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Bolingbrook Independent Voices

Introducing YOUR Bolingbrook Independent Voices

VOTE APRIL 4TH!

Bolingbrook Independent Voices
For Immediate Release

January 16, 2023

Contact: Laura Miller

Pr@Sgmediaandent.com

Bolingbrook Independent Voices (BIV) Candidates,

Trustee Sheldon Watts & Dr. Matthew Glowiak

Formally Announce Campaign for Bolingbrook Village Trustee

BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS [JANUARY 16, 2023] – Bolingbrook Village Trustee, corporate technology industry professional, and long-time community advocate Sheldon L. Watts, as well as Bolingbrook native, mental health professional, and entrepreneur Dr. Matthew V. Glowiak announced their candidacy for Bolingbrook Trustee in the April 2023 municipal election several weeks ago on social media. They filed their petition packet to be placed on the ballot back on November 27th, and officially became candidates on December 5th.
Both Candidates are formally making this announcement on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to symbolize the community service-centered principles that are at the core of everything Dr. King stood for. Watts and Glowiak, hope to continue his efforts and uphold his legacy of service for others, as they hope to secure two of the three trustee seats available in this April’s upcoming election.
QUOTE FROM WATTS: “It has been an amazing honor to serve our community and represent the residents of Bolingbrook over the years. My humble desire is to make a difference every day by always focusing on finding ways to enhance the quality of life for our residents, and by working to ensure the village offers high-quality constituent services and safeguards our residents and business owners’ investments. Officially announcing on Dr. MLK day seems very fitting, as Dr. King’s passion for service and pursuit of equality and human rights inspires our efforts to make a positive contribution to society and our community.”
QUOTE FROM GLOWIAK: “Born and raised in Bolingbrook, and now raising my own family here, this is home. Having built a career that focuses on hearing, supporting, and educating others toward being the best versions of themselves; my intention is to take my passion and talents and apply them toward that which matters most—my local community. Given that the best means of moving forward is always by doing so collectively, celebrating this Press Release on MLK Day symbolizes the unity that BIV is striving toward, and that this community needs. I am honored to have this opportunity to run for village trustee.”
ABOUT THE BOLINGBROOK INDEPENDENT VOICES The Bolingbrook Independent Voices was established in 2020 with the idea that government needs to be transparent, accountable, and interactive with the people it serves. The BIV candidates and the larger team are made up of forward-thinking, experienced, and community-centered leaders that believe in advocating for a more “people-focus” approach to local government and ensuring that everyone is included in the process and advancement opportunities.

ABOUT TRUSTEE SHELDON L. WATTS

Sheldon Watts has dedicated himself as an avid volunteer, community advocate, and elected community leader in Bolingbrook for nearly 15 years. Sheldon is a proven government leader in Bolingbrook, having been elected to the Village Board of Trustees as well as being elected and appointed to various other offices over the years. He was appointed to Bolingbrook’s Village Board on November 28, 2017, to fill a vacancy created due to the passing of beloved and long-serving Trustee and Deputy Mayor Leroy J. Brown. Sheldon was elected with the most votes on April 2, 2019, to a four-year term. Before serving on the Village Board, Watts served as an elected DuPage Township Trustee and appointed member of the Bolingbrook Zoning Board of Appeals. Sheldon also ran for mayor in 2021.

Named Bolingbrook’s Male Citizen of the Year in 2014, Watts has been a strong community advocate and supporter of the youth for many years. This is exhibited through his mentoring efforts, in addition to being president and founder of the Bolingbrook STEM Association, where the mission is to provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math learning opportunities for the Youth. Business development and bringing awareness of resources in the community have also been a focus through his roles as a board member of the Will County Center for Community Concerns and as the founder of the “Brunch in the Brook” Minority Business Networking Forum. Watts is also a successful leader in the global corporate technology industry, where he has enjoyed a 25-year results-proven career.

Watts is a graduate of Roosevelt University with both a B.A. and M.B.A. and has successfully completed all course work and the comprehensive exam towards a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Most of all, Sheldon is a dedicated husband and father to his wife Cherron, and their eight-year-old twins. As a trustee, Sheldon has been accessible, responsive, and a staunch advocate of our local government being more people-focused. The continual desire to be a voice on the board for the residents, and the commitment towards driving further advancements in our community, fueled Sheldon’s decision to seek re-election.

ABOUT DR. MATTHEW V. GLOWIAK

Matt Glowiak is also a 2023 candidate for Bolingbrook Village Trustee, alongside Sheldon Watts representing the Bