Raj Jayashankar
Jayashankar joins global marketing firm
Raj Jayashankar has joined global consulting firm ZS Associates as a principal in the medical products and services practice.
In his new role, Jayashankar will lead ZS’s analytics- and technology-based offerings, with a focus on the medical device and diagnostic industry. Based at ZS’s Boston office, he will serve clients around the world.
He previously led the customer solutions practice in the life sciences sector for Deloitte and has worked in the life sciences field for 15 years.
“Raj brings to ZS extensive experience in commercial operations, information management and technology strategy within the life sciences industry,” said Managing Principal Ganesh Vedarajan, leader of the firm’s medical products and services practice. “Besides being creative and entrepreneurial, his record of successfully helping both high-growth and mature life sciences organizations will help us strengthen ZS’s deep capabilities at a global level.”
Jayashankar said he sees great opportunity for medical device and diagnostics companies to incorporate more analytics into their commercial processes.
“During the past 15 years, I have spent much time and energy advising and building commercial capabilities for life sciences clients,” he said. “As the healthcare industry evolves, medical device companies must increase their investments in analytics and technology solutions to improve their business processes, increase efficiencies and optimize business operations. ZS’s products and offerings to get them there are the ‘gold standard’ in the industry and years ahead of the competition. In addition, significant investments in these solutions will continue to keep them highly differentiated. I look forward to joining such a high-powered team.”
He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Annamalai University in India and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Northern Illinois University.
Judge Joseph Waldeck
Judge Waldeck becomes partner with large law firm
Judge Joseph Waldeck is a new partner with the law firm of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP, the largest family law firm of its kind in the country, and will be working at the Lake Forest office.
Waldeck brings nearly 20 years of experience from the bench, previously serving as an associate judge in the 19th Circuit in Lake County. During his judicial career, he focused on juvenile, domestic abuse and family law matters.
In addition to serving most of his career in Lake County, he is a lifelong resident of Lake Forest with long-time family connections to the community.
Waldeck received a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and earned his Juris Doctor from Lewis University, now the Northern Illinois University College of Law.
After serving as a felony assistant in the Lake County state’s attorney’s office, he entered private practice. He eventually started his own practice, where he worked until he was appointed as a Lake County judge in 1995.
Cathy Haley
Haley named DeKalb’s finance director
Cathy Haley, the finance director of the village of Carpentersville, is headed to DeKalb to take on the role of finance director.
Haley, a graduate of Northern Illinois University, will begin her new role on Aug. 4.
Haley has been the finance director in Carpentersville for the last two years. Prior to that, she spent 10 years in Roselle as assistant finance director and seven years in West Dundee as a treasurer and accountant.
Her new role will include monitoring the city’s cash flow by overseeing purchasing, accounts payable and receivable, water billing and tax collection, as well as preparing the city’s budget and audit. She will also help with the hiring of two vacant positions in the finance department.
Tina Halliman
Halliman to head Cook County School District 130
Cook County School District 130 has a new superintendent, hiring Tina Halliman, a former Blue Island resident who was a student in the district.
Halliman comes to the district from Oak Park and River Forest High School, where she was assistant superintendent of pupil personnel services and director of special education.
She holds a doctorate in education from Loyola University of Chicago, a master’s degree in special education from Dominican University, a master’s degree in social work from Aurora University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Northern Illinois University, according to the district.
District 130 serves about 4,100 students in 13 schools in Alsip, Blue Island, Crestwood and Robbins.
Kowalik joins University of Wisconsin
Jeanette Kowalik has been named the director of prevention services and campus health initiatives at University Health Services, the student health clinic of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
As director, Kowalik will serve as the UHS public information officer and lead interdisciplinary initiatives to address the needs of the UW-Madison campus on issues such as high-risk alcohol use, sexual assault, wellness and campus mental health through collaboration with campus and community partners.
She currently serves as a program director for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Before that position, she led health and life skills program development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, worked with the Wauwatosa Health Department as a public health specialist and coordinated the immunization program for the Milwaukee Health Department.
Kowalik earned a master’s degree in public health from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in health care administration and a Ph.D. in health sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Brian Van Kley
Van Kley to direct band programs at Batavia High School
Brian Van Kley is the new band director of Batavia High School.
He will teach all levels of curricular concert band, percussion classes and rock ‘n’ roll methods at Batavia High School and co-direct the marching band, pep band and jazz ensemble.
He joins the music staff after 10 years as the assistant band director of Naperville North High School.
He received a bachelor’s degree in music education from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music and a master’s degree in music education from Northern Illinois University.
Tim Mercy
Mercy appointed managing director for Goss in Asia Pacific
Goss International has promoted Tim Mercy to the newly created position of managing director – Asia Pacific.
He now leads the unified Goss sales, service and support organization to provide commercial, packaging and newspaper operations throughout the region, with the exception of China.
Mercy most recently served as vice president of sales for Goss in Asia. He has represented the company in that region and provided specialized expertise to its customers for the past 20 years. He has 40 years of experience in the graphic arts industry, including 30 years with Goss, Heidelberg Web Systems and Harris.
He is a graduate of NIU, where he earned a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in industry and technology.
Heinz moves into new superintendent role
Laurie Heinz is the new superintendent of Park Ridge-Niles School District 64, which serves more than 4,300 students in seven schools.
Heinz was the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for three years at Skokie School District 68 before taking the superintendent promotion in Park Ridge.
Working with the school board, she’ll help spearhead the development of a new five-year district-wide strategic plan. Technology and 21st century learning initiatives are expected to be a crucial part of the new plan since school administrators have already begun technology-driven learning at all seven schools. The district’s 1:1 initiative is providing all students with access to a personal laptop or iPad.
Heinz earned a master’s degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University in 1998.