Jennifer Baustian, North Aurora

Jennifer Nicole Baustian is the Executive Director of regional 9-1-1 and dispatch center, Kane County Emergency Communications.  Jennifer graduated summa cum laude from Judson University with a degree in Criminal Justice Management and offers 13 years of multi-faceted public service experience.

A few of Jennifer’s professional affiliations and appointments include; the Association of Public Safety Professionals, Kane County Emergency Telephone System Board, Kane County Tactical Interoperability Planning Committee, Metro West 911 Task Force and the National Emergency Number Association.

Jennifer is committed to the grassroots efforts of the Republican Party of Kane County.  She is a member of the Aurora Township Republican Central Committee as well as the Kane County Republican Women’s Organization.  She is also a Republican Precinct Committeeman in Aurora Township.  Jennifer is a proponent of fiscal conservatism and smaller, more effective government.

Jennifer and her husband of 10 years, Matt, reside in the Village of North Aurora where they own Certified Plumbing Services Inc.  

Carol Hornickle, Peoria

Carol is a native of the Peoria Area and lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for nine years. She served four years as President of Peoria County Republican Women (PCRW) from 2007-2011 during which time PCRW became the largest affiliated club in the Illinois Federation of Republican Women (IFRW) with 122 members and more than 20 Associate members.  She just completed a two-year term as 3^rd Vice President of IFRW, during which she coordinated Legislative Days that resulted in an increase of attendance to 35 in 2011.

She is an elected Precinct Committeeman and an Alternate Delegate to the Republican National Convention in Tampa for Newt Gingrich.  Carol has volunteered on many campaigns, beginning with Joe Birkett’s Attorney General campaign.  Joe is Carol’s cousin and that campaign began her activities within the Republican Party even though her initiation as a Republican came at an early age on the family farm.  Her father was a staunch Republican so when a new calf was born, they emerged with names like “Ike,” “Mamie” and “Calvin Coolidge.” Nothing like anchoring political awareness in a practical way. 

She was on board early helping Aaron Schock in both runs as a State Representative.  Carol served as Volunteer Coordinator for Joan Krupa’s State Representative campaign and worked on Steve Kim’s AG race, Bill Brady’s Gubernatorial events and many others.

Carol earned her Associate’s Degree as a non-traditional student at the College of San Mateo  (California) and has been a lifelong student in different professions:  safety and loss control in sheet metal contracting as well as financial services and real estate sales in California and Illinois.  Her career changes have been as a result of her husband’s cross-country moves.  She volunteers for the Peoria Historical Society, the St. Jude Telethon and has tutored 3^rd graders in math facts in San Mateo, CA and Peoria.

She and husband, Nicholas, have a daughter and three active grandchildren.

Melinda Hult, Belleville

Melinda Hult is a native of Belleville.  She is proud that her roots in Illinois extend back 200 years and include farmers, miners and Union Army patriots.  Her early education was begun in Belleville, but also included public schools in Hawaii, Ohio and Alabama.  She graduated from high school in Wetumpka, Alabama in 1977.  The next year she married Ralph Hult, a career Air Force officer.  Their tours of duty included the Greek island of Crete for two years, Kaiserslautern, Germany for three years and a return to Alabama for six more years.  When her husband retired from active duty in 1989 they moved to Belleville to establish their home.  Their daughter, Elizabeth, was born there in 1991.  A great deal of time has been spent restoring their home, which was built in 1868, learning a lot of new skills along the way.

The first political campaign Melinda worked on was Ford/Dole in 1976.  Too young to vote, she was happy to stuff envelopes and do office work.  This earned her a trip to Birmingham to shake hands with the current president, Gerald Ford.  An understanding that even the “little people” could be a part of the political process was born, along with a hunger to keep participating.  Many more envelopes have been stuffed since then, along with miles of walking handing out campaign literature. 

 In 2007 Melinda made her first run at public office herself, trying for a seat on the City Council in Belleville.  Due to local political shenanigans, her name was kept off of the ballot but she made a respectable showing as a write-in candidate.  In 2011 her bid for the seat was rewarded with a victory and she is currently an active Alderman.  This position may be given up slightly early as Melinda is currently the Republican candidate for the Illinois General Assembly in House District 113.

