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Special recognition of Tammy Chatman for her 35 years of public-focused service.
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SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, Tammy Chatman joined Lake County in 2022 as the Chief Communications Officer, bringing with her 35 years of distinguished service and leadership; and
WHEREAS, before joining Lake County, Tammy dedicated 30 years to Flight For Life as a Professional Relations Manager and Public Information Officer, where she built meaningful relationships, shared impactful stories, and delivered presentations nationwide, demonstrating her belief that while the work itself can be done anywhere, it is the people and relationships behind the work that truly make a difference; and
WHEREAS, Tammy is an exceptional storyteller and photographer with a passion for highlighting the real stories of people and organizations, and throughout her time with Lake County, she coordinated dozens of successful events, including the ROC Facility Ribbon Cutting Ceremony attended by hundreds of members of the community, while also helping lead efforts that humanized important community issues, including a video project exploring the complexity of homelessness and highlighting the dedicated work of volunteers supporting the Point-in-Time Count; and
WHEREAS, her strategic leadership played a vital role in engaging the public and gathering community input regarding the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds and the development of the County’s Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure, the Communications Division accomplished several major initiatives, including a complete redesign of the Lake County website, the modernization of LCTV, and a new plan for emergency communications to Lake County employees; and
WHEREAS, Tammy’s compassion and love for animals became evident through her work featuring Lake County’s K-9 teams, and following the heartbreaking passing of K-9 Dax, she helped lead the creation of a moving tribute video, viewed by tens of thousands of people, honoring the legendary K-9’s service and legacy; and
WHEREAS, Tammy is widely respected as a leader in the communications profession and has earned national recognition for her outstanding work, including being named Regional Director of the Year by the National Information Officers Association in 2024; and
WHEREAS, Tammy has also dedicated her life outside of work to honoring emergency medical services personnel who died in the line of duty, serving as a longtime volunteer Public Information Officer and photographer for the National EMS Memorial Service and the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOGNIZED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that Tammy Chatman is hereby honored for her 35 years of dedicated public service and communications excellence; and
BE IT FURTHER RECOGNIZED, that her leadership, creativity, compassion, and commitment to storytelling have left a lasting impact on Lake County and the broader communications community, and we are deeply grateful for her efforts.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on June 9, 2026.