As a government agency, the MWRD is governed by an elected Board of Commissioners. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Commissioners and manages day-to-day operations. Eight appointed department heads report to the Executive Director; these departments include Engineering, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Law, Maintenance & Operations, Monitoring & Research and Procurement & Materials Management. Another department head level position is the Treasurer, who serves as the chief financial officer and is appointed by and reports to the Board. General Administration is a support unit reporting to the Executive Director and includes the Administrative Services Division, the Diversity-Affirmative Action section, the Environmental Justice section and the Public Affairs section.

Office of the Independent Inspector General

Ethics Commission and Ethics Advisor

Civil Service Board

Executive Director

The MWRD Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Commissioners and manages day-to-day operations. Eight appointed department heads, the Administrative Services Officer, the Diversity Administrator, and the Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Officer report directly to the Executive Director.

Officer: Brian Perkovich, Executive Director

After a nationwide search, the MWRD Board of Commissioners selected civil engineer Brian Perkovich to serve as its Executive Director in December, 2018.

Brian has 25 years of experience working at the MWRD, a majority of it in the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Department. He began his career at the MWRD in 1993 and later was selected to lead operations at the Egan Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Schaumburg and at the Hanover Park WRP before being promoted to lead operations at the Calumet WRP in Chicago in 2005. Most recently, he served as Assistant Director of M&O.

Brian represents the MWRD in the Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies and as a Past President. He was named the recipient of the 2021 Illinois Award from the Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies, its highest honor. He is also a member of the Water Environment Federation.

Brian received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his Master’s degree in Business Administration in Finance from DePaul University.

Engineering Department

The MWRD's Engineering Department is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing a Capital Improvement Program that meets the MWRD's statutory responsibilities.

Officer: Dr. Catherine O'Connor, Director of Engineering

Catherine O’Connor is the Director of Engineering for the MWRD. The Engineering Department is responsible for planning, design and construction of projects prioritized in the Capital Improvement Program and projects in the Stormwater Management Program. The department also administers the county-wide Watershed Management Ordinance and regulates the construction and maintenance of local sewers which are tributary to the MWRD’s intercepting sewers.  Catherine is involved in the efforts to manage stormwater to build a resilient community and efforts to transform MWRD operations from waste treatment to resource recovery operations, particularly with phosphorus recovery and methane utilization projects.

Catherine is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Illinois and has earned a Doctoral degree in Environmental Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology.  Her doctoral research focused on removal and recovery of silver from dilute solution to support water reuse in industry.

Clerk of the District/Finance

The mission of the Finance Department is to provide accurate, economical, and efficient financial payment, collection, accounting and reporting services on the transactions of the MWRD.

Officer: Jacqueline Torres, Director of Finance/Clerk

Jacqueline Torres was appointed to the position of Clerk/Director of Finance July 2003.  She is responsible for managing the day to day operations of the Finance Department, including payments, revenue collections, and financial reporting in compliance with relevant statutes and professional standards.   She maintains official records of Board of Commissioners proceedings and minutes. Jacqueline joined the MWRD as Assistant Treasurer in December 1999 and managed the daily Treasury operations, including oversight of investment and debt portfolios, tax levy collection and distribution processes.  She also assisted in the issuance of long term debt and created related policies and procedures.  Prior to joining the MWRD, she held various accounting and treasury positions with a privately held corporation and the Chicago Park District. 

Jacqueline earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago and a Master of Business Administration degree from Roosevelt University.

General Administration

General Administration supports the office of the Executive Director in implementing Board policies. The organization includes Environmental Justice, Diversity and Contract Compliance; Facilities; Management and Budget; Police; and Public Affairs.

