Since moving back to Park Forest in 2014 to assist his parents, John has been an active community member. He serves on the Park Forest Economic Development Advisory Group and the Downtown Master Plan Advisory Committee.
John is the political director for Congresswoman Kelly, a self-employed marketing communications consultant and an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago, where he teaches communication courses. He also sits on the board of directors of Housing Choice Partners and is a member of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.
In 1974 John’s parents moved their family from Chicago to Park Forest so that he, his older brother and his younger sister could experience better schools. He attended Indiana School, Huth Upper Grades Center in Matteson and graduated from Rich East in 1986. After graduating from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 1990, he began his career as a public relations professional in the entertainment and hospitality industries, first as a film publicist with John Iltis Associates and then as a public relations manager for Planet Hollywood International. He has also served as State Marketing Manager for the State of Illinois.
John is a trainer with the National Coalition Building Institute, an international leadership organization that provides diversity, equity, and inclusion training. He previously served as Chairman of the Board for Struggling Youth Equals Successful Adults and on the board of directors for Inner City Games Chicago, LaSalle Street Foundation and Independent Feature Project Midwest.