Kathleen Lorenz for Normal Town Council

Get to Know Normal Council Member Kathleen Lorenz

 

“I want to serve the best interests of the people of Normal with the utmost respect and professionalism.”

Kathleen Lorenz, Normal Council Member

ENGAGED | EXPERIENCED | EFFECTIVE
About Kathleen

Engaged in the Issues
• Debt reduction, pension funding, and pavement study
Experienced Leader
• Responsible and logical Council Member since 2015
Effective Problem Solver
• Responsive to residents, serve as liaison to City Hall

Public Service Record

  • Normal Council Member, 2015-present
  • Normal Planning Commission, 2008-2015
  • Normal Zoning Board of Appeals, 2004-2008

Occupation

Community Investment Director, United Way of McLean County.

Education

  • BS Industrial Engineering, Purdue University
  • MBA, Illinois State University

The importance of previous Commission experience:

“I absolutely loved my time on Zoning Board and Planning Commission. Both experiences prepared me for my role on Council, in terms of learning how to work with Town staff, and valuing the process of public input.”

Vote most proud of on Council:

“The vote that I am most proud of is my vote in favor of accepting the economic development package for Rivian to make Normal their manufacturing home. After hearing the powerful testimony from Rivian CEO, RJ Scaringe, there was no doubt in my mind.”

Balancing Council duties with job duties:

“There’s a real synergy, as my United Way work immerses me daily into the issues of our community – like homelessness, the need for affordable housing, and food access issues.” 

Industrial Engineer turned Politician?

“Both my educational experiences at Purdue and ISU taught me how to think critically and solve problems. A recent Commencement speech from former Purdue President Mitch Daniels probably best explains my guiding principles for entering public service:

Just as Purdue has expected more from you than another school might have, so does democracy. To survive and succeed, it requires its members to know its workings, participate in its operations, accept the reality of each other’s different outlooks, and the need to reconcile them by meeting in the middle.

—Purdue President Mitch Daniels,
Commencement Speech to College of Engineering graduates, May 2018