Chris Kalapodis: 2024 candidate for McHenry County Coroner

Bio

Party: Democrat

Office Sought: McHenry County Coroner

City: Lake in the Hills

Age: Not given

Occupation: Registered Nurse

Previous offices held: None

Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?

I am running for office to improve the public health and safety of our communities. The pandemic and opioid crisis are two issues that demanded my call to action. I worked in critical care as a registered nurse during the pandemic and became an in-hospital code/stroke responder during this time. I witnessed the effects of miscommunication of scientific data and the devastating loss of life during that time and I believe McHenry County Citizens demand a servant dedicated to the facts. For the opiate epidemic, I have witnessed the impact this crisis has on our communities. There are many avenues of improvement our government can respond to and the coroner's office is poised to take action at the first opportunity.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

My priority will be in creating a live dashboard that updates in real time the causes of death related to drugs, suicides and gun violence. There is no reason for the coroner's office to release data in an annual fashion when invested organizations, partnering agencies, and concerned citizens could utilize this data once it's available.

What special experience and professional qualifications does a person need to be an effective coroner? What experiences and qualifications do you possess that will provide a foundation for your success in the office?

I believe anyone with a scientific background and experience working with death and grieving families is important qualifications. I am a certified Critical Care Registered Nurse with experience in being a crisis response nurse, responding to strokes, decompensating patients, and cardiac arrests that occur in a hospital. I witnessed over 60 deaths in 2020 alone, and handled many phone calls related to their families to inform them of imminently dying or recently passed loved ones. I also have experience in hospice and now case management for a critical care unit where I frequently discuss goals of care and death/dying with patients and their loved ones. Furthermore, I have experience in professional leadership and shared governance structures that required collaborating and implementing policy changes across an entire hospital. I understand the importance of leading by example and stepping in to fill roles that will assist my staff.

Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the coroner's office. Are personnel allocated as they should be? Are there capital expenses or other budgetary items that the office must address, and, if so, how do you propose to address them?

At this time, I do not have enough data to describe how the coroner's resources are properly utilized. I will pursue a budget that provides an effective Coroner's office while smartly allocating taxpayer funds.

Describe your position on transparency and public service in the coroner's office and the ease of access to records by the public. If you believe improvements are needed, what are they and how would you go about achieving them?

I believe the coroner's office needs to release information regarding public health concerns (opioid crisis, suicides, gun violence, etc.) in a prompt fashion. The data from the coroner's office is vital to other government agencies and organizations that work in the community. Integrating that data utilizing a Geographical Integration System (GIS) to create a live interactive dashboard. Lake County Coroner has successfully integrated this and I would seek collaboration with our neighboring county to assist in smoothing the transition for McHenry County.

Please describe your philosophy about working with the media to get information to the public.

The media is one of the checks and balances citizens hold for elected officials. I would work and collaborate with the media to ensure accurate timely release of information occurs.