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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN HONOR AND RECOGNITION OF LASHON R. DEFELL, ESQ. FOR HER EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WHEREAS, Ms. LaShon R. DeFell, Esq. has served Cook County for 24½ years in multiple capacities, beginning her career as a Pharmacy Technician and Chief Union Steward at Provident Hospital from 1993-2007, later returning to serve as Senior Labor Counsel and ultimately rising to Deputy Chief Human Resources Officer/Director of Labor Relations; and
WHEREAS, Ms. DeFell earned her Bachelor of Arts in Labor Relations from the National Labor College, a Master of Public Administration in Labor Studies from the University of Baltimore, and a Juris Doctor with a Health Law Certificate from DePaul University College of Law, collectively forming the academic foundation that underpinned her distinguished labor-relations career; and
WHEREAS, throughout her tenure, Ms. DeFell distinguished herself through her dual mastery of strategy and execution in managing high-stakes labor negotiations, serving as both Chief Labor Strategist and Chief Labor Spokesperson for Cook County; and
WHEREAS, she led the County through numerous crisis negotiations, organizational transitions, and collective-bargaining cycles, securing bipartisan support for labor agreements in 2017 and in subsequent years, all while advancing the County’s mission of public service, fiscal responsibility, and operational stability; and
WHEREAS, Ms. DeFell assumed leadership of Cook County Health’s labor relations in 2019, guiding labor strategy for one of the nation’s largest public health systems (and the second largest public health system in Illinois) guiding critical labor strategy during the unprecedented operational and workforce challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, Ms. DeFell brought a rare blend of legal expertise, strategic insight, and lived experience, including her prior certification and work as an NFL Contract Advisor, enhancing her reputation as a principled negotiator, and further advanced the County by developing her LRD360° leadership framework, emphasizing loyalty, respect, and dignity, which has influenced leaders, colleagues, and labor partners across the County and beyond; and
WHEREAS, her commitment to public service has left an enduring impact on Cook County government, shaping its labor-relations philosophy, strengthening collaborative structures, and fostering a more stable, equitable, and respectful environment that benefits both the County’s 18,000 unionized employees and its 5.2 million residents; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners wishes to express its profound gratitude for Ms. DeFell’s decades of service, leadership, and integrity, and to honor the lasting legacy she leaves within the County and the broader labor-relations community;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby honor and celebrate La’Shon R. DeFell for her extraordinary service and extend their best wishes for continued success in her future endeavors;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be presented to Ms. DeFell as a token of appreciation for her exemplary contributions to Cook County and her enduring commitment to public service.
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