Officer: Allison Fore, Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Officer

Allison Fore has served as the Public & Intergovernmental Affairs Officer at the MWRD since 2011. She has 30 years of experience in government communications, having also worked for the Illinois State Treasurer, Illinois General Assembly, Indiana Secretary of State, and Indiana Department of Environmental Management. She received her Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration and Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Indiana University’s School of Public Health. She is the 2020 recipient of the Water Environment Federation’s (WEF’s) Public Communication and Outreach Program Award,  a 2023 recipient of the WEF Volunteer Service Recognition Pin, and the 2022 Public Information & Education Award for the MWRD’s “Where Does IT Go?” animation from the National Association of Clean Water Agency.

Officer: Shellie Riedle, Administrative Services Officer

Shellie Riedle has served as the Administrative Services Officer for the MWRD since November 2021. She oversees preparation of the MWRD annual budget and manages the MWRD Police, fleet services and facilities, including the Main Office Building Complex. Prior to her current position, Ms. Riedle served as Budget Officer for the MWRD for 6 years. Before coming to the MWRD, she spent four years as the Deputy Budget Director for Cook County, Illinois and 12 years at the City of Chicago serving in the Departments of Environment, Streets & Sanitation, Buildings, and Business Affairs & Consumer Protection. She received a Masters in Public Administration degree from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Illinois University. 

Environmental Justice Program Manager - Vacant

 

Human Resources Department

The mission of the MWRD Human Resources Department is to provide effective human resource management by developing and implementing policies, programs and services that align with the MWRD’s Strategic Plan and focusing on inclusive work practices and recruiting strategies that results in a workforce that reflects the diversity of the MWRD service area.

Officer: Ted J. Kosowski, Director of Human Resources

Ted J. Kosowski is the Director of Human Resources for the MWRD. Ted has over 27 years of experience in managing various human resources and safety functions in the service, manufacturing, and transportation industries. Ted began his career at the MWRD as a Personnel Assistant in 1997 and was promoted into various roles within the Human Resources Department since that time. Ted spent the majority of his MWRD career managing Employee Relations activities and now leads the six sections of the Department: Employee Selection; Employee Development; Classification, Compensation, and Benefits; Risk Management; Safety; and Employee Relations. Ted received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago.

Information Technology Department

The mission of the Information Technology Department is to provide cost effective business technology, communication, and data security services that support business practices and provide access to information for decision-making for all departments.

Officer: Sean Kelly, Director of Information Technology 

Sean T. Kelly is the Director of Information Technology at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD).  As Director his responsibilities include oversight of the MWRD’s information technology as it relates to IT strategy, policy, support, and operational efficiency. Mr. Kelly has more than 25 years of information technology experience, both in private and public sectors, with a strong committed background in the education and utility sectors.  Mr. Kelly actively participates in local, state, and national information management forums and advisory committees in technology and cybersecurity across the water/wastewater sector.

Mr. Kelly graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and has a Master of Science in Information Systems & Instructional Technology from DePaul University. He holds several technical and professional certifications including ITIL Foundation and ITIL Practitioner, and an Illinois State Board of Education License in Career and Technical Education (CTE). 

Law Department

The Law Department provides legal counsel and representation for the MWRD, including litigation, transactional, and real estate administration services.  The General Counsel heads the department of 38 staff members.  Reporting to her are the Deputy General Counsel and five Head Assistant Attorneys who manage the five divisions of the department: Contracts & Legislation; Environmental, Construction & Torts; Employment; Real Estate; and User Charge & Industrial Waste.  The General Counsel also serves as the MWRD’s Ethics Advisor.

Officer: Susan T. Morakalis

Susan T. Morakalis is the first female General Counsel of the MWRD. In this capacity she leads the following Divisions: Contracts and Finance, Environmental Construction and Torts, Employment, Real Estate and User Charge and Ordinance Enforcement. Susan was appointed in 2017 and previously served as the Head Assistant Attorney of the Real Estate Division. She joined the MWRD in 1997 as a Senior Attorney. Prior to joining the MWRD, she worked in private practice. 

