Thank you, FY21 donors FY21 was a year of unforeseen challenges brought about by the pandemic, which exposed our societal inequities. Thanks to our generous donors, Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) raised more money and offered more help and hope to our Illinois neighbors and communities most affected by the pandemic. We could not have accomplished all that we did without these generous donors.*
Donor Profiles
HEATHER RUSSELL Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, TransUnion How did you first learn about ILAO? Jon Wasserman introduced me to ILAO when he asked me to host the annual benefit in 2019. I joined the Board of Directors later that year. Why did you first give to or get involved with ILAO? Through the process of hosting the 2019 benefit, I learned about the vital work that ILAO does and the thousands of needy Illinoisans who are helped every day. The more I learned, the more I knew that this was the organization to which I was going to devote my time, energy, and effort. What about ILAO most resonates with you? The theme of last year’s benefit—a Light in the Night— encapsulates what resonates with me the most. ILAO provides hope and help during people’s darkest and challenging times.
Why do you contribute to ILAO? Contributing to ILAO allows my donations to reach as many Illinoisans as possible. ILAO’s scalable
platform provides legal aid around the clock when people need it most. Why should others give to or get involved with ILAO? For all the reasons I explained! What law would you abolish if you could? What law would you create? I would abolish any law that limits transgender people from fully participating in society and I would create a law that protects such discrimination. Why did you first give to and get involved with ILAO? I was moved by the importance of the mission of ILAO, and the opportunity that it provides to so many Illinoisans. There are so many barriers to getting justice—ILAO seeks to break them and make justice attainable for people who are farthest removed from it. What about ILAO most resonates with you? The self-help and empowerment that ILAO provides to people who can’t afford a lawyer or find a legal aid or pro bono lawyer to help.
LIISA THOMAS Partner at Sheppard Mullin, based in Chicago and London, and Lead of the firm’s Privacy and Cybersecurity team. How did you first hear about ILAO? From former Board member Todd Flaming—I joined the Board of Directors in 2006.
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