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East St. Louis St. Clair County, Illinois Chapter NAACP "Perseverance and Progress"
October 14, 2007 53rd Annual Freedom Fund Dinner Theme: Power Beyond Measure...United We Stand Sunday, October 14, 2007 5:30 PM (VIP ticket-holders; sponsors; head table guests only 4:30 PM) Millennium Riverfront Hotel 200 South 4th Street, St. Louis, MO
53rd Annual Freedom Fund Dinner Committee
Stellar Award Honorees
Mayor Alvin Parks, Mayor East St. Louis Mark Kern, St. Clair County Supervisor
Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois Deputy Governor Louanner Peters
Deputy Governor Louanner Peters For more than three decades, community activist and political strategist Louanner Peters has been an integral, innovative, and treasured part of Illinois’ history. On December 15, 2006 under the leadership of Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, Louanner Peters became the first African American Deputy Governor of Illinois. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the operation and implementation of Illinois’ Social Service Agencies as well as Public Safety. Ms. Peters brings years of public service and dynamic leadership to this prestigious position. Her appointment as Deputy Governor is the pinnacle of a long list of achievements and accomplishments. From her humble beginnings on a farm in Angie, Louisiana to her current position as Deputy Governor, Ms. Peters personifies perseverance, dedication, and vision. The resolve to succeed was instilled in Ms. Peters at a young age and that determination was instrumental in her education. Ms. Peters obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Louisiana State University in 1971 and continued her education at University of Illinois- Chicago where she earned her Master’s in Social Work in 1973. With her genuine commitment to others and educational background, Ms. Peters became the founding Director of Flannery Senior Health Care Center which is a community based health center dedicated to improving the quality of life for senior citizens on Chicago’s north side. In 1981, after witnessing first hand the challenges that senior citizens and others faced, Louanner Peters took her experience with her to Capitol Hill. For ten years, Ms. Peters served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Gus Savage. In this position, she sought to address issues related to social and economic inequities and civil rights injustices. While Chief of Staff for Representative Gus Savage, she subsequently served as a Professional Staff Member to the Committee on Public Works of the United States House of Representative where she functioned as the point of contact for elected officials, colleagues, local government units, and labor leadership on a host of federal issues. Louanner Peters has successfully guided several campaigns for elected officials. She served as Director of Field Operations for Mayor Marion Berry in 1994 and acted as Campaign Consultant to Mayor Anthony Williams in 1998. From 1999-2000, she served as Campaign Manger for U.S. Representative Bobby Rush’s (D-IL) reelection bid. Beyond her political ambitions, Louanner Peters has a myriad professional experiences and accomplishments. From 1995-1998, Ms. Peters was the Chairperson for the Board of Directors of the Washington Convention Center Authority. Under her leadership, the Board developed the plans for the new Washington Convention Center which is the largest structure in our nation’s capital and a hub for economic growth. As a breast cancer survivor, Ms. Peters served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense, Breast Cancer Research Program. In this role, she was able to ensure increased funding and research for breast cancer initiatives. Additionally, Ms. Peters has organized many grassroots organizations and coordinated many education efforts. She has served as Deputy Director for Voter Empowerment for NAACP and Outreach Coordinator for the NAACP National Voter Fund. Louanner Peters has many professional experiences and awards for her dedication to serve the needs of the community. However, her greatest achievement is being the mother to Joseph Peters, and grandmother to Joseph Peters, Jr.
Rev. Johnny Scott, President
Erin Kern, Dinner Chairperson Charlotte VM Ottley, Dinner Co-Chairperson
Mistress of Ceremonies
Charlotte VM Ottley
is a personal and professional market development strategist
whose career spans over 30 years as an educator; four-time
EMMY Award winning media executive and on-air talent with
CBS- and NBC- owned stations in St. Louis and New York,
while concurrently hosting shows on radio, cable. Born into
a family of entrepreneurs, since 1982, Ottley ran her own
businesses in St. Louis and New York with affiliates in 11
cities. She has represented the nation’s top financial
corporations during the height of mergers and acquisitions
ensuring them revenue, positive media, and community
goodwill through effective transition strategies, special
events, and PR. Professional individuals including
corporate, political, and civic leaders, as well as
celebrities from stage, sports, and mass media, all benefit
from her services during major transitions during their
career and business development. She has worked with over
265 history makers throughout her career. Ottley has been
distinguished as one of New York’s 100 Most Powerful
Business Leaders by Crain’s New York and selected among 99
business leaders to be included in Donald Trump’s book,
“Best Advice I Ever Received.” Currently Ottley is an
independent consultant who specializes in institutional
development. A tenacity to build collaborations, navigate
through crisis management, and prompt collective action to
bring about mutually beneficial change has become her
distinguishing trait. She boasts that the training and role
models she had growing up in East St. Louis, IL prepared her
to be successful anywhere.
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