Champions of Change
A Rhodes Scholar and West Point graduate, Erica Borggren currently serves as the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA). There, she spearheaded the creation of Illinois Joining Forces (IJF), a statewide public-private network of nearly 200 organizations working together to better serve service members, veterans, and their families; a nationally awarded program, IJF serves to create a collaborative, “no wrong door” system of military and veteran support. Under Erica’s leadership, IDVA has also created a very successful Women Veterans Program and Veteran Entrepreneurship Program. Prior to her leadership in Governor Quinn’s Administration, Erica served as a speechwriter for General David Petraeus in Iraq and as a company commander in Korea.