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PROPOSED REAPPOINTMENT
Appointee(s): Laurel Ross, Henrietta Saunders, Mark Templeton
Position: Council Members
Department/Board/Commission: Conservation and Policy Council
Effective date: 1/1/2024
Expiration date: 12/31/2026
Summary: The Nominating Committee for the Conservation and Policy Council is committed to nominating candidates from across Cook County who bring diverse perspectives to the Council, reflect the diversity of Cook County, and provide a broad range of expertise. This commitment has led to a diverse council which includes members from northeast, northwest, south, and central Cook County.
The Nominating Committee recommends re-appointment of Laurel Ross, Henrietta Saunders, and Mark Templeton to an additional term on the Conservation and Policy Council. President Preckwinkle concurs with the committee’s recommendation and seeks the Board’s advice and consent related to the re-appointments.
The Conservation and Policy Council advises the President, Board of Commissioners, and General Superintendent and develops and annually updates a strategic plan to operationalize the Next Century Conservation Plan. The Council also reviews and makes recommendations for the annual budget, conservation policies and practices, and long-term strategic issues.
Laurel Ross has served in numerous leadership positions within the conservation community of Chicago, demonstrating a tremendous commitment to conserving the native environment of Illinois. Laurel was the Director of Urban Conservation for the Field Museum from 2004 to 2014. In this role, she developed and oversaw programs that connected people to nature through environmental education, habitat restoration and collaboration among environmental and cultural organizations. She has also served as Chair of Chicago Wilderness, Director of Conservation Programs for the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and Director of the North Park Village Nature Center. Laurel has many years of experience as a committed volunteer and leader in environmental stewardship through the Volunteer Stewardship Network of Illinois.
Henrietta Saunders is Chairperson of the Natural Resources Commission for the Village of Glenview and a long-time volunteer with the Friends of the Forest Preserves and the North Branch Restoration Project. She currently serves on the boards of Community Organizing and Family Issues (“COFI”) and Family Promise Chicago North Shore. She previously has served on local, state and national boards of the League of Women Voters as well as the Delta Institute and Faith in Place. She worked in commercial banking, in a small family business, at the UFCW Midwest Health and Benefits Fund and in various nonprofits before retiring. Henrietta has a BA from Brown University, an MBA in Finance from University of Chicago, an MS in Learning Sciences from Northwestern, and is fluent in Spanish.
Mark Templeton has an extensive background in government, finance and strategic planning with a demonstrated focus on environmental and energy issues. He currently serves as Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago. Prior to this role, Mark was Executive Director of the Office of Independent Trustees for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust, where he helped ensure that the $20 billion pledged by BP was available to address claims of affected individuals. He also served in the cabinet of Missouri Governor Jay Nixon as Director of the Department of Natural Resources, where he managed approximately 1,750 employees, supervised an approximately $300 million annual budget, and oversaw Missouri State Parks. Mark was Associate Dean and COO at Yale Law School, developed strategies for environmental sustainability at McKinsey & Company and was a senior adviser to the U.S. Delegation to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. He is also a board member of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and the Environmental Law Institute, among other volunteer positions in the community and legal profession.
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