HR0775 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0775 LRB098 19127 MST 54625 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Kristina A. Valaitis on her retirement as executive director of the Illinois Humanities Council on January 31, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis, a resident of Chicago and alumni of Northern Illinois University, has been an exceptional fixture of the Illinois Humanities Council since 1979, where she started as an Editorial Assistant and Program Liaison for Southern and Western Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis's skills and leadership led to her being named Executive Director in 1993, and since then has dutifully spearheaded the Illinois Humanities Council's mission to make sure the humanities continue as a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, During Kristina Valaitis's tenure as Executive Director, the council grew from its role as a grant-maker to becoming a producer of programs and initiatives that each year engage 600,000 Illinoisans, encourage informed exchanges about contemporary issues and make rich experiences in the humanities accessible to both rural and urban Illinois audiences; and

WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis has not limited her civic contributions to the Illinois Humanities Council; she has served on the boards of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, the Chicago Metro History Education Center, the Illinois Center for the Book, and she was vice-chair of the Northern Illinois University Foundation and of the Donors Forum; she has served on the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, as corresponding editor of Federation Review: The Journal of the State Humanities Councils, and is also a member of The Chicago Network; and

WHEREAS, Through this involvement, Kristina Valaitis has received numerous awards including the Volunteer Service Award from the Northern Illinois University Foundation, the Golden Anniversary Alumni Award from NIU College of Liberal Arts, and the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, from the NIU Alumni Association; and

WHEREAS, The arts and humanities enhance every aspect of life in Illinois -- they improve our economy, enrich our civic life, drive tourism, and exert a profound positive influence on the education of our children; and

WHEREAS, We celebrate those who help foster opportunities for creativity, imagination, self-expression, and problem-solving skills while also helping to develop a heightened appreciation of beauty and cross-cultural understanding; and

WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis's tireless advocacy and her dedication to the public humanities and the people of Illinois - - not to mention her infectious laugh and eclectic style -- will be missed at the Illinois Humanities Council as she marches triumphantly towards her life's next chapter; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Kristina A. Valaitis on her retirement as executive director of the Illinois Humanities Council, thank her for her many years of service to the residents of Illinois, and wish her well in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Kristina Valaitis as an expression of our esteem and respect.