James L. Bennett ’87
Andrew Purnell Jr. Trailblazer Award Winner
- Director of Illinois Department of Human Rights
A career of service and leadership began for Jim Bennett as an undergraduate student completing a marketing degree at ISU. He served on the Academic Senate, was president of the Association of Residence Halls, and founded a campus chapter of the American Red Cross.
Bennett began his career at the Central Illinois Chapter of the Red Cross, leading initiatives to respond to disasters and service military families during Operation Desert Storm. Throughout his life, he has devoted himself to giving voice to those who may not otherwise be heard. He has done so through work at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, serving on the board of RefugeeOne, and as a longtime member of Broadway United Methodist Church.
For 11 years, Bennett served as the Midwest Regional Director at Lambda Legal—the nation’s largest legal organization dedicated to securing the full civil rights of individuals in the LGBTQ community. Bennett was a lead strategist in Illinois' and Iowa’s marriage campaigns. In 2013, he chaired Illinois Unites for Marriage, the statewide coalition that led the successful effort to win marriage equality in Illinois.
Bennett was appointed Illinois Department of Human Rights director by Governor JB Pritzker in 2019, leading the agency charged with enforcing Illinois' laws ensuring fair treatment for all. Governor Pritzker appointed Bennett in 2021 to chair the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. It is charged with investigating the root causes of hate crimes, how Illinois responds to incidents, and what we collectively need to do differently moving forward.
In addition to his degree from ISU, Bennett earned an MBA from the University of Illinois-Springfield. His creative credits are equally impressive. He is an alumnus of the Second City Conservatory and a Moth Storytelling Grandslam Champion sharing his experience fighting for marriage equality across Iowa. A member of Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, Bennett has been inducted into the Steve and Sandi Adams Legacy Hall of Fame at ISU and is a recipient of the Equality Illinois’ Freedom Award. Bennett is married to Dr. Terry Vanden Hoek.