Ms. Brennan currently serves as the Executive Director of the newly created Illinois Family Caregiver Coalition – a statewide network of caregivers, state agencies and advocacy organizations focused on supporting family caregivers throughout the state of Illinois. This coalition was created by the Illinois Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and funded by the Retirement Research Foundation on Aging and the Illinois Department on Aging.
Previously, she worked in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill and later in the communications office at one of the largest healthcare associations in the country. She spent 8 years working in Washington DC for a variety of media consulting firms and with journalist Elizabeth Drew as a research assistant where she assisted Ms. Drew writing a book covering the Clinton White House and the Gingrich Congress.
A native of the Chicagoland area, Amy returned to Illinois where she worked in and around Illinois State Government the past 22 years. She served as a Legislative Aide for the Speaker of the House. Next, she was hired by the Governor's office as Legislative Director for the Illinois Department of Human Services. Amy then created a small lobbying/consulting business, advocating for a variety of organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Illinois, Loyola University’s Child Law Center, Citizens Utility Board and the Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics. She was then hired in the Chicago office of JP Morgan Chase as a Vice President, managing State & Local Government Affairs and covering 7 Midwest states.
Most recently, Amy served in the Pritzker administration for the State of Illinois, heading up the legislative offices at the Department on Aging and at the Department of Veterans' Affairs. For the past 5 years, Amy has also worked as a real estate broker in Evanston for @properties, assisting clients moving in and out of the greater Evanston/ North Shore/ North side of Chicago area.
Ms. Brennan earned her undergraduate degree at Marquette University in Milwaukee and later a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from University of Wisconsin-Madison.