Alumnae Leadership Award

Kathleen Kennedy started college at the University of Dayton, then returned to Chicago to graduate from DePaul University with a BA in Psychology, later graduating from Northwestern University School of Law.

 

After graduation, she served as a judicial law clerk for Justice Dom J. Rizzi of the Illinois Appellate Court, and for Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow of the United States District Court. In 1989, Kathleen joined the Office of the Cook County Public Guardian as supervisor of appeals and class actions, writing briefs and arguing appeals on behalf of abused and neglected children and disabled adults in Illinois reviewing courts. She also worked as a hearing officer in juvenile court and as an adjunct professor of juvenile law at DePaul University College of Law. In 1996, Kathleen was elected as a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court. She served for 16 years in the Domestic Relations Division, handling a high-volume call in the expedited child support section, where she ruled on custody, visitation, and support issues for children of unmarried parents. Later, she spent four years in the Chancery Division and was selected by the Chief Judge to serve as a mentor for new judges.

 

She retired five years ago after 20 years on the bench, and enjoys spending time camping, hiking, and with her beloved children and grandchildren.  Kathleen gratefully states “Trinity gave me deep and enduring friendships that have carried me for the past 56 years; a legacy of friends you can always count on.”