Gov. Pritzker Announces Director Appointment to the Illinois Department of Insurance

For Immediate Release – January 4, 2021

Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following appointment in his administration:

Dana Popish Severinghaus will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI).* Popish Severinghaus has extensive legal, policy, government relations and insurance industry-related experience, Popish Severinghaus was formerly Legislative and Regulatory Counsel at Allstate Insurance Company where she advised Allstate and its subsidiaries on legal, regulatory and legislative matters across the Midwest. Before that, she served as Senior Policy Advisor at the State of Illinois in Central Management Services where she saw oversaw the Bureau of Benefits. Prior to that, Popish Severinghaus served as the Director of Government Relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Popish Severinghaus is a Member of the Association of Corporate Counsel, Board Member of the Illinois Insurance Guaranty Fund, Secretary of the Illinois Insurance Association, Advisory Board Member and Co-Chair of Government Relations Advisory Council for the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, Women in Law Mentor at Chicago Kent College of Law and Auxiliary Board Member of ChildServ. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Journalism & Mass Communications from the University of Iowa and Juris Doctor from Chicago Kent College of Law.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.