Longtime Educator and Community Leader Earns First Citizen Award

Dr. Diane Rutledge has been named the 63rd recipient of Springfield’s First Citizen Award, a recognition that highlights her long record of service to local schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. The award was presented during a ceremony on November 12 at Erin’s Pavilion in Southwind Park.

Rutledge began her career as a teacher at Dubois Elementary School and later served as superintendent of Springfield Public Schools District 186. Over the years, she has taken on leadership roles in a wide range of community efforts, including serving on boards for Memorial Health System, the United Way of Central Illinois, the Boys & Girls Club of Central Illinois, and the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln.

Her work has also focused heavily on childhood literacy. Rutledge founded the Books for Babies program at Springfield Memorial Hospital and helped bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to the local area so families could receive free books for young children.

She and her husband Steve also created the Steve and Diane Rutledge Fund through the Community Foundation to support local initiatives in healthcare, law enforcement, women’s issues, and literacy.

During the ceremony, First Citizen Board President Butch Elzea noted that Rutledge’s influence has reached far beyond education, citing her years of involvement across many sectors of the community.

Throughout her career, Rutledge has received several honors recognizing her public service, including the Illinois State Board of Education’s “Those Who Excel” Award of Excellence, the Good as Gold Lifetime Achievement Award, the Athena Award, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Western Illinois University.

Rutledge was selected from among several nominees, who will remain eligible for consideration again in future years. Her recognition as First Citizen reflects her continued commitment to improving opportunities for residents throughout the Springfield area.