Ryan Tolley – Executive Director
Ryan Tolley is the Executive Director at CHANGE Illinois & the CHANGE Illinois Action Fund. Ryan brings a balance of pragmatism and idealism to the role as he works with staff to listen to the people of Illinois and pushes for a democracy that is more equitable and responsive to the needs of everyday people.
Ryan previously served as the Policy Director for our organizations for nearly five years, where he led policy development and advocacy efforts for good government reform on a state, city and county level. Ryan was instrumental in working to abolish the practice of prison gerrymandering in Illinois. He was a lead advocate for people in communities across the state to have a voice during the 2021 redistricting cycle. He promoted several specific good government reforms to the Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reforms in 2019, and has advocated for improved ethics and transparency in the Chicago City Council.
Prior to working for CHANGE Illinois, Ryan directed grassroots initiatives and advocacy efforts for the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC), giving the small business community a voice on federal, state and local government levels. Ryan’s success at the SBAC in passing bipartisan legislation resulted in his appointment to the Leadership Council of the National Small Business Association.
In his free time, you can often find him biking to and from the Wisconsin border on the Des Plaines River Trail or spending time with his wife and daughter.
Ryan is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University.
You can follow Ryan on Twitter: @rtolley_il. Any media inquiries for CHANGE Illinois can be sent to him at rtolley@changeil.org.
DuShaun Branch Pollard – Community Organizing Director
DuShaun Branch Pollard is the Community Organizing Director for CHANGE Illinois. DuShaun is passionate about building one-on-one relationships, listening to the community’s needs, and organizing to build power.
Before joining the CHANGE Illinois team, DuShaun was a community engagement coordinator for the Power of Partnerships program in Oak Park and a community organizer in North Lawndale. During her time in North Lawndale, DuShaun worked to connect the community to resources and direct funding during the pandemic. DuShaun is also an adjunct professor at North Central College where she has taught Social Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship Marketing.
DuShaun holds her MBA from Dominican University in River Forest and her bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal.
Emily Soriano – Advocacy Manager
Emily Soriano is the Advocacy Manager at CHANGE Illinois. Emily is a dedicated public policy professional with five years of experience in social services and policy advocacy. With a Master of Public Policy from DePaul University and a Bachelor’s in Urban Studies from Elmhurst University, Emily excels in policy research, analysis, and strategic advising.
At Gads Hill Center in Chicago, Emily served as an Executive Assistant & Special Projects Associate, advising the CEO on legislative matters, crafting communications, and fostering cross-sector partnerships. She also led civic engagement efforts as a Youth Enrollment Specialist.
Previous roles include a Policy and Advocacy Coordinator Intern at First Defense Legal Aid and an Immigration Legal Assistant at Shiller Preyar Law Offices, showcasing her skills in policy management and bilingual communication.
Emily is committed to social justice; she aims to drive structural changes for communities across Illinois through effective public policy and advocacy.
Madeleine Doubek – Strategic Advisor
Madeleine Doubek is a passionate, long-time advocate for improving government and politics in Illinois. As the former vice president of policy at the Better Government Association, she was responsible for a new law that limits golden parachutes for public executives. She also worked to stop efforts to limit government transparency and championed laws that boost government efficiency.
Doubek wrote a government-focused column for Crain’s Chicago Business. Prior to her direct advocacy and policy work, Doubek spent 32 years in journalism, many covering local and state government and politics. She has won several regional and national journalism awards during her career. Her work on Illinois’ historic budget impasse was honored by Voices for Illinois Children and with two Peter Lisagor Awards from the Chicago Headline Club.
Doubek previously served as publisher of Reboot Illinois, a citizen-focused website covering state politics and government. Before that, Doubek was the former Assistant Vice President/Executive Editor of the suburban Daily Herald. She served as the paper’s political writer, columnist and editor for many years. While there, she also led a team of reporters and editors who wrote an award-winning, 5-part series, “44 Minutes in January,” that told in unprecedented detail the story of the Palatine Brown’s Chicken murders. Her work on series examining homeland security spending, foster care, chronic drunken driving and burgeoning suburban hard-core drug use also was honored with regional and national awards.
Doubek graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a journalism major and political science minor. A native of Chicago’s South Side, she now lives in Des Plaines.
You can follow Madeleine on Twitter: @mdoubek.