DBP Team

DBP Team

John M. (Jack) Dorgan

Managing Partner

(847) 696-7211 (Rosemont)

(217) 544-6500 (Springfield)

jack@dbpteam.com

Jack is the Founder and Managing Partner of DBP Team with a vast amount of experience in state and municipal government, including public policy development, budget and regulatory oversight, procurement, human resources, change management, and general operations.

In Illinois government, Jack has held several leadership roles including Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Executive Director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and Assistant Director of Personnel & Government Services under the leadership of Governors Jim Edgar and James R. Thompson.

As Assistant Director of Personnel and Government Services, Jack worked with all 60 agencies under the jurisdiction of Governor James R. Thompson, giving him intricate knowledge of Illinois government operations.

During his tenure as Executive Director of the Illinois Liquor Commission, he implemented many policy and regulatory reforms that have had a long-term positive impact on Illinois’ alcohol beverage industry.  While at the Liquor Control Commission, he was the youngest member of Governor Jim Edgar’s cabinet which gives him a great sense of pride.

Jack was recruited to serve as the Deputy Chief of Staff to then Speaker of the House Lee Daniels.  In that capacity, he managed all staff responsible for enacting state legislation, research, appropriations, legal and communications.  After his tenure in the Speaker’s Office, Jack launched his own firm and later merged with former Democratic House Majority Leader, Jim McPike.

For almost two decades Dorgan, McPike and Associates handled top tier clients in the corporate, government, and non-profit sectors.  Jack then went on to start JBP Team as its Managing Partner.

Jack is the second longest serving member of the Illinois GOP Central Committee and currently serves as the Chairman Emeritus of the State GOP.  He is credited with taking the reins of the organization when the state party needed restructuring.  During his tenure, he is credited with turning around the political organization that went on to achieve historic wins at the state and congressional levels of government.

Jack is one of only two Chairman in GOP history to remain a member of the governing body after his term in office expired.

Jack believes that being an advocate requires certain skills and a keen understanding of how good public policy is created. In that belief, he knows that understanding people and deciphering what drives them is critical to the success of any initiative. Having a solid reputation and good interpersonal skills is important to one’s ability to open doors.  Removing obstacles and achieving results requires good relationships and a true understanding of how an issue affects all parties including legislators, policy makers, and the constituencies they serve.

Jack is involved with numerous charitable organizations.  He also serves as an elected Trustee for the Village of Rosemont where he has been a member of the board since 1993.  Currently, he is Chairman of the Village’s Finance Committee.

Jack has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola University.  He resides with his family in Rosemont, Illinois.

Kimberly E. McCullough-Starks

Senior Vice President

(847) 696-7211 (Rosemont)

(217) 544-6500 (Springfield)

Kim@dbpteam.com

Kimberly is a senior leader with over three decades of multi-sector success in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors including city, county, state, and federal agencies. She brings business acumen combined with a passion for positive impact on people and communities in heavily regulated industries resulting in transformational change.

She has worked in various industries including alcohol beverage, convention and tourism, telecommunications, entertainment, and healthcare. She has notable expertise in the design, implementation, and management of community engagement and award-winning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. She brings business acumen combined with a passion for positive impact on people and communities resulting in transformational change.

Most recently, she served as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), the largest health insurer in the State of Illinois.  HFS ensures that the most vulnerable citizens have access to affordable, high-quality healthcare serving approximately 25 percent of the state’s population or over 3.1 million adults and children who qualify for Medicaid with an operating budget of $31 billion which represents one third of the State of Illinois’ operating budget.

At HFS, she led health equity focused initiatives including telehealth expansion and the Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives Program stimulating partnerships between healthcare providers in underserved communities to address inequities in healthcare delivery.

Prior to her role at HFS, Kimberly served as Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services which manages the personnel, procurement, labor relations, minority and women-owned business contracting program, group health insurance, property management, information technology, and telecommunications operations for the 60 agencies, boards, and commissions in Illinois Government.

Before she rejoined State Government in 2014, Kimberly was Director of External Affairs for AT&T Illinois.  In this capacity, she planned and implemented community impact programs in the organization’s regulatory, legislative, and community affairs divisions.

As a business leader in the city of Chicago, Kimberly established relationships with community leaders and organizations, media, and elected officials at the city, county, state, and federal levels of government to advance the company’s agenda related to regulatory compliance and corporate social responsibility.

Also, Kimberly is no stranger to the convention and tourism industry.  She worked for the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority (MPEA), which at the time owned and operated McCormick Place, the country’s largest convention center, and Navy Pier, Illinois largest tourist attraction.  At MPEA, she worked on the legislative and community affairs team, and oversaw the diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Over the course of her career, Kimberly has worked on major legislative and policy reform issues including:

    • Modernization of Illinois Liquor Laws
    • Labor Reform in Illinois’ Convention Industry
    • Illinois Telecommunication Modernization
    • Voice Over the Internet Protocol Expansion
    • Telehealth Expansion
    • Healthcare Transformation
    • Diversity Equity & Inclusion / Minority Business Participation Programming

Kimberly has received many awards and has been recognized for her work across sectors.  Most recently she was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Leader in Healthcare for her work focused on health equity.

Kimberly brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the public, private and non-profit sectors to DBP Team. LLC.  She is married with three children and has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from DePaul University.

Ashlyn Deakin Sodowski

Legislative Director

(847) 696-7211 (Rosemont)

(217) 544-6500 (Springfield)

Ashlyn@dbpteam.com

Ashlyn Deakin Sodowski has over eight years of experience working in public policy for the State of Illinois. Ashlyn started her public sector career in the Illinois State Senate President’s office as a Legislative Assistant to State Senator Heather Steans from Illinois’ 7th State Senate District.

In this role, Ashlyn primarily dealt with the state’s budget, as Senator Steans was the chief budgeteer for the Senate, by clerking the Senate Appropriations committee and handling meetings with Directors of state agencies.

After 8 years in the Illinois Senate President’s office, Ashlyn took on a new challenge and became the Legislative Director for DBP Team, LLC.

Ashlyn is primarily focused on analyzing and tracking all legislation brought before the Illinois General Assembly as well as articulating the concerns DBP clients about various policy matters to the members of the General Assembly.

Prior to the beginning of her career in State Government, Ashlyn studied as a dietician major at Western Illinois University where she graduated with honors from her undergraduate program.

Ashlyn currently lives with her family in Springfield, Illinois. She enjoys traveling and long walks in the park with her husband and two dogs.