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13 Facts About Colleen Callahan

1.

Colleen Callahan Burns is an agribusiness news reporter and Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

2.

Colleen Callahan was the Democratic nominee for Illinois's 18th congressional district in 2008.

3.

Colleen Callahan's family has long been active in politics in downstate Illinois.

4.

Colleen Callahan was agribusiness reporter for WMBD-TV and WCIA from 1974 to 1997.

5.

Colleen Callahan started her own business, Colleen Callahan Communications, in 2003.

6.

On 13 June 2009, Colleen Callahan began work as United States Department of Agriculture Illinois State Director of Rural Development.

7.

In 2017, Colleen Callahan was named by J B Pritzker the co-chair of the latter's Agriculture Transition Committee.

8.

Once Pritzker had become governor, Colleen Callahan became Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on March 1,2019.

9.

Colleen Callahan stepped down as department director on January 16,2023, and was succeeded by former state legislator and IDNR's deputy director Natalie Phelps Finnie.

10.

Colleen Callahan has served on the boards of many local organizations, including:.

11.

Colleen Callahan has served as a member of the St Francis Medical Center Women's Health Services Public Relations Committee, and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners.

12.

Colleen Callahan has been heavily involved in the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, was its first female president, and was chairman of the NAFB Ethics Committee.

13.

Colleen Callahan has been active in local Catholic schools, serving on the education board at St Mary's grade school in Kickapoo and assisting Peoria Notre Dame High School.