Alderman Gardiner’s Revolving Door

Last updated: 2-20-2021

In his first 13 months in office, five staff members departed Alderman Gardiner’s staff. Since then two more have left. Some cited an abusive environment, other were reportedly fired for “disloyalty”. This degree of turnover is unusual. Most Aldermanic staffers are closely trusted individuals who spend one or more four-year terms with an Alderman. Gardiner’s staff departures include:

  • Tanya King (6 months): Worked on the Gardiner campaign then joined his staff full-time on Day 1 of his term, May 20, 2019. King resigned six months later. FOIA emails with city employees reveal “due to personal safety concerns” among reasons for leaving. Her last official day was November 29, 2019.

  • Gina Munoz Hahne (13 months): Joined on Day 1, previously a staffer for former Alderman Deb Mell. Fired on June 24, 2020, reportedly due to Gardiner’s paranoia that she was in some way “disloyal”. Gina now works for State Representative Jaime Andrade.

  • Matthew Eisenbart (12 months): Joined in June, 2019. Fired on June 24, 2020, reportedly for the same reasons as Hahne. Gardiner, ever the show of bravery, had the 16th District Police Precinct dispatch a patrolman to sit in the office when he fired Hahne and Eisenbart.

  • Anne Kamykowski (0 days): Joined, sort of, November 21, 2019. Her story is odd in that she attended a DPD meeting as a “consultant” with Gardiner on November 21, 2019 when he tried to force the Six Corners SSA to change their bylaws on the spot to remove a Commissioner Gardiner didn’t like. Reportedly Gardiner was so impressed by the few sentences she uttered in the meeting that he offered her a job right there and took her straight to HR to fill out the City’s employment paperwork. All of her paperwork is in fact dated November 21, 2019. She resigned less than two months later on January 8, 2020 citing “I resigned… I never worked and was not given a start date [by Alderman Gardiner].”

  • Ethan Brady (4.5 months): Joined December 2, 2019. His paperwork was processed at the same time as Kamykowski’s, though he apparently was given a start date. Brady resigned after only four months, his last official day was April 16, 2020. Brady resigning immediately on the 16th, giving no notice, and specifically calling out in his resignation email that he was “declining the salary increase” scheduled to take effect on May 1.

  • Rita Howard (21 months): Joined Day 1, formerly employed by vanquished Alderman O’Connor. According to Gardiner’s office staff in response to our multiple calls, Rita was absent from the office from early August into early October, despite records never showing a leave of absence or halt in pay. We learned on Feb 18 that Rita was no longer employed with the office.

  • Katrina Mulac (16 months): Joined September 18, 2019 as a part-time employee working four hours per day. On July 1, 2020 she was promoted to a full-time position. Katrina’s husband Ivan Mulac works for CDOT. Reportedly Katrina was hired as part of an arrangement for her husband to arrange expedited services within the 45th Ward, but it’s unclear if that’s the case. Katrina left Gardiner’s office in November 2020.

Current Staff

Alderman Gardiner has never published a list of his staff, so here is what we’ve determined via FOIA:

  • Macallister Foley (part-time): Joined January 6, 2020 as a part-time employee. Son of CFD Firefighter Tim Foley. Typically portrayed in Gardiner’s photos as a “Gardiner’s Angel volunteer” cutting weeds, though he is definitely a paid employee.

  • Joyce Schraeder (full-time): Joined part-time June 16, 2020, but quickly promoted to full-time status on August 1, 2020. Joyce’s husband Tom Schraeder is one of Gardiner’s “Top Fans”, despite his residence in the 30th ward. Tom is best known for crazy rants on social media defending every Gardiner move or making threats against constituents in ALL CAPS. Joyce received a taxpayer-funded bonus of $14,666 in December 2020, which is almost as much as she had made in salary since starting 6 months earlier.

  • Ivan Vargas (part-time, LOA): Joined June 25, 2020 part-time. As of January 2021 reportedly out on LOA.

  • Patrick “PJ” McKermitt (part-time): Started August 18, 2020 as a part-time employee. Son of a CFD Firefighter and relative of Chicago Fire Deputy District Chief Brian McKermitt.

  • Maree Joyce (full-time): Started September 16, 2020 as a part-time employee. Promoted to full-time status on December 1, 2020. She received a taxpayer-funded bonus of over $5,000 in December after working in the office 2.5 months.