J & J LEGISLATIVE - Key Persons
Prior to the formation J & J Legislative, LLC with Jennifer Ross in 2011, Jenni worked with Paula Johnson Purdue starting in 2007. Jenni has represented many clients in the non-profit, education (Pre-K-Higher Ed), environment, social justice, municipal, health and human services fields. In this capacity, she has countless experiences following the legislative process from conception of a...
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Prior to the formation J & J Legislative, LLC with Jennifer Ross in 2011, Jenni worked with Paula Johnson Purdue starting in 2007. Jenni has represented many clients in the non-profit, education (Pre-K-Higher Ed), environment, social justice, municipal, health and human services fields. In this capacity, she has countless experiences following the legislative process from conception of a bill to getting the bill signed by the Governor, as well as working with JCAR and state agencies during the rules process. In addition to her work with Paula Johnson Purdue, Jenni has also assisted other lobbying firms such as Government Affairs Specialists, Inc. with Alice Phillips and Loretta Durbin, as well as Larry Stuffle Consutling with Larry Stuffle. Jenni has a long history of working in coalitons to achieve client's legislative goals, and is very connected to many of the non-profit, health, education and environmental coalitons active in Illinois politics. Starting in college, Jenni volunteered on many political campaigns - including State Wide, US Senate, Congressional, State Senate, State Representative, and Aldermanic races. In 2009-2010 she was Campaign Manager for the successful campaign of Illinois State Senator Toi Hutchinson. She continues to volunteer on numerous campaigns.
Prior to the formation of J & J Legislative, LLC with Jenni Purdue, Jennifer was employed by the Illinois House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003 where she was the legislative analyst for Elementary and Secondary Education, Education Appropriations, Environment & Energy, Public Utilities, Electric Deregulation, and Telecommunication Rewrite Committees. She analyzed and worked with...
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Prior to the formation of J & J Legislative, LLC with Jenni Purdue, Jennifer was employed by the Illinois House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003 where she was the legislative analyst for Elementary and Secondary Education, Education Appropriations, Environment & Energy, Public Utilities, Electric Deregulation, and Telecommunication Rewrite Committees. She analyzed and worked with multiple lobbyists on legislation for the Republican Representatives to base their position on in regards to education, environmental and utility decisions. As an analyst, Jennifer had the opportunity to advise members in committee and floor debate, be the point person for the rewrite of the Telecommunication Act and the creation of the Illinois Resource Development and Energy Security Act, and analyze multiple Agency budgets within the annual Governor's budgets. In 2003, Jennifer became a contractual lobbyist with J.D. Ross and Associates, Inc., a company that she owned with her husband. Jennifer co-authored with Frances Karanovich a Feature Story in The Journal, titled, "Using data enriches improvement efforts." Through her work with school data, she also presented to the United States Department of Education.In addition to her work with J.D. Ross and Associates, Inc., Jennifer has also assisted other lobbying firms such as Government Affairs Specialists, Inc. with Loretta Durbin and the late Alice Phillips. Jennifer has represented clients with interests in Pre-K through Higher education, engineering, environment, renewable energy, telecommunications and human services.
Prior to forming Government Affairs Consulting, LLC in 2012, Loretta Durbin was a partner in the lobbying firm of Government Affairs Specialists, Inc. (GASI). GASI, a bi-partisan firm that contracted with a varied array of clientele, lobbied in the Illinois legislature for more than ten years prior to the retirement of one of its partners. While with GASI, she lobbied for a public university,...
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Prior to forming Government Affairs Consulting, LLC in 2012, Loretta Durbin was a partner in the lobbying firm of Government Affairs Specialists, Inc. (GASI). GASI, a bi-partisan firm that contracted with a varied array of clientele, lobbied in the Illinois legislature for more than ten years prior to the retirement of one of its partners. While with GASI, she lobbied for a public university, local unit of government, not-for-profit human service, social service and planning entities. From 1985 to 1994, she worked in the Illinois Senate under the leadership of Senate President Philip J. Rock and Democratic Leader Emil Jones, Jr. She worked closely with Senators on legislative initiatives ranging from elementary and secondary education to state government operations to executive appointments. Following that, Loretta Durbin served in a senior capacity for the Illinois Commission on Intergovernmental Cooperation; an agency of the Illinois General Assembly that tracks federal funds provided to the state, analyzes federal legislation affecting the state, and determines the impact of state mandates on local governmental units. She is a founding member of the Illinois Women's Institute for Leadership, a comprehensive training program that prepares women to become effective leaders in government. Loretta stepped down in 2014, and is currently enjoying her retirement