South side pastor latest Rauner tollway appointee

A Chicago pastor who has fought to stop violence on the city's South side heads to suburbia as Gov. Bruce Rauner's latest appointee to the Illinois tollway board.

The Rev. Corey Brooks, senior pastor at New Beginnings Church, "has a strong track record of working with private and public entities to affect positive change in the community," Rauner said Friday.

Brooks tweeted, "excited to be named to the Illinois State Tollway Highway Authority Board. Hopefully I can be a benefit to the office."

Brooks supported Rauner in his gubernatorial campaign.

Brooks founded Project Hood, Helping Others Obtain Destiny, a campaign for a community center on the South side.

Brooks graduated from Ball State University, has a law degree from the University of Florida and graduate degrees from Dallas Theological Seminary and the Grace Theological Seminary.

Brooks is the most recent appointee by Rauner, who has added a new chairman, executive director and three other directors to the tollway board.