The Democratic Women of DuPage County held their first ever Kathryn “Tinker” Harvey Founder’s Day
Event in May of 2014, an event created to honor Kathryn “Tinker” Harvey, who died on December 10 th ,
2013 and had been a force for the Democratic Party in DuPage County for nearly five decades. Over the
years, she was a champion for issues ranging from women’s rights to the environment and fair housing,
issues still relevant today. She was also a founding member of the board of directors for Illinois
Democratic Women, as well as the Democratic Women of DuPage County. The capstone of her career
was seeing Barack Obama elected in 2008, and by a majority in DuPage County! Tinker once told her
son, Miles, that “in order to be exceptional, sometimes you had to be the exception!”
In addition, the Democratic Women of DuPage County have created an annual award for a DuPage
County Democratic woman who has distinguished herself for courageous and persistent activism on
behalf of our shared Democratic values. The list that follows includes all the winners of the Tinker
Harvey award since 2014.

This event has come to be an opportunity to meet Democratic candidates, network, and enjoy the
company of fellow Democratic leaders. Watch this space for updates for current year date and location.

Previous winners of this prestigious award include the following:

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2015.…Shannon Burns...Education Program Coordinator for the DuPage County Forest Preserves

2016.…Corinne Pierog…Kane County Board Chairman

2017.…Dianne McGuire…Co-Leader of Indivisible Naperville

2018....Kim Savage…Co-President, Illinois Democratic Women

2019….Deb Conroy….DuPage County Board Chair & Former State Representative, District 46

2020….Linda Holmes…Assistant Deputy Leader, State Senator District 42

2020….Regina Brent…Founder/President of Unity Partnership

2021….Cynthia Borbas…Former Chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County & Wayne Township Dems

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2022....Jean Kaczmarek....DuPage County Clerk

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2023....Chris Hotchkin....Former Chair, Downers Grove Township Dems & Former Vice-Chair Democratic Party of DuPage County

 

2023....Julia Beckman....Former President, District 99 School Board, Former Central State Committeewoman,11th District & Former Chair, Downers Grove Township Dems

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2024....Marian Tomlinson...Former Chair of Milton Township, Volunteer, Northwestern School of Law Center   on Wrongful Convictions since 2004

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