Fifth Street
Lacon, IL 61540
Dennis Riley
Ogle County Public Defender
412 W. Washington Street
Oregon, IL 61061
Eric Rinehart
Lake County Special Assistant Public
Defender/Conflict Unit
33 North County Street, Suite 608
Waukegan, IL 60085
Tiffany Senger
Assistant Public Defender
Macon County Public Defender’s Office
253 E. Wood Street, Room 209
Decatur, IL 62523
Thomas R. Siegel
PO Box 590
Monmouth, IL 61462
Amanda Sloniker
Assistant Public Defender
Winnebago County Public Defender's Office
400 W. State Street, Suite 340
Rockford, IL 61101
William Starnes
Fayette County Public Defender
221 S. 7th Street
Vandalia, IL 62471
Paige Strawn
Law Office of Paige Clark Strawn, P.C.
1003 Broadway Street
PO Box 1643
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
Laura A. Weiler, Secretary
Director of Training
Office of the State Appellate Defender
203 N. LaSalle, 24th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
Susan Wilham
Assistant Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
400 W. Monroe, Suite 303
Springfield, IL 62704
Brenda Willett, 2nd Vice President
First Assistant Public Defender
Kane County Public Defender’s Office
37W777 Route 38, Suite 200
St. Charles, IL 60175
Ryan Wilson, Treasurer
Assistant Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
400 W. Monroe, Suite 303
Springfield, IL 62704
Kristina Yi
Chief, Homicide Task Force
Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
2650 S. California, 8th Floor
Chicago, IL 60608
Jeffrey York
Public Defender
DuPage County Public Defender's Office
503 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60187