Samantha Steele
Commissioner
Samantha Steele serves as Commissioner for District 2 of the Cook County Board of Review, where she works to make the property tax system more fair, transparent, and accessible for taxpayers. She is the first Commissioner in the Board’s history to hold the Assessment Administration Specialist (AAS) designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) and is one of only four professionals in Illinois to earn this distinction. Steele is also a certified Level III Assessor/Appraiser with more than 20 years of experience in property valuation.
Since taking office, Steele has implemented programs to improve taxpayer service, including Analyst Days and the Board’s first Commercial Property Outreach Program. She introduced the Standardized Technique for Adjudicating Residential Appeals (STARA), which provides analysts with three times more data when reviewing appeals. Under her leadership, District 2 received the IAAO Distinguished Assessment Jurisdiction Award in 2023 and four National Association of Counties (NACo) awards in 2025.
Steele began her public service career as Assessor of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, in 2006, becoming the youngest Assessor in the county’s history. She lives in Evanston with her family.
Tara Orris
First Assistant Commissioner
Tara Orris is the First Assistant Commissioner for District 2 at the Cook County Board of Review. She joined the Board in September 2023 as Deputy Chief of Staff and was promoted to First Assistant Commissioner in December 2024. In this role, she serves as an executive advisor to Commissioner Steele and leads the daily operations of District 2. She oversees staff performance and training, manages interagency communication, and directs district-wide programs and objectives.
Tara has built extensive experiences across both non-profit and government sectors. After serving with AmeriCorps and earning a bachelor’s degree from Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she went on to work alongside local, state, and national politicians. She has also remained deeply engaged with community organizations and non-profits throughout her career.
Since moving back to her native Chicago in 2015, Tara has dedicated herself to strengthening local government. She has held leadership positions as Director of Community Engagement, Director of Planning and Development, and positions in administrative operations. While working full-time, she earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.
She lives in Hyde Park with her husband and daughter.
Ryan McIntyre
Executive Director to Commissioner Steele
Ryan McIntyre serves as the Executive Director to Commissioner Samantha Steele and has worked at the Cook County Board of Review since 2022.
In his role, Ryan directs District 2’s outreach program—scheduling and coordinating community events, managing resources, and building partnerships with community groups and fellow elected representatives to ensure effective engagement with constituents. He also serves as District 2’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, integrating these values into both outreach efforts and administrative functions. Additionally, Ryan works as a residential analyst and manages the Commissioner’s calendar, ensuring efficient operations across the office.
A Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO), Ryan is an active member of the Illinois Property Assessment Institute (IPAI) and the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO). He holds certificates in Labor & Employment Law and Labor Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago and earned a bachelor's degree in management with a minor in Public Relations from Columbia College Chicago.
Previously, Ryan worked in high-end retail, served as a local union president for more than seven years, and has worked and volunteered on political and advocacy campaigns. He has also been an organizer in LGBTQ+ equality movements, with experience on the LGBTQ+ Labor and Allies Executive Board, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. These experiences continue to inform his rewarding work assisting constituents with their property tax assessments.
Ryan has a passion for politics and activism, as well as podcasts, documentaries, thriller films, and traveling. Originally from Central Illinois, he now resides in Lake View.
Matt Fournier
Director of Commercial Valuations
Matt Fournier is the Director of Commercial Valuations for District 2 at the Cook County Board of Review. A Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO) with more than 20 years of experience in property assessment and valuation, he oversees the district’s commercial staff, develops policies and procedures that guide valuation and appeal decisions, and serves as District 2’s lead representative in high-value Central Business District appeals. He also manages the review and issuance of Certificates of Error.
Matt began his Board of Review career in 2004 as a residential, commercial, and exemption appeal analyst before moving to the private sector as a commercial appeal consultant. He returned to the Board in 2018 and was later appointed Director of Commercial Valuations under Commissioner Samantha Steele.
A Chicago native from the Beverly neighborhood, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Illinois and now resides in the South Loop.
Jake Leland
Director of Residential Valuations
Jake Leland serves as the Director of Residential Valuations at District 2. He has worked at the Cook County Board of Review since January 2021 and holds a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO) designation.
Jake consults on appeals and creates a positive work environment for staff by providing training and direction for members of District 2’s team of residential analysts.
Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Jake holds an Information Systems degree from Illinois State University and resides in the south suburbs.
Lucas Schumann
Director of Condominium Valuations
Lucas Schumann, the Director of Condominium Valuations for District 2, began working at the Board of Review (BOR) in 2019. He oversees the processing and management of all residential condominium and townhome appeals, guiding his team through each tax cycle.
Lucas works closely with the BOR’s other two districts to continually improve condominium valuation practices. His ultimate goal is to identify and act upon every opportunity to provide property taxpayers with relief.
Lucas holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO). He has 15 years of experience in finance and accounting within the real estate industry, including work in multi-family housing where he conducted pro forma financial and property management analyses for an apartment investment and management firm.
