Mount Prospect welcomes new public information officer

Marianthi Thanopoulos is eager to talk about what’s happening in Mount Prospect.

That’s good, because she is the village’s new public information officer, the person responsible for spreading the word about news in town.

“I’m excited because this is a very warm, welcoming community,” Thanopoulos said. “And there’s so much going on here right now.”

As public information officer, Thanopoulos will develop newsletters, write news releases, help coordinate special events and manage the village’s communication on the Internet and via social-media outlets.

Thanopoulos worked previously for the City of Evanston, doing communications and marketing outreach for the local public library. She’s a lifelong Chicago-area resident, having grown up in Melrose Park and Addison. Thanopoulos replaces Maura El Metennani, who left the village after 14 years to pursue other professional opportunities.

“Maura did a great job here, and I hope my skills will complement everything she accomplished,” Thanopoulos said.

Looking ahead, Thanopoulos cited the ongoing redevelopment efforts in the downtown area as something she expects to be talking quite a bit about in the near future. She’s also preparing herself to assist with the village’s upcoming celebration of its 100th anniversary, which happens in 2017.