Chief of Staff – Melissa Brandenburg

Melissa was named PRB’s first Chief of Staff in September of 2024. In her current capacity she provides direction and oversight to staff engaged in executing and fulfilling PRB’s statutory functions. She additionally facilitates the agency’s long-term goals, and evaluates policy and practices to ensure efficiency, consistency, and compliance.

Melissa started her professional career in the field of criminal justice, spending six years as a Probation Officer in both Christian and Vermilion Counties. While at Christian County Probation, Melissa helped implement and facilitate that county’s first Adult Drug Court Treatment Program.

Prior to joining PRB, Melissa spent 12 years at the Office of Executive Inspector General (OEIG) for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor serving first as an Investigator and then as a Supervising Investigator. At the OEIG she led and later supervised confidential investigations aimed at combatting fraud, waste, and abuse in State government.

Melissa received her MA in Criminal Justice from Loyola University Chicago in 2006, and BAs in Sociology and Psychology from Greenville University in 2004.  

Chief Legal Counsel - Patricia Jjemba

Patricia assumed her role as Chief Legal Counsel of PRB in July of 2025. As Chief Legal Counsel, she is responsible for leading strategic development and implementation of rules and policies concerning the agency. She provides legal interpretations of all relevant statutes, regulations, and policies for the PRB. Additionally, Patricia also oversees the agency’s statewide Preliminary Hearing Program. She is also involved with the PRB’s compliance with FOIA requests and media inquiries.

Prior to serving with the PRB, Patricia operated as Director of Legislative & External Affairs for the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender. In this capacity, she helped coordinate legislative initiatives that reflected the Public Defender’s policies. She was responsible for lobbying and advocating for legislative and policy initiatives of the Office. Patricia is also a former Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Attorney General, where she worked for five years regularly investigating, litigating, and working on legislative efforts related to patterns and practices of discrimination in an effort to protect the civil rights of all. In that role, she helped draft formal guidance alongside the Illinois State Board of Education directing schools and educators on discipline reform; drafted a multistate letter on behalf of State Attorneys General across the nation urging the Senate to pass the Equality Act; and, as part of the OAG’s Chicago Police Department Consent Decree team, monitored compliance with enumerated sections of the Chicago Police Consent Decree.

Until recently, Patricia also worked as a professor in Loyola University Chicago School of Law’s Legal Writing Program. A teacher at heart, she hopes to reengage in academic instruction in the future.

Patricia Jjemba is a proud first-generation Ugandan American. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs from Miami University of Ohio and Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law.

Chief Fiscal Officer - Elise Lambert

Elise has been a resident of Central Illinois most of her life. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University (2006), completing her work study with the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office. She received her Masters of Business Administration as well as a Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management from University of Illinois-Springfield (2013). During her time there she was a Graduate Assistant with the Department of Management as well as a Graduate Public Service Intern in Accounting and Fiscal Operations with Department of Corrections. Prior to completing her graduate studies, she worked as both the clerk and the bookkeeper for the law firm of Barber, Segatto, Hoffee, Wilke & Cate. Before joining PRB in 2025, she spent the last thirteen years in the private sector managing the financial interests of Wanless Trusts, which is located within the same law firm she began her career at but operates as its own entity. 

Director of Victim & Witness Services - Mary Ratliff

Mary is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in violence prevention and intervention.  Before joining PRB in 2025, she served as the Director of Strategic Project Administrators at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA).  She has also held the role of Program Director of the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Councils and the Safe From the Start Program at ICJIA. 

Throughout her career, Mary has worked extensively with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, serving as both a legal and medical advocate.  Her experience spans a range of roles, including volunteer coordination, prevention education for audiences from kindergarten through college, and program development and technical assistance for violence prevention grants.  She has provided professional training to criminal justice and social service personnel; administered state and federal level intervention and prevention funding, and led the management of task forces, boards, and commissions focused on improving community safety and support for victims.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in criminal justice and women’s studies from the University of Illinois at Springfield

Public Information Officer & Legislative Liaison – Liz Mitchell

Liz Mitchell joined the PRB as Legislative Liaison and Public Information Officer in February of 2026. In her current capacity as Legislative Liaison she serves as the primary link between the agency and the legislative bodies. She establishes and maintains working relationships with legislators and staffers, monitors legislative activity and advocates for the agency’s interests. Additionally, as Public Information Officer, Liz is responsible for managing and communicating information between the agency and the public, including the media.

Prior to joining PRB, Liz served on staff at the Illinois State Senate for nearly a decade, first as a senior writer in the Senate Democrats’ communication department and then as deputy press secretary for Senate President Don Harmon. She also has a professional background in public relations and newspaper journalism. Originally from Georgia, Liz received her bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Mercer University in Macon, GA in 2012, and her master’s degree in journalism from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 2014.