About the GLLC - Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus (GLLC) is a binational, nonpartisan organization of state and provincial legislators passionate about policies to protect and restore the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin. The GLLC’s mission is to strengthen the role of state and provincial legislators in the regional, national, and binational policymaking process by providing a forum to exchange good practices, ideas, and opportunities, and by advancing legislation to promote the restoration, protection, and sustainable use of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River for current residents and future generations.

The GLLC is the only Great Lakes organization whose members have the ability to enact laws and appropriate funding at the state and provincial level.

Leadership

GLLC officers and members of the Executive Committee are elected for terms of two years. Elections take place at the GLLC Annual Meeting in even-numbered years. Past chairs and the chairs of any committees or task forces serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

GLLC Officers

Senator André Jacque, Wisconsin

Chair

Sen. Jacque is serving his first term as chair after leading the GLLC’s Task Force on Nutrient Management. Sen. Jacque has been a member of the GLLC since 2017, served on the Birkholz Institute Steering Committee in 2019, and participated

Senator Laura Fine, Illinois

Vice Chair

Sen. Fine served as Illinois’ elected representative on the Executive Committee prior to being elected vice chair.

Members of the Executive Committee

Representative Sonya Harper, Illinois

Executive Committee

Rep. Harper is serving her second term as a member of the GLLC’s Executive Committee. She has been a member of the GLLC since 2016.

Representative David Abbott, Indiana

Executive Committee

Rep. Abbott is serving his first term on the Executive Committee. In 2019, he was part of the inaugural class of Birkholz Fellows and served on the GLLC’s Task Force on Nutrient Management.

Representative Rachel Hood, Michigan

Executive Committee

Rep. Hood is serving her first term as a member of the GLLC’s Executive Committee after serving on the Task Force on Nutrient Management.

Senator Mary Kunesh, Minnesota

Executive Committee

Sen. Kunesh is serving her first term on the Executive Committee.

Senator Mark Walczyk, New York

Executive Committee

Sen. Walczyk is serving his second term representing New York on the Executive Committee. He was a member of the Task Force on Nutrient Management.

Senator Theresa Gavarone, Ohio

Executive Committee

Sen. Gavarone is serving her first term on the Executive Committee.

MPP Jennifer French, Ontario

Executive Committee; Vice Chair, Task Force on Climate Resiliency

MPP French has been a GLLC member since 2018 and is serving her third term on the Executive Committee. MPP French served on the Task Force on Nutrient Management and the Task Force on Lead.

Senator Daniel Laughlin, Pennsylvania

Executive Committee

Sen. Laughlin has been a member of the GLLC since 2018.

MNA Marie-Belle Gendron, Québec

Executive Committee

MNA Gendron is serving her first term on the Executive Committee.

Representative Lisa Subeck, Wisconsin

Executive Committee

Rep. Subeck is serving her first term on the Executive Committee. She was a 2019 Birkholz Fellow and was on the Task Force on Nutrient Management.

Ex Officio Members

Representative Robyn Gabel, Illinois

Past Chair

Rep. Gabel has been a GLLC leader since first being elected to the Executive Committee in 2012. She served as chair from 2021-2022 and vice chair in 2019-2020. Rep. Gabel was also a member of the GLLC’s Task Force on

Senator Ed Charbonneau, Indiana

Past Chair

Sen. Charbonneau served as chair in 2019-2020. A GLLC member since 2012, he served on the GLLC’s Task Force on Lead and the Task Force on Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Appreciation Day.

Senator Ann Rest, Minnesota

Past Chair

Sen. Rest was the first chair of the Caucus to be elected by the members following the adoption of rules in 2011. She served two terms from 2013-2016. Sen. Rest was a member of the GLLC’s Task Force on Lead

Commissioner David Senjem, Minnesota

Birkholz Institute Steering Committee

Former State Senator and current County Commissioner Senjem serves as the co-chair of the Birkholz Institute Steering Committee.

Senator Laura Ellman, Illinois

Chair, Task Force on Climate Resiliency

Sen. Ellman is a 2023 Birkholz Fellow and leads the 2023-24 Task Force on Climate Resiliency.

Members

The GLLC is a nonpartisan, binational organization open to all state and provincial legislators serving in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region. View the current roster of GLLC members.

Interested in becoming a GLLC member?

Membership is open to all state and provincial legislators serving in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region. Enrolling as a GLLC member brings the following opportunities:

Make your voice heard by voting on and even sponsoring Caucus resolutions and member sign-on letters concerning issues of common interest and concern.
Become a leader on Great Lakes and St. Lawrence issues by serving as an officer of the Caucus, as a member of the Executive Committee, or on issue-specific committees and task forces.
Take advantage of opportunities to attend annual Caucus meetings, quarterly web meetings, Birkholz Institutes, and other meetings related to water quality in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.
Stay informed with the quarterly e-newsletter “The Caucus Current,” plus the state and provincial legislative tracker compiling detailed information on bills that may have an impact on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.

There is no cost to join — only benefits.

Enroll as a Member

Staff

Jess Lienhardt

Great Lakes Program Director, CSG Midwest

Jess is CSG Midwest’s Great Lakes program director. In this position, she guides the many activities and services provided to state and provincial legislators through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus (GLLC) — a binational, nonpartisan organization of state and

Contact

Have a question about the GLLC? Feel free to contact us at any time!

By Phone:
Jess Lienhardt, CSG Midwest Great Lakes Program Director: 630-282-3077

By Email:
jlienhardt@csg.org

By Mail:
CSG Midwest
GLLC
701 E. 22nd Street, Suite 110
Lombard, IL 60148