Lincoln-Way D210 Appoints New Board Member

NEW LENOX, IL — Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 has announced the appointment of Deadra Stokes to the Board of Education. The board voted to approve her appointment last night at the Sept. 19 meeting, the district said.

Stokes replaces board member Peter Wilkes, who resigned in August due to increased responsibilities within his profession at the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The Board of Education interviewed eight candidates before appointing Stokes to fill the current vacancy, the district said. Stokes has been a Frankfort resident since 2006. She and her husband Paul Stokes have three daughters, one who is a recent 2019 Lincoln-Way East graduate and their youngest is currently a freshman.

“I believe that education is one of the major keys to success, and the key to great education is providing educators, administrators, and students with the necessary tools to create an outstanding educational environment that promotes growth for all,” Stokes said in a release.

According to the district, Stokes has been a licensed attorney for more than 23 years and is currently the President/Managing Partner of Consumer Legal Group, P.C., in Orland Park. She also has served as the Administrative Hearing Officer in various municipalities and currently presides over minor traffic court hearings in the Village of Matteson. She also serves on the Economic Development Committee for the Village of Frankfort, volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club, and is an adjunct professor at Governors State University. She’s also previously served on the Review Board for the Parent-Student Handbook for School District 157c.

Stokes has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Juris Doctorate and Environmental Law Certification from Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology.

“Mrs. Stokes will be an excellent addition to the Board of Education. Her legal experience combined with her contributions and dedication to the Lincoln-Way and Frankfort communities make her the right choice,” Joe Kosteck, President of the Board of Education, said in a release.

Stokes will be sworn in at the Oct. 17 board of education meeting and will serve out the remainder of the current term until 2023.