Foxx announces appointment of chief diversity and inclusion officer, deputy chief of staff

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx Monday announced two new appointments, including a chief diversity and inclusion officer.

Lea Gutierrez — who was the founding director of diversity and inclusion at the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the state’s Supreme Court — will be in charge of developing and implementing “proactive diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,” Foxx said in a statement.

Foxx also announced that Ted Berger will be her new deputy chief of staff.

Berger most recently served as the emergency management deputy incident commander for Cook County’s unified command response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He replaces Alyson Miller, who was named to the newly-created hybrid role of chief of staff and policy in January.

Foxx said she was “excited to bring new perspective” to her leadership team with the additions of Berger and Gutierrez.

“Ted Berger and Lea Gutierrez’s dedication to public service and commitment to inclusive policies will serve this administration well as we continue our renewed focus on criminal justice reform for the people of Cook County,” Foxx said.