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Public Relations and Marketing | Published Apr 27, 2023
College of Lake County (CLC) welcomed newly elected community members Allena Barbato, J.D., William M. Griffin, Ed.D., and student Daniel Blaine to the Board of Trustees on Tuesday, April 25. The three are familiar faces with paths that have crossed campus before. The board also passed resolutions honoring Trustee Matthew J. Stanton, J.D., and Trustee Robert J. Tomei, J.D., for their service.
Trustee Griffin of Lake Forest is a professor of business and serves as chair of the Triton College School of Business in nearby River Grove. As a CLC trustee emeritus with demonstrated leadership, he returns to the board after two years. Griffin was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1995 and served as chair most recently from April 2019 to April 2021. He was recognized as the 2017 recipient of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) Gary W. Davis Ethical Leadership Award.
“CLC commits to ensuring each student receives a quality education,” Griffin said. “It is important for boards to support strong and effective institutional leadership, and board members serve to advocate for the value of public higher education.”
Trustee Barbato of Lake Villa is director, Title IX Compliance and Equity Officer at Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago. She previously served at CLC in the roles of Title IX Coordinator and part-time faculty. Barbato is also a trustee on the Village Board of Lake Villa.
“I am very invested in making sure that the college is at its best,” Barbato said. “High quality education for all should be the number-one focus for our college.”
Griffin and Barbato were elected to serve six-year terms. Once the new Board was seated, the following appointments were made by the Board: Trustee Julie B. Shroka of Grayslake to chair, Trustee Torrie Mark Newsome of Waukegan to vice chair and Trustee Paul G. Virgilio of Lake Zurich to secretary.
Daniel Blaine was seated as the student trustee, a role he has held previously. He plans to pursue a degree in nonprofit and business management with a minor in public policy and administration. His community involvement includes work in support of A Safe Place, an organization committed to empowering survivors of domestic violence.
“It’s a privilege to be elected again,” Blaine said. “I consider it an honor to serve as student trustee and look forward to contributing positively to the board's efforts to enhance the student experience.”
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes in 2019 and is a national leader in many areas, including campus internationalization, sustainability and conservation.