Bolingbrook Independent Voices Announces Campaign For Village Trustee

BOLINGBROOK, IL — The Bolingbrook Independent Voices slate, consisting of current Village Trustee Sheldon Watts and Matthew Glowiak, will run for two of the three open seats for Village Trustee in the upcoming consolidated election on April 4.

According to a release from the slate, the candidates made their campaign announcement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to "symbolize the community service-centered principles that are at the core of everything Dr. King stood for."

Watts was first appointed as Village Trustee in 2017.

"It has been an amazing honor to serve our community and represent the residents of Bolingbrook over the years," he said in a release. "My humble desire is to make a difference every day by always focusing on finding ways to enhance the quality of life for our residents, and by working to ensure the village offers high-quality constituent services and safeguards our residents and business owners' investments. Officially announcing on Dr. MLK day seems very fitting, as Dr. King’s passion for service and pursuit of equality and human rights inspires our efforts to make a positive contribution to society and our community."

After he was appointed to the Village Board in 2017, Watts was then elected to a 4-year term in 2019. He has also served as a DuPage Township Trustee, and was a member of the Bolingbrook Zoning Board of Appeals, according to a news release. Watts also ran for mayor in 2021.

Watts was also named Bolingbrook's male citizen of the year in 2014, and is a community advocate and supporter of the youth. He is president and founder of the Bolingbrook STEM Association, where the mission is to provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math learning opportunities for the youth, according to a release.

He has also served as a board member of the Will County Center for Community Concerns and is the founder of the “Brunch in the Brook” Minority Business Networking Forum. Watts works in the global corporate technology industry, and is a graduate of Roosevelt University with both a Bachelor's and MBA and has successfully completed all course work and the comprehensive exam towards a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

He and his wife, Cherron, have 8-year-old twins.

Matthew Glowiak grew up in Bolingbrook, and attended Jonas Salk, Humphrey Middle School and Bolingbrook High School. He and his wife, Megan, have three young children.

"Born and raised in Bolingbrook, and now raising my own family here, this is home. Having built a career that focuses on hearing, supporting, and educating others toward being the best versions of themselves; my intention is to take my passion and talents and apply them toward that which matters most—my local community," he said in a release. "Given that the best means of moving forward is always by doing so collectively, celebrating this [announcement] on MLK Day symbolizes the unity that BIV is striving toward, and that this community needs. I am honored to have this opportunity to run for village trustee."

Glowiak has a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, and a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University, according to a news release. His first professor role was at Benedictine University in Lisle where he taught in the Master of Clinical Psychology Program.

He is now a full-time professor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and Yorkville University (YU) in Canada teaching graduate counseling students. Glowiak is also a former private practice owner with multiple Chicagoland locations, a news release states.

Glowiak had the opportunity to speak to the community about various mental health topics when he hosted “Mental Health Matters with Dr. Matt,” a television show which ran from 2018-2020 on BCTV. He also currently serves on the Bolingbrook Tee-Ball Association Board and as head umpire and head coach for the Eagles.

Recently, he published his first two children’s books, “The Dinosaur Door,” and “Good Morning, Sunshine,” which are now featured throughout the Bolingbrook community, a release states.

According to the release, Glowiak believes that there is much to admire about the community, but that there are also areas in which the community may improve.

"He looks forward to bringing his extensive background in the mental health field to establish and drive initiatives and resources in this space," according to the slate.