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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING JENNIFER ‘SIS’ KILLEN UPON THE OCCASION OF HER DEPARTURE FROM SERVICE TO COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WHEREAS, Jennifer ‘Sis’ Killen has had an accomplished and widely admired 27-year career in the transportation industry; and
WHEREAS, Sis began her tenure with Cook County in 2012 as Bureau Chief for the Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) Transportation and Planning section, where she oversaw the traffic, project studies, programming, agreements and right-of-way divisions; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, she was promoted to DoTH Assistant Superintendent - the first female to achieve the title - where she assisted the Superintendent with all department functions, and oversaw six bureaus that perform planning, design, construction, maintenance and administrative activities; and
WHEREAS, in April 2021, Sis was appointed as Superintendent of DoTH, again making County history as the first female to hold the title in the department’s 113-year history, where she was charged with the planning, design, operation, maintenance and construction of 561 centerline miles of roadway and 1,620 lane miles of pavement; and
WHEREAS, Sis is currently leading the department’s largest ever capital program, including the advancement of projects of regional significance, and has positioned DoTH to provide the transportation leadership, expertise and resources required to advance such projects that involve multiple agency and municipal boundaries; and
WHEREAS, Sis co-led the completion of the County’s first long-range transportation plan in 75 years, a transformative initiative that promoted a multimodal policy framework to guide investments, equitable access to and modernization of transportation and brought countless benefits to the people of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, she has been a key orchestrator in transforming the department from a road-centric agency to an organization that prioritizes transit, bicycle and pedestrian traffic; and
WHEREAS, since Sis joined the County, she has been recognized by multiple organizations for her exceptional contributions; and
WHEREAS, in 2019, Sis was honored as ‘Woman of the Year’ by the Women’s Transportation Seminar Chicago Chapter in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the transportation industry and advancing women and minorities within the field; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, Sis was awarded the March of Dimes Leadership in the Public Sector Award in recognition of advancing critical public works, transit improvements and community development projects in the region; and
WHEREAS, in 2024, Sis was awarded Government Civil Engineer of the Year by the Illinois Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers in recognition of her significant, lasting contributions to public service and the engineering profession; and
WHEREAS, Sis will be departing as Superintendent of DoTH on September 24, 2026; and
WHEREAS, She spent 13 years in private consulting providing engineering services to municipal clients before joining the County; and
WHEREAS, Sis began her career through a cooperative education internship at Chicago Area Transportation Study, now known as Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, where she served as chairwoman of the Transportation Committee from 2015 - 2018 during the development of the region’s ONTO 2050 planning update; and
WHEREAS, Sis is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1999, and she is also a 2019 graduate of the University of Chicago’s Civic Leadership Academy; and
WHEREAS, Sis has consistently demonstrated professionalism, collaboration and a clear dedication to public service as a leader in design, collaboration, innovation and policy making, and truly understands the critical role equity plays in transportation investments that support community growth; and
WHEREAS, throughout her career with Cook County, Sis has shown not only a commitment to operational excellence, but also a deep knowledge of transportation systems that have strengthened the County’s ability to deliver safe and reliable mobility for residents; and
WHEREAS, having ably and dutifully served the residents of Cook County for 14 years, Cook County wishes Sis well in the next chapter of her life, with the support of her husband Kevin, sons Brendan and Charlie and daughter Bridget.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and members of the Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the 5.2 million residents and over 22,000 employees of Cook County, thank Sis for her dedication, service and her unwavering commitment to Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOVLED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and that an official copy of the same be tendered to Sis Killen.
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