Danielle Perry is honored to serve as the Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer (CROO) for Illinois. Appointed by Governor JB Pritzker after legalizing Adult Use of Cannabis, she works with 13 state agencies to direct the regulation and taxation of Illinois' cannabis industry. Danielle's top priority for the office is ensuring Illinois reaches its social equity goals of expungements, community reinvestment, and diversifying the industry.
A combination of experience makes Danielle Perry the right leader to be Illinois's first CROO. She's been an urban agriculture non-profit executive director who trained individuals with employment barriers and created Chicago's first and only USDA organic farm. As Director of Communications and Outreach for the City of Chicago, she engaged citizens about police accountability and government efficiency. Danielle has also worked on Capitol Hill as a Congressional Aide in charge of social security, health care, and civil rights issues.
Lastly, Danielle Perry had the pleasure of serving as Special Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Obama Administration, leading a National Community and School Garden Initiative in food-insecure communities.
A native of the Chicagoland Area, Danielle earned her B.A. in Political Science and J.D. from Howard University in Washington D.C. She and her wife live in Downers Grove, Illinois.