Naperville District 203 appoints Tony Casey to fill school board vacancy

Naperville native Tony Casey has been appointed to fill a Naperville Unit District 203 school board seat vacated by Janet Yang Rohr.

Casey, an attorney and father of four, was chosen out of 32 candidates to replace Yang Rohr, who resigned in January to assume a new role as a state representative. He was sworn in Monday and will serve the remainder of his predecessor's term, which ends in 2023.

The school board unanimously approved Casey's appointment after an "exhaustive" multistep interview and application process, board President Kristin Fitzgerald said.

Born and raised in Naperville, Casey attended District 203 schools and graduated from Naperville Central High School. He went on to attend Georgetown University and later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School, where he now serves as a deputy dean, professor of law and economics, and founder and faculty director for the Center of Law and Finance, district officials said.

Casey moved back to Naperville with his family "because I have a deep commitment and love for this district," he said during Monday's meeting. "I really appreciate the opportunity the board has given by selecting me to fill this seat, and I appreciate the responsibility that comes with this position to the community as a whole."

Fitzgerald said board members were impressed by Casey's dedication and professional background throughout the interview process.

"Mr. Casey brings an abundance of experience to the board of education," she said, "most especially his educational and legal expertise combined with his expertise and research in the role of boards in managing large organizations."