Kimako Patterson
Dr. Kimako Patterson is the Chief of Staff for the Illinois State Board of Education. She served as Superintendent of Prairie-Hills Elementary School District 144 for 12 years. She has been in the field of education for more than 25 years. She has been a teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction, and an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Technology.
Dr. Patterson has a bachelor’s degree in English Education, along with a master’s degree in educational leadership, and a Doctorate in Education from National Louis University. Formerly, she sat on the advisory board for Trinity Christian College, and the Board of Directors for the Autism Society of Illinois. She is the past President of IASA-South Cook (Illinois Association of School Administrators) and the past President of the SCSDD (Superintendent’s Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity) along with sitting on the Illinois Task Force for Autism and other various local, state, and federal agencies and organizations. Currently, she sits on the executive boards for IASA (Illinois Association of School Administrators) and SCSDDD (Superintendent’s Commission for the Study of Demographics and Diversity).
During her last year as Superintendent, she opened the district’s first STEAM Academy for students in grades K-3. Dr. Kimako Patterson’s passion is contagious and all who collaborate with her, for her, and alongside her, have come to know and understand the elevated expectations she has for her staff, parents, and students. She is excited about joining the Illinois State Board of Education as the Chief of Staff. Dr. Kimako Patterson is determined to ensure that we provide equality, equity, and excellence to all students within the state of Illinois.
Dr. Patterson has three wonderful children, two boys and one girl. She is the parent of a son with autism and advocates for special needs children on all levels, local, state, and federal.