Originally from Palos Heights in the southwest suburbs, Lucas prioritizes family in his time off, especially his godson. He is also an avid golfer and volunteers with the Palos Lions Club — all of which is usually accompanied by his dog, BB.
Eric Langowski
Chief Data Officer
Eric Langowski has been District 2’s Chief Data Officer since 2023 and has over five years of experience in the property tax industry. His role consists of serving the public by enhancing and building tools for analysts to better review and present the large amount of data that the Board of Review (BOR) sees on an annual basis.
Eric's past roles in government agencies at municipal, city, county, state, and federal levels have helped him to fine-tune the use of modern technologies for the development of statistics and insights using vast datasets. He holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in math and a Master of Science degree in Computational Analysis and Public Policy from Indiana University.
His research on various aspects of property taxes has been featured in many publications such as Bloomberg News, the Washington Post, and the New York Times.
James Werner
Director of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
James Werner, Director of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), started at the Cook County Board of Review in Spring of 2023. With over three decades of experience in cartography and graphic communication, James plays a critical role in managing and utilizing GIS to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of property tax appeal reviews.
As the first person to take on a specific GIS role at the Board, James has implemented award-winning innovative solutions that improve data accessibility and visualizations, helping both taxpayers and analysts better understand the markets driving property tax assessment.
James is a Certified Tax Representative, Level III Assessor/Appraiser, a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers, and is a member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) as well as a candidate for ASA designation. He is currently pursuing his Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO) designation from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute (IPAI). He earned a master's degree from Purdue University.
Nicole Ooms
Director of Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB)
Nicole Ooms joined the Cook County Board of Review District 2 commercial team in 2024. She plays an integral role in Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) responsibilities as a hearing officer, including scheduling hearings and collecting evidence for future appeal dockets to be presented before judges in court.
With nearly 25 years of experience in the assessing field, Nicole works on commercial property appeals to ensure fair and equitable assessments. Her experience includes conducting sales ratio studies, validating sales, and reviewing appraisals and income data.
She previously worked as a hearing officer at the township assessor level and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Davenport University.
In her free time, Nicole enjoys coaching her daughter’s softball team, reading, spending time with friends and family, and attending sporting events and concerts.
Chesney Leafblad
Director of Education
Chesney Leafblad joined District 2 of the Cook County Board of Review (BOR) in July 2024 as the team’s Director of Education.
With over 20 years of experience in the assessment industry at the township and county level, Chesney has revitalized the development of education and training programs for BOR staff.
Chairwoman of the Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO) Association of Illinois, Chesney holds the highest designation of CIAO-Master. She is an instructor and course developer for the Illinois Property Assessment Institute (IPAI), which has informed her ability to provide guidance and coordination in her role at the BOR. She has over 700 hours of Continuing Education contributing to her CIAO-M designation and is currently a candidate for the Assessment Administration Specialist designation from the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).
Chesney also serves as a chair on the Education Committees for IPAI and IAAO. She was a founding member and former President of the Illinois Chapter of IAAO, which specializes in bringing industry standards and education to Illinois. Additionally, Chesney serves as the Vice President of Outreach for the Women’s Property Tax Association.
A wife and mother of four children including a set of twins, Chesney’s career has been dedicated to educating those in the assessment industry as well as the public. She is a local township trustee whose workshops, seminars, and expertise have been shared across the world.
In her role at the BOR, she seeks to memorialize an assessment manual that will serve District 2 analysts in their roles and ensure consistency in the application of appraisal standards, state and local laws and statutes, and processes in the adjudication of assessment appeals.
Linnea McHugh
Chief Policy Officer
Linnea McHugh joined the Cook County Board of Review District 2 in January 2025 as Chief Policy Officer. She serves as a key advisor to Board leadership and develops policies aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency, and fairness of property tax assessment appeals. Linnea works closely with elected officials and taxpayers to understand and address constituent needs and reduce barriers to the appeals process.
Her responsibilities include designing and implementing policy initiatives, analyzing property tax trends and legislative updates, and guiding the Board on legislative advocacy and community engagement.
Linnea is currently earning a Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO) designation through the Illinois Property Assessment Institute (IPAI).
Clare Kownacki
Director of Communications
Clare Kownacki is the Director of Communications for District 2 at the Cook County Board of Review. Since joining the Board in 2024, she has led the district’s communications strategies, ensuring taxpayers have clear, accurate, and accessible information regarding the property tax appeals process.
With communications experience across education, legal, and non-profit sectors, she has worked to increase transparency and tailor messaging to meet community needs. In her role at the Board, she actively engages with taxpayers at outreach events in order to better shape messaging that reflects district priorities and promotes responsiveness and inclusivity.
Clare is currently pursuing the Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (CIAO) designation through the Illinois Property Assessment Institute (IPAI). She holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and lives in the city’s south suburbs.