Carol Ronen

Ronen was born March 28, 1945. She earned a bachelor's in political science at Bradley University and a master of public administration from Roosevelt University.{{cite web|editor-last=Miller|editor-first=David R.|title=Biographies of New Senate Members|work=First Reading|publisher=Illinois Legislative Research Unit|date=November 15, 2018|volume=14|number=4|access-date=December 12, 2020|page=4|url=https://www.ilga.gov/commission/lru/Nov2000FirstReading.pdf}} Ronen served as the legislative and community affairs director of the Chicago Department of Human Services, as an assistant commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, and an assistant commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning. She also served as the executive director of the Chicago Commission on Women from 1989 to 1990. For a period, she served as the President of the Illinois Task Force on Child Support.{{cite web|last1=Pollock|first1=James|title=New members of Illinois House: The issues they view as most important to constituents and state|page=19|work=Illinois Issues|volume=19|issue=2|issn=0738-9663|publisher=Sangamon State University|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1993/ii930217.html}}

In the 1992 Democratic primary, Ronen ousted seven-term incumbent Lee Preston in the 17th district.{{cite web|last1=Bodily|first1=Amyllen L.|last2=Klemens|first2=Michael D.|title=Election results: Good-bye status quo|pages=8–10|work=Illinois Issues|volume=18|issue=3|issn=0738-9663|publisher=Sangamon State University|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1992/ii920408.html}}

Incumbent Senator Arthur Berman announced he would not run for reelection in the 2000 general election. Ronen was the only candidate to file to run in the Democratic primary for the seat.{{cite news|last=Holt|first=Douglas|title=Last-Minute Rush Adds to 10th District Crowd|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} Berman resigned from the Illinois Senate on January 2, 2000 in order to take a position directing mediation services for the Chicago Board of Education.{{cite journal|editor-last=Whelpley|editor-first=Rod|title= Chicago will get a new senator|journal=Illinois Issues|volume=26|issue=1|page=36|publisher=University of Illinois Springfield|issn=0738-9663|access-date=July 6, 2021|url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/2000/ii000136.html}} The Democratic Legislative Committee of the 9th Legislative District appointed Ronen to the vacancy.{{cite journal|editor-last=Harry|editor-first=Jim (Secretary of the Senate)|title=Appointment|journal=Regular Session Senate Transcript|volume=91|issue=62|date=January 12, 2000|publisher=Illinois Senate|page=2|access-date=July 6, 2021|url=https://www.ilga.gov/Senate/transcripts/Strans91/ST011200.pdf}} In that year's general election, Ronen was elected to the Illinois Senate from the 9th district. Harry Osterman was appointed to succeed Ronen in the Illinois House.{{cite journal|editor-last=Rossi|editor-first=Tony|title=Resignations and Appointments|journal=Journal of the Illinois House of Representatives|volume=91|number=76|date=January 12, 2000|publisher=Illinois House of Representatives|access-date=July 6, 2021|url=https://www.ilga.gov/House/journals/hdailyjrnls91/hjd91076_r.html}}

In 2005 she was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a Friend of the Community.{{cite web |url=http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |title=Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame |access-date=2015-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017032241/http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year |archive-date=2015-10-17 }}

Ronen announced her retirement in October 2007. After Ronen's retirement, Heather Steans won the special election to succeed here.Joravsky, Ben. [http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/forty-eighth-ward-follies/Content?oid=999675 "Forty-Eighth Ward Follies"], Chicago Reader, November 15, 2007.{{Cite web |url=http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=21&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=4561&QueryType=Office& |title=Official election results |access-date=2021-07-07 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181439/http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/VoteTotalsList.aspx?ElectionType=GP&ElectionID=21&SearchType=OfficeSearch&OfficeID=4561&QueryType=Office& |url-status=dead }}

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2010}}

Carol is an active player in Democratic politics at the local, state and federal level. In her role as 9th C.D. Committeewoman, in 2008, she organized volunteers to travel to Iowa in support of her former state senate colleague Barack Obama. On November 4, 2008, she coordinated an election day phone back to Indiana voters. {{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}

Unopposed in each race, she was elected to a four-year term as the 48th Ward Democratic Committeeman in February 2008 and to a four-year term (her fourth) in February 2010 as Democratic State Central Committeewoman for the 9th congressional District where she works closely with longtime friend and ally Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.

At the national level Carol was elected as a delegate to the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Democratic Conventions. In 2004 she was appointed to represent Illinois on the Democratic National Committee. In 2008 Carol was a super delegate at the Democratic convention that nominated her friend and former Senate colleague Barack Obama. {{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}

Helping women get elected to office is a driving interest. To further this goal Carol helped found Women's Voices, Women's Votes, an Illinois state political action committee that supports the election of progressive Democratic women in the Illinois General Assembly and she is on the Advisory Board of Illinois Women in Leadership, a group which mentors young women who seek to run for office.

In 2005 she was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame as a Friend of the Community.

• [http://www.carolronen.org/ Senator Ronen] official website
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930013218/http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?MemberID=1005 Illinois General Assembly - Senator Carol Ronen (D) 7th District] official IL Senate website
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070816184325/http://www.ilga.gov/senate/SenatorBills.asp?MemberID=1005 Bills], [https://web.archive.org/web/20070817093954/http://www.ilga.gov/senate/SenCommittees.asp?MemberID=1005 Committees]
• Follow the Money - Carol Ronen
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200614&c=417390 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200414&c=407221 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200214&c=25451 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200014&c=355502 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=199814&c=355096 1998] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=199614&c=354684 1996] campaign contributions
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071010054412/http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS024490 Project Vote Smart - Senator Carol Ronen (IL)] profile
• https://web.archive.org/web/20081201224314/http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/06/19/opinion/doc4859c24d9ffee689496863.txt

{{Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame}}

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Category:1945 births

Category:Bradley University alumni

Category:Democratic Party Illinois state senators

Category:Jewish state legislators in Illinois

Category:Jewish American women in politics

Category:Living people

Category:New Trier High School alumni

Category:Politicians from Chicago

Category:Roosevelt University alumni

Category:Women state legislators in Illinois

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly

Category:21st-century American women politicians