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

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

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