Kim Barker Lee Named General Counsel of Illinois Student Assistance Commission

DEERFIELD, IL –  Kim Barker Lee has been named General Counsel of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state’s central agency for providing assistance to college students. 

Lee comes to ISAC from the law firm of Pugh, Jones, Johnson and Quandt, where she was a Partner practicing in the areas of public finance, and governmental relations and contracts.  Lee has considerable expertise in a wide range of financings for governmental and not-for-profit entities, including transactions involving the issuance bonds by the State of Illinois, City of Chicago (including Chicago’s Midway and O’Hare airports), Chicago Public Schools, Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and Illinois Finance Authority.  Lee was also an integral part of the legal team that structured the long-term lease of the parking garages below Chicago’s Grant Park to a private operator.

A graduate of Yale College and New York University School of Law, Lee was the recipient of the prestigious Arthur Garfield Hays Fellowship in Civil Liberties and the Vanderbilt Prize.  She is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and Black Women Lawyers’ Association, and serves on Boards of Directors for Women in Public Finance and the YWCA Chicago.  Lee is also a volunteer and member of the Advisory Board for the Ardythe and Gayle Sayers Center for African American Adoption.  She is a resident of Chicago’s South Shore community.

“Kim Barker Lee has precisely the skills and experience ISAC needs as we move into a new phase,” said ISAC Executive Director Andrew Davis.  “Kim has a distinguished record of accomplishment in public finance and strong leadership qualities, and we’re delighted to have her on board.”

“I am honored by the opportunity to play a role in the continuing mission of ISAC to provide Illinois families with access to a college education,” Lee said.  “This opportunity is particularly exciting given the vision and leadership of our Chairman Don McNeil and Executive Director Andy Davis.”

Lee is the first African American to serve as ISAC’s General Counsel in the agency’s 50-year history.

“The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is committed to promoting diversity among its senior staff and service providers by actively searching for qualified minority candidates,” said ISAC Chairman Don McNeil.   “Ms. Lee brings superb credentials to her new position.  Her hiring demonstrates that diversity can be achieved while maintaining the highest standards.  It’s all about reaching out and providing opportunities.”

About ISAC
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is the State’s centralized provider of financial assistance aimed at helping students and families access postsecondary education and/or training. Each year, the Commission awards an estimated $400 million in scholarship and grant aid to nearly 185,000 qualified students, and also provides an additional $740 million to borrowers through its student loan programs. The agency offers credit-based alternative loans, a 529 prepaid tuition program known as College Illinois!, and a broad array of outreach and informational services to ensure that families have access to the information they need to pay for a college education. More information is available by calling toll-free 800.899.ISAC (4722) or visiting the agency’s Web site at www.collegezone.com.