Susan received her Juris Doctor from the John Marshall Law School and her Bachelor's of Art degree from the University of Illinois–Champaign Urbana.

Maintenance and Operations Department 

The mission of the Maintenance & Operations Department is to maintain and operate the MWRD’s facilities at an optimal level and to protect our environment by collecting and treating wastewater, minimizing flooding, maintaining our waterways, and producing and beneficially reusing high quality biosolids in the most economical and environmentally sustainable manner.

Officer: John P. Murray, Director of Maintenance and Operations

John P. Murray serves as the Director of Maintenance and Operations. He has worked in the water industry for over 18 years and is in his 17th year of service at the MWRD.  He previously served as Section Head for the Stormwater Management and Local Sewer Systems Sections and worked in the Biosolids Management Program.

John is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University.

Monitoring and Research

The Monitoring and Research Department conducts environmental monitoring to assess regulatory compliance and impacts of MWRD operations, applied research to provide technical support for operations and administers the MWRD’s Resource Recovery, Industrial Pretreatment and User Charge programs. The M&R Department also provides analytical laboratory support for use in controlling treatment and other operations, and leads long-term capital planning.

Officer: Edward W. Podczerwinski, P.E., Director of Monitoring and Research

Edward W. Podczerwinski, P.E., is the director of the MWRD's Monitoring and Research Department, where he has been employed since 1997. The M&R Department is comprised of 300 employees with a $32 million budget.

Procurement

The mission of the Department of Procurement and Materials Management is to procure materials and services required for MWRD operations.

Officer: Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management

Darlene LoCascio is the MWRD’s Director of Procurement and Materials Management. She joined the MWRD in 1994 after working several years at the Chicago Park District and the City of Chicago. She supervises 63 staff members and is responsible for procuring all materials and services that are used in the MWRD’s day to day operations. The Purchasing Act outlines the duties and responsibilities of the Director in the various areas of purchasing supplies and services, requesting and receiving bids, determining control and operation of the storerooms, disposing of obsolete, surplus, and unusable materials, and verifying quality and testing of materials.

Darlene graduated with her Master's degree in Business Administration from Dominican University, and she received her Bachelor's of Business in Accountancy from Western Illinois University. She is the MWRD's first female director of Procurement and Materials Management.

Treasury

The mission of the Treasury Section is to provide quality management of the MWRD’s financial resources by maximizing income on investments with minimal risk; issuing bonds to finance the wastewater collection, treatment, and flood control facilities’ capital needs; cost-effectively meeting the cash requirements of the MWRD’s operations, utilizing appropriate technology and efficient banking practices; and maintaining the MWRD’s outstanding bond ratings.

Treasurer: Steve Lux

Steven J. Lux was appointed by the Board on June 6, 2024 as Treasurer of the District.  The Treasurer is responsible to maintain the District’s cash and investments while maintaining a proper level of liquidity while maximizing investment returns.  The Treasurer is also responsible for debt management which consists of issuing bonds, timely payment of principal and interest payments and ensuring the District has capacity to issue bonds under its Debt Service Extension Base and maintain relations with rating agencies and investors.  The Treasurer also manages the assets of the District’s Retiree Healthcare Trust Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB).  

Steve brings more than 35 years of accounting and finance expertise, having started his career at Touche Ross, which later merged with Deloitte. In 1996, he joined the City of Chicago, his former client, as Deputy Comptroller. advancing to Managing Deputy Comptroller and then City Comptroller before serving as a Director at Baker Tilly for two years.

In 2013, Steve returned to government as the Chief Financial Officer of the Chicago Park District. During his eleven-year career at the Park District, he supervised various departments including Budget and Management, Comptroller’s Office, Finance, Performance Management, Procurement, Revenue and Treasury.  He transitioned the Park District’s health care to a self-insured model, implemented cost-saving measures, and reduced utility costs by hedging energy prices during the pandemic.

Steve graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign with a Bachelor of Sciences in Accountancy.