Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Taps Suzanne Strassberger as Springfield Government Affairs Chief

(Chicago, IL) – October 13, 2010. The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago has tapped Suzanne Strassberger to be its Director, State Government Affairs.

“I am proud to represent the Jewish Federation in Springfield because it provides such quality health and human services, services that many have access to through the partnership between a generous Jewish community and state government,” Strassberger said.

The Federation’s long-time Springfield representative, Len Lieberman, recently retired.

Strassberger, who served at Metropolitan Family Services for more than two decades, will promote state policies and funding that support the Federation’s network of more than 70 health and human services agencies and programs. These services provide food, housing, health care, education and relief programs to more than 300,000 Chicagoans of all faiths.

“Every year in Springfield is challenging,” Strassberger said. “But 2011 promises to be particularly momentous because of health care reform, the budget deficit, and the remapping of the Congressional and legislative districts.”

In addition to her Jewish Federation post, Strassberger chairs the Child Support Advisory Committee of the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services, serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, and helped launch in 2010 the Illinois Partners for Human Service, a coalition dedicated to strengthening the state-funded human services system.

Strassberger received her BA from Grinnell College and earned a Masters in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

She lives in Skokie with her husband, Earl. They have two adult children.