Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced five nominees to the governing board of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System (CCHHS). The five are Sidney Thomas, Mary Driscoll, Mary Richardson-Lowry, Dr. Virginia Bishop and Layla P. Suleiman Gonzalez. The nominees were presented to the Cook County Board of Commissioners at their meeting, then will be considered by the Board’s Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee with a final vote anticipated at the Board’s July 13 meeting. The nominees – who will fill two vacancies and three expiring terms — were chosen by Preckwinkle from a pool of candidates sent to her by a 14-member nominating committee. The committee’s membership is composed of various civic, medical/healthcare-related and labor stakeholder organizations as set out in County ordinance. CCHHS Directors act as the governing authority for the Health and Hospitals System. They have operational and managerial authority of CCHHS, and recommend and submit to the President and the County Board strategic and financial plans for the system. Directors serve without pay. They are accountable to the President and the County Board of Commissioners.