Robin Streets serves as Chief of Staff for the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion. He brings over 17 years of dedicated public service experience to the role. He is responsible for overseeing and complying with the Business Enterprise Program and Veterans Business Program while helping to facilitate day-to-day operations for the Commission on Equity and Inclusion. Prior to serving in the supplier diversity space, Streets held various deputy town and city manager positions in both Illinois and Indiana, focusing on operations, community and economic development, urban planning, and public safety. At the county level, Streets assisted with annual revenue projections, supplied the county’s property tax levy forecast, and provided analysis and internal financial controls for nine departments totaling $407 million in operational and capital budget funds.

Streets earned a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration from Western Illinois University and a Master of Public Administration from Governors State University.   

Andres Padua is the General Counsel and Ethics Officer for the Commission on Equity and Inclusion. Prior to joining the Commission on Equity and Inclusion, Padua served as Deputy General Counsel at the Illinois Capital Development Board for seven years. There, he managed the Bidder Responsibility Program and filed numerous cases in civil court on behalf of CDB. Before that, Padua served in several capacities at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, including the Civil Prosecutions Unit, where he defended state administrative decisions. Padua holds extensive litigation experience, including litigating cases before the state and federal courts of appeal, numerous jury and bench trials, motion practices, and hundreds of depositions.

Padua earned a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Nikita joined the Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI) in 2022 with 20 years of experience in Government Affairs and Communications and over five years of leadership experience in diversity, equity, inclusion, access, justice, and belonging. Formerly, Richards served as City of Bloomington’s Community Relations Manager, Administrative Court Supervisor, and Senior Public Relations & Reputation Manager for COUNTRY Financial.

As CEI’s Internal/External Communications & Legislative Affairs Officer, Richards is responsible for determining changes related to communication and legislative amendments and policies, planning and administering public relations operations, managing legislative operations, tracking all legislative introductions impacting supplier diversity from the Illinois General Assembly, and overseeing outreach and stakeholder relations.

Nikita earned a Master of Arts in Communication, a Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Government, and an ABA-accredited Legal Studies Certification from Illinois State University.

Tracey A. Kenney joined the Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI) in March 2022 as the Chief Fiscal and Human Resources Officer. Kenney has over 20 years of experience as a senior operations, finance, and human capital leader. Prior to joining CEI, Kenney worked in finance, human resources, and operations for various professional services companies in the private sector. Kenney earned a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis. She passionately volunteers her time supporting organizations advocating for social justice. 

Hilaree Butler joined the Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI) in 2022 as CEI’s Special Assistant. A driven leader, her career has spanned private and public sectors, with a long-standing passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In her role at CEI, she provides administrative support and guidance across all facets of the agency and works closely with various entities, elected officials, and BEP Council members.

Butler earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Benedictine University and a Master of Business Administration from Argosy University. As a fervent learner, she continued her Corporate Compliance and Business Ethics education at St. Louis University.