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Dr. Rena Whitten Appointed as New Superintendent of ECHO Joint Agreement

The Executive Board of Directors of the ECHO Joint Agreement is proud to announce the unanimous appointment of Dr. Rena Whitten as Superintendent, effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Whitten will succeed Dr. Sandra Thomas, whom the Board sincerely thanks for her dedicated leadership and service over the past seven years.


To support this important transition, the Board partnered with executive search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to conduct a comprehensive and inclusive search. Through community engagement sessions with staff and families, HYA gathered valuable input that helped shape a leadership profile used to evaluate nearly 50 candidates.


“The Executive Board of Directors is grateful to the many ECHO stakeholders who contributed to this important selection process. We are extremely pleased and excited that we were able to secure the very talented and experienced Dr. Whitten. With the wealth of her experience and knowledge of ECHO, she will be a significant asset to our cooperative,” stated Dr. Dwayne Evans, President of the Executive Board of Directors.


Dr. Whitten brings more than 16 years of experience from Thornton Fractional High School District 215, where she has served in various leadership roles including Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Equity, Executive Director of Student Services/Principal of the Center for Alternative Learning, Director of Student Services, Speech Language Pathologist, and interim Co-Superintendent.


She began her career in speech and language services at Midlothian School District 143 and Crete-Monee School District 201-U.


Dr. Whitten holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Health Science in Communication Disorders, and a Master’s in Educational Administration—all from Governors State University. She earned her Doctorate in Special Education from Walden University, and has completed post-graduate studies at both the University of Illinois and through the American Association of School Administrators.


“I am honored by the opportunity to serve as the next Superintendent of the ECHO Joint Agreement. I look forward to working collaboratively with the dedicated educators, staff, families, and community partners of the ECHO Joint Agreement community to ensure our students receive the exceptional education they deserve. Together, we will build on ECHO’s strong foundation and continue creating opportunities that empower every student to reach their full potential," -- Dr. Rena Whitten.

Superintendent Dr. Rena Whitten

Dr. Rena Whitten, Superintendent  [email protected]

Antonia Salters                Secretary to the Superintendent & ECHO Executive Board of Directors

 [email protected]
708-985-4401 (DL)