Meet Judith
Senior Communications Strategist
Judith Pardonnet is a top crisis communicator and public affairs expert who has built an outstanding reputation for integrity and credibility among the news media in Chicago, Illinois, and nationwide. She develops messaging campaigns in high-stakes situations that deliver successful results. Judy is effective in protecting and enhancing public reputations, gaining trust of individuals, achieving consensus, and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships.
For more than four years, she served as a special assistant in the office of Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart, focusing on public policy and communications. She was responsible for creating a communication plan for employees and families during the COVID-19 pandemic, and spent hundreds of hours advocating for pregnant women in custody at the Cook County Jail, for which she successfully secured a feature in The Atlantic about the program.
In the private sector, Judy was responsible for media relations in 135 cities served by Veolia Transportation, now Transdev, during protests and collective bargaining issues. She responded to media at the scenes of deadly crashes and other emergencies, for more than nine years, working as Metra's chief spokesperson. Judy spoke with authority during live newscasts, including derailments, rare events such as a hostage situation that shut down the Ogilvie Transportation Center, and severe weather disruptions.
During her political campaign career, she was part of Gov. Jim Edgar's re-election campaign for his second term. Judy researched, wrote, and produced broadcast commercials. As a front-line spokesperson for the administrations of two Illinois governors, Judy handled numerous statewide issues, press conferences, and media inquiries. These included building evacuation protocols implemented following the 9/11 attacks, and property leasing reform.
Judy was a WGN Chicago capital correspondent covering downstate breaking news. Her broadcast awards include an Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Journalism, a Silver Dome Award from the Illinois Broadcasters Association, an Outstanding Service Award from the Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars for live embedded coverage of soldiers returning from the Gulf War, and an Investigative Journalism Award from the Illinois Associated Press.
Judy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication with a minor in business from Northern Michigan University.