Jenna Kearns joined Illinois Bar Foundation in August 2023 and is the Regional Program Manager for Illinois JusticeCorps. The Illinois JusticeCorps program enhances access to justice for the growing number of unrepresented people in the courts by empowering and training volunteers to help people without lawyers navigate the court system. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the JusticeCorps sites located at the courthouses in DeKalb, Kane, Kankakee, Knox, Lake, Madison, McHenry, Will, and Winnebago counties.
Mercedes began her journey with Illinois JusticeCorps as the Illinois JusticeCorps Fellow for Winnebago County in Rockford, IL. She later joined as staff as the Cook County Regional Coordinator of Illinois JusticeCorps at The Chicago Bar Foundation before joining the IBF team as the program continues to grow and expand statewide.