Chamber Staff

As Vice President of Operations, Callie is in charge of the Chamber’s HR needs, payroll processing, membership management, and is the liaison to the Chamber’s Board of Directors. She takes pride in ensuring the Chamber’s staff is performing exceptionally and is well cared for. Callie has been with the Chamber since January of 2016 where she started as the Chamber’s receptionist before moving into her role as executive assistant to the President & CEO where she undertook many projects, including the planning and operation of Chamber Day. Prior to joining the Chamber, Callie worked in the offices of the Illinois State Comptroller and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Callie resides in Pleasant Plains with her husband Ryan and two children.

Andrew Cunningham serves as

Ramiro serves as the Vice President of Public Policy and Strategy for the Chamber and helps lead the Government Relations team on issues of tax policy, energy & environment policy, and local affairs.

With 12 years of legislative, public policy, and communications experience at the City of Chicago, Cook County, and State of Illinois levels of government, Ramiro has developed, shaped, and advocated for pro-business legislation in the areas of economic development, tax law, employment law, energy policy and workforce development. Prior to joining the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Ramiro served as the Director of Government Relations and Public Policy for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce where he helped lead the advocacy efforts of the regional Chamber, representing the interests of chamber members of every size, sector, and industry in the Chicagoland region before Chicago’s City Hall, the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and the Illinois General Assembly. Ramiro has also held the position of Senior Legislative Analyst for the legislative staff of former Illinois House Minority Leader, Jim Durkin, working as the lead staffer on taxation, revenue, and labor issues.

Ramiro earned his bachelor’s degree in history from DePaul University in 2014. Ramiro was born and raised in Chicago where he currently lives with his wife, Alyson.

Pam joined the Illinois Chamber of Commerce in 2011 as a Human Resources Specialist / Event and Publication Sales Representative. Pam handles publication sales and registrations for seminars, webinars, and conferences. She enjoys helping customers find the information and training needs that are best for their organization. Pam previously worked for the Illinois Chamber for 3 years as the Human Resources Information Manager. Before working for the Illinois Chamber, Pam had a strong background in Human Resources including 10 years working as a Human Resources Manager for various manufacturing companies. With this background in Human Resources, Pam understands the products and events of the Illinois Chamber and can better assist members and clients to make informed decisions about what they need to run their business successfully. Pam holds a Bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in Human Resources from Trinity Christian College, in Palos Heights, IL.

As Director of Communications and Advocacy for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Darbi leads the promotion of Chamber members and initiatives through strategic communications and outreach. With a strong emphasis on social media, video production, and media relations, she works closely with the Chamber’s President and CEO, staff, and partners to effectively communicate the Chamber’s mission of building stronger businesses and a stronger Illinois.

Darbi brings a dynamic and forward-thinking approach to her role, supported by extensive experience across multiple communication platforms. Since joining the Illinois Chamber in 2019, she has played a key role in elevating the organization’s visibility, strengthening member engagement, and ensuring consistent, impactful messaging.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communications from Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Darbi resides in Springfield with her husband, Kollin, and their daughter, Romi Grace.

Kevin O’Keeffe of Elmhurst, Illinois will work alongside the Chamber’s Vice President of Member Services, Danielle Blake. Kevin joins us with extensive local chamber experience. Prior to joining the Illinois State Chamber, he was the Executive Director of the Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce for nine years and prior to that, the Director of Membership for the Elmhurst Chamber. While working as Executive Director of the Bolingbrook Chamber, Kevin increased the membership by over 10% per year and developed many new programs including Workforce Academy where leading members of the community would go to Bolingbrook High School and instruct students on the many positions available for those not attending college. In addition, Kevin was on the Board of Directors of IACCE.

Laura is a senior international business strategy advisor and EU counsel with expertise in Economic Diplomacy, International Law, and Public Policy. She combines 20-year experience across government, corporate, and not-for-profit and an extensive network of national and international relationships to maximize global engagement for lead generation, resource mobilization, and effectively managing political risk and market penetration. With specialization in Trade and Technology Law, Laura focuses on cross-border expansions and strategic partnerships, country risk, supply-chain diversification, and digital trade and innovation initiatives. From 2013 to 2020, she served as the Executive Director of the Illinois Chamber’s International Business Council (IBC) becoming a vital facilitator for pro-trade policy discussion, global partnerships, and business leads in the region. Under her leadership, the IBC received the Governor’s Exports Award in 2016 for best trade promotion organization in the State. Laura is a member of the Bar Association of Madrid (ICAM) and founding member of the Alumni Association of Spain’s Diplomatic School. She serves on the board of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation and Chicago Entrepreneurs Academy and is a mentor for minority women-own start-ups at the Women’s Co-op at Chicago Innovation.

Jordan Ryan serves as the Vice President of Government Relations and Executive Director of the Illinois Chamber PAC. In his role as VP of Government Relations, he is responsible for the Chamber’s day-to-day operations in the Capitol, as well as guiding employment, labor, and healthcare policy for the Illinois Chamber’s extensive membership. In his role as the ED for the IL Chamber PAC he oversees the political wing of the IL Chamber and PAC giving, ensuring support for business-friendly candidates across the State. Jordan has 15 years of experience in Illinois politics and the ILGA, having previously served on legislative staff as a legislative analyst, committee staffer, and Floor Manager for the Illinois House Republicans for nearly a decade. Most immediately before joining the Chamber team in 2024, he lobbied for a nonpartisan not-for-profit. Jordan has worked hard to build and grow bipartisan, bicameral relationships throughout his career. Jordan currently resides in the Southwest Suburbs with his wife and daughter but has called Chicago, Crystal Lake, Springfield, and Carlinville home as a lifelong Illinois resident.

Laurie oversees the planning, budgeting, marketing, and presentation of all conferences and other major events for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. She is also responsible for compliance publications and all member savings programs and serves as editor and publisher of Illinois Business Leader, the Illinois Chamber’s quarterly publication. Previously, Laurie owned and operated a motorsport publishing business for 20 years, where she managed magazine production, page layout, extensive event planning, and the promotion and marketing of an annual consumer trade show and multiple motorsports events. Most recently, she served for 6 years as State Chair for the Illinois committee of Employer Reserve of the Guard and Reserve.  Laurie is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation.

In her role as the Business Services Coordinator, Jill will collaborate with Vice President of Business Services, Laurie Silvey to support the creation, promotion, planning, and execution of designated programs for the Business Service Division’s operations. Some of these programs include assisting with the coordination of HR memberships, publications, Chamber events, and affinity programs. Jill came to the Chamber with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Illinois Springfield. Prior to the Chamber, Jill was employed at the Jacksonville Middle School from 2018 to 2024 as the administrative assistant. She provides a passionate, forward-thinking approach to her work, drawing from her vast experience in marketing and customer service.