In addition to her active role with the St. Clair County Republicans and the Metro-East Pachyderm Club, she is involved with a number of other organizations.  These include participation in her church and a non-denominational ladies’ Bible study.  Melinda is on the boards of the Belleville Historical Society and of Our Tax Money.org and recently finished her term on the board of her neighborhood association.  She is always looking for ways to give back to her community.

Nicole Martin, LaGrange

Nicole Martin grew up in the Chicago suburbs and received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University with a major in finance and a minor in economics.  It was during these years that her interest in conservative politics began to take shape.   She leveraged her degree in Finance to begin her working career as a bank examiner for the Comptroller of the Currency, which is the regulatory arm of the Federal Reserve.  Since then, Nicole changed industries and has spent the past sixteen years in the auto industry deciding that it offered great opportunities for women.  She worked for a large automotive dealership group in the Chicago area holding positions in sales, sales management and finance.  She then leveraged her dealership experience to join ADP Dealer Services where she sells technology solutions to car dealers to help them sell more cars, parts and service profitably. 

Nicole is a member of the Republican Organization of Lyons Township where she is helping with precinct organization and recruitment.  Her husband is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve.  They both volunteer with the Chicago Honor Flight.  Nicole’s interest in politics revolves around her concern for limited government, fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Kathleen Ralston, Chicago

Kathleen Ralston grew up and resided in the Washington, DC area before moving to Chicago three years ago. She has a B.A. in Government from Georgetown University. During her years in Washington, Kathleen was a fundraiser at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. She also participated in many political campaigns in the Northern Virginia area.

Currently, Kathleen is the Director of Major Gifts & Women’s Leadership Council at the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. In this capacity she stewards major donors as well as leads an exceptional group of women focused on celebrating women’s philanthropic leadership in Chicago.

Kathleen resides in Lincoln Park. She loves spending time at the lake and enjoying all that the city of Chicago has to offer. She is a member of the Chicago Young Republicans and the University Club of Chicago.

Amanda Shoemaker, Rushville

Amanda J. Shoemaker grew up in Rushville, Illinois and is a 1997 graduate of Rushville High School. Her interest in politics started at a young age when she was selected to attend Illini Girls State in high school, where she later served as a counselor. She was also selected to the 96^th District Student Advisory Council in 1996. In this role, she worked with State Representatives Art Tenhouse and Rich Myers as well as State Senator Laura Kent Donahue on issues that affect high school students. After high school, she attended Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois where she majored in communication/theatre and political science. During this time, she was actively involved on campus serving in many leadership roles in the Sigma Phi Epsilon Literary Society and the College Republicans, among other organizations. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2001.

After graduation, she began her professional career at KHQA-TV 7 News in Quincy, Illinois where she worked as a television anchor, reporter and producer. While at KHQA, she had the opportunity to interview a number of Republicans; a highlight in her journalism career was when she was able to cover a George W. Bush rally in St. Louis in 2004. In 2005, after researching new professional opportunities, she was hired as the Assistant Director of Alumni Programs at Western Illinois University (WIU); in 2009, she was promoted to Associate Director of Alumni Programs at WIU. In this role, she is responsible for assisting with management and administration as well as planning alumni events, coordinating marketing and public relations efforts, working with colleges and departments on alumni-related topics, supporting the WIU Alumni Council, and advising the Student Alumni Association. She also serves as the webmaster for the Alumni Association's web site and manages RockeNetwork, WIU's own online social network. While at Western, she has also completed a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology.

As a journalist, she remained impartial, but once she left the television station, she began to get more involved in the party. After inquiring about a young Republican group in Schuyler County during the 2005 Lincoln Day Dinner, she was asked to run for precinct committeeman where she was successful. In 2009, she was elected vice chairman of the Schuyler County Republican Central Committee; a year later, she began serving as secretary of the 18th Congressional District Republican Central Committee.

Amanda has worked on several political campaigns, including ones for Congressman Aaron Schock, State Senator Kirk Dillard (during his run for governor), State Representatives Jil Tracy and Norine Hammond, and many local races. 

In the community, she volunteers with the Humane Society; is a member of P.E.O., Chapter AL; serves in many capacities at the Rushville First United Methodist Church; and serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors at Illinois College.