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New Board Member Appointment

Illinois State Police Merit Board

New Board Member Appointment

The Illinois State Police Merit Board welcomes Dr. Chala M. Holland following her appointment by Governor JB Pritzker.

Board Appointment

Chala M. Holland, Ed.D.

Dr. Chala M. Holland of Highland Park, Illinois was appointed to the Illinois State Police Merit Board by Governor JB Pritzker in July 2025, with a term ending in July 2029.

Hometown

Highland Park, Illinois

Appointed

July 2025

Term Ending

July 2029

Board Member Biography

Dr. Chala M. Holland

Dr. Chala Holland is an award-winning and passionate educational leader. She currently serves as Superintendent of Schools in Township High School District 113. In this role, she provides strategic leadership and vision to ensure academic excellence and positive student outcomes across all high schools in the district.

Prior to joining District 113, Dr. Holland served as the Assistant Superintendent Administrative Services - High Schools in Naperville Community Unit School District 203. Dr. Holland also served for six years as Principal of Lake Forest High School, where she championed a culture of inclusivity and academic excellence, leading significant efforts to enrich student experiences and foster a school environment where every learner can thrive.

During her four years as Assistant Principal for Instruction at Oak Park and River Forest High School, Dr. Holland spearheaded initiatives to enhance teaching methodologies and student engagement. Dr. Holland began her career at Evanston Township High School, where she spent a decade laying the foundation of her educational philosophy as both a teacher and an administrator, weaving her passion for teaching and learning into the fabric of the institution.

Dr. Holland earned a B.A. in Secondary Education with a focus on History from Northwestern University. She received her M.A. in Social and Cultural Foundations in Education from DePaul University, and holds an Ed.D. in Urban Educational Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Our Mission

Fair. Equitable. Merit-Based.

“The mission of the Illinois State Police Merit Board is to remove political influence and provide a fair and equitable merit process for the selection of Illinois State Trooper candidates and the promotion and discipline of Illinois State Police officers.”

Illinois State Police Merit Board

Meet the Board

Learn more about the members of the Illinois State Police Merit Board and the Board's responsibilities, history, and mission.

Meet the Board →