The Citizens Club of Springfield, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting informational programs on topics of local interest, has selected new officers for the upcoming year.
Joyce Nardulli is the Club’s new president, replacing John Kelker. The other officers are Angie Muhs, vice president; Jim Donelan, secretary; and Chris Atchison, treasurer.
Other new members joining the Citizens Club board are Chuck Davis, Andre Jordan, Carlos Ortega, Abby Powell and Jill Steiner.
"The Citizens Club has a proud tradition of promoting public and civic welfare by educating the public on local issues,” said Nardulli, who is the Club’s first female president. "We welcome anyone from the Springfield area to join us for our programs, which emphasize civil discussion of current topics.”
The Club’s programs are free and open to the public. Most programs are held on the fourth Friday of the month at 8 a.m. at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. (Some events may vary due to holidays.) Details on events are posted on the Club’s Facebook page. Contact CitizensClubofSpringfield@gmail.com to request to be added to its email notices.
Program topics this year have included the aftermath of the Adams Street fire, the impact of tourism on Springfield, a conversation with GenZ members and an in-depth discussion of the city budget. The Club also has hosted special evening programs with Gov. JB Pritzker and a two-part series on the impact of immigration on Springfield.
Those wishing to support the Club’s mission can become members. Annual dues are $30 and can be paid in person at events or by mailing a check to Chris Atchison, 4712 Bellevue Dr., Springfield, Il. 62711.
The Club’s four officers and board members come from a variety of professional backgrounds.
Nardulli has been self-employed in Government Relations since 2013, after a career that included positions at the Illinois Bankers Association, the Illinois State Medical Society and the Illinois House of Representatives. She is also president of the World Affairs Council of Central Illinois, and currently serves on the boards of the Dana-Thomas House Foundation, Springfield International Visitors Commission, the UI Illinois Connections Advocacy Committee and the Business & Industry Federation of Economic Concerns. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield.
Muhs is manager of strategic communications for Memorial Health. She previously served as executive editor and vice president of the State Journal-Register, and worked at several newspapers around the country, including the Miami Herald, before moving to Springfield in 2014. She also serves on the board of Illinois Women in Leadership, is a past board member of the FBI Springfield Citizens Academy Alumni Association and an active volunteer for several other organizations. She is a graduate of Northwestern University.
Donelan has served as Ward 9 alderman since 2015. He is the executive director of a statewide local government association. He previously served as Executive Assistant to Springfield Mayors Tim Davlin and Frank Edwards. Donelan participated in numerous organizations including serving as past president of Crime Stoppers of Sangamon & Menard Counties, the St. Agnes School Board, Sangamon County Citizens Efficiency Commission, St. Joseph's Home Board, and the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame Board. He currently serves on the Sacred-Heart Griffin High School Board. Donelan was a member of the Governor Jim Edgar Fellows, Class of 2022. He is a graduate of Illinois State and has completed graduate work at the University of Illinois-Springfield.
Atchison retired from the University of Iowa in 2018. During his career, he was a clinical professor in public health, director of the Iowa state laboratory, director of the Iowa state health department and assistant director of the Illinois department of health. Atchison is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Springfield. He has been married for 49 years to Mary Jo (Murphy) Atchison and has two children, Stacy Atchison Reed of Springfield and Michael Atchison of Richfield, Minnesota.