About

Donna has been with the City since 2020 and is an accomplished grant writer with over 20 years of experience. Donna holds a master’s degree of Science in Higher Education Administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

  About

Ravi is a native of the Chicago area who relocated to Springfield in 2014. Ravi has been able to develop community-based programs to assist individuals in finding—and connecting with—the resources required for better well-being since moving to Springfield. Ravi spent years counseling in both the substance abuse and mental health fields before joining OPED, and he remains passionate about public service.

• Economic Development Commission
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Business Projects Incentives
• Business Development Projects

  About

Aaron is a Springfield native who holds an MBA from the University of Illinois Springfield. Before completing his undergrad, he served as an EMS provider and firefighter. He also enjoyed time volunteering for the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, traveled to assist affiliates in other states, and participated as a ramp committee member. Before joining the OPED Team, he worked in Bank Levies at the Illinois Department of Revenue.

• Budgeting of revenue and expenditures
• Tracking cash flows
• Maintaining and reporting financial information to various governmental agencies and staff

  About

Elizabeth is a lifelong resident of the City of Springfield.

She has studied business at Lincoln Land Community College and is excited to provide administrative support to staff, businesses, and residents with the application process.

• Initial applications intake for Housing Assistance and Business Resources
• Navigate through OPED website pages including maps and finding funding resources
• Schedule appointments and connect you to the appropriate city staff.

  About

Krista has a dual Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Paralegal Studies. Additionally, she has completed all coursework for a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She has been a coach for Chatham Area 17 Special Olympics basketball, track and soccer since 2009. Krista is a native of Chicago and has lived in Springfield since 1999.

• Community Development Block Grant Funding (CDBG)
• Home improvement grants opportunities
• Questions related to home repairs, including lead abatement, and qualifying conditions

  About

Mesfin is originally from Wonji, Ethiopia, East Africa. He moved to Stillman Valley, Illinois in 2007. He received his Bachelor in Economics from Illinois College. Having graduated in 2017, he worked for 14 months as a Budget Analyst at the Illinois Governor's Management and Budget Office. He obtained his Master's degree in Public Administration with a Community Planning Certificate from the University of Illinois Springfield in December 2019, while completing an internship with the Office of Financial Management at Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

• Enterprise Zone projects and contractors applications
• TIF Exterior Rehabilitation Program
• Historic Sites Commission processes and landmark applications
• GIS, demographics and business related data requests

  About

Veronica is a Springfield, Illinois native who earned her Bachelor's Degree from UIS in Biology and Liberal Studies while studying Spanish in Colima, Mexico for three months. She was eager to learn about sustainability and improving environments, along with experiencing her ancestral roots. She also enjoyed volunteering with Gen H Kids and Lincoln Memorial Gardens during this time. She furthered her education with a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from UIS focusing on Community Development and Non-profit Management, as well as GIS. While completing her MPA, she served two years as a Graduate Public Service Intern with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Among many other things, she is the proud mother of a 9-year-old son.

• Low to Moderate Income (LMI) Area Incentives through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
• Home improvement grants opportunities
• Questions related to home repairs, including lead abatement, and qualifying conditions

  About

Rich has been with the City since 2001, but brings nearly 50 years worth of construction experience to his role in this department. Rich is an Associate member of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers, and a member of both the Illinois Lead Poison Elimination Advisory Council and the Illinois Healthy Homes Advisory Council.

• Scheduling required initial inspections
• Qualified homeowner rehabilitation suggestions/housing specifications
• Determine affected housing codes
• Oversee rehabilitation by codes
• Scheduling of required housing inspectors
• Obtaining Certificate of Occupancy