Cahill named to lead Peoria Park District

Emily Cahill, interim executive director of the Peoria Park District since the retirement of Bonnie Noble, was named to the position permanently on Monday.

The Park Board voted to fill the position from within the district this time. Earlier, the board voted to offer the position to Susan Knoblauch of Washington. She accepted at first, but later turned down the job to accept a position with the Illinois High School Association.

Cahill has been with the Peoria Park District since 2011. Since then she worked closely with Noble on the strategic operations of the district and oversaw all grant writing while serving on the districts grant writing, employee contributions and diversity initiative teams, according to the Park District news release.

Before coming to the Park District, Cahill worked 12 years at the Center for Prevention of Abuse.

Cahill is active in the volunteer community, as well. A member of the Junior League of Peoria, Cahill served as the organization’s president from 2007-2008. She also served on the American Red Cross Heart of America Board of Directors from 2008 to 2014, acting as its chair in 2012 and 2013. She received a 40 Leaders Under 40 Award in 2003, the 25 Women in Leadership Award in 2007, the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Junior League of Peoria in 2010, and the Prescott E. Bloom Community Service Award by the Peoria Jaycees in 2011.

Cahill is a native of Indiana and has a law degree from Indiana University. She has lived in central Illinois since 2000. She and her husband, Brian, have three children.

“I am honored and excited to serve the Peoria Park District in this new role. As an active member of this community, I look forward to advancing the mission of the Peoria Park District and tackling the challenges that we face. I look forward to working with the outstanding leadership of this District to serve our community,” Cahill said in the news release.

Park Board President Tim Cassidy said Cahill is “highly qualified and has unique skills to be an excellent executive director of the Peoria Park District and I'm looking forward to working with her and the entire Staff to insure our Park District continues as one of the best.”