Judith Pardonnet joined the LIFT board following City of Treasure Island Commission approval in August of 2025.

She has owned property in Treasure Island since 2017 and became a permanent resident in 2023. After back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated the area, she immediately volunteered at City Hall, distributing essential items to residents who lost everything. Driven by her unwavering commitment to supporting her neighbors, she applied to join the LIFT board in the summer of 2025 to further serve her community. 

She is a nationally recognized crisis communicator and public affairs expert known for her unwavering integrity and unparalleled credibility among the news media in Chicago and nationwide. She has crafted messaging campaigns in the most high-pressure situations, consistently driving outstanding results throughout her eight years in state government and nearly a decade at Metra, Chicago’s major commuter railroad. Judith is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning broadcaster, celebrated for her investigative reporting, before advancing to specialize in strategic public engagement and communications.

For four years, she drove vital public policy and communications initiatives as a special assistant in the office of Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. Judith devoted hundreds of hours championing the rights and well-being of pregnant women in custody at the Cook County Jail, regardless of the severity of their charges. She also successfully partnered with a reporter to secure an in-depth feature in The Atlantic on the pregnant mothers’ program. At the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, Judith swiftly developed and implemented a comprehensive communication plan that safeguarded Sheriff’s Office employees and their families.

She served on the front lines for more than 9 years as Metra’s chief spokesperson, managing media coverage at the scenes of deadly crashes and major emergencies. Judy delivered authoritative live newscasts during derailments, rare crises like a hostage situation that shuttered the Ogilvie Transportation Center, and severe disruptions caused by blizzards, tornadoes, and widespread power outages.

As a front-line spokesperson for two Illinois governors, Judy managed high-stakes statewide issues, press conferences, and critical media inquiries—including Anthrax scares and emergency evacuation protocols implemented after 9/11, as well as driving property management reform in response to a major Chicago Tribune investigation.

Judith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication with a minor in Business Administration from Northern Michigan University.