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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Kristina A.
4Valaitis on her retirement as executive director of the
5Illinois Humanities Council on January 31, 2014; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis, a resident of Chicago and
7alumni of Northern Illinois University, has been an exceptional
8fixture of the Illinois Humanities Council since 1979, where
9she started as an Editorial Assistant and Program Liaison for
10Southern and Western Illinois; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis's skills and leadership led to
12her being named Executive Director in 1993, and since then has
13dutifully spearheaded the Illinois Humanities Council's
14mission to make sure the humanities continue as a vital part of
15the lives of individuals and communities in Illinois; and
 
16    WHEREAS, During Kristina Valaitis's tenure as Executive
17Director, the council grew from its role as a grant-maker to
18becoming a producer of programs and initiatives that each year
19engage 600,000 Illinoisans, encourage informed exchanges about
20contemporary issues and make rich experiences in the humanities
21accessible to both rural and urban Illinois audiences; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis has not limited her civic
2contributions to the Illinois Humanities Council; she has
3served on the boards of the Federation of State Humanities
4Councils, the Chicago Metro History Education Center, the
5Illinois Center for the Book, and she was vice-chair of the
6Northern Illinois University Foundation and of the Donors
7Forum; she has served on the Illinois Abraham Lincoln
8Bicentennial Commission, as corresponding editor of Federation
9Review: The Journal of the State Humanities Councils, and is
10also a member of The Chicago Network; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Through this involvement, Kristina Valaitis has
12received numerous awards including the Volunteer Service Award
13from the Northern Illinois University Foundation, the Golden
14Anniversary Alumni Award from NIU College of Liberal Arts, and
15the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Liberal Arts
16and Sciences, from the NIU Alumni Association; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The arts and humanities enhance every aspect of
18life in Illinois -- they improve our economy, enrich our civic
19life, drive tourism, and exert a profound positive influence on
20the education of our children; and
 
21    WHEREAS, We celebrate those who help foster opportunities
22for creativity, imagination, self-expression, and
23problem-solving skills while also helping to develop a

 

 

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1heightened appreciation of beauty and cross-cultural
2understanding; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Kristina Valaitis's tireless advocacy and her
4dedication to the public humanities and the people of Illinois -
5- not to mention her infectious laugh and eclectic style --
6will be missed at the Illinois Humanities Council as she
7marches triumphantly towards her life's next chapter;
8therefore, be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
10NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11we recognize Kristina A. Valaitis on her retirement as
12executive director of the Illinois Humanities Council, thank
13her for her many years of service to the residents of Illinois,
14and wish her well in all her future endeavors; and be it
15further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to Kristina Valaitis as an expression of our esteem
18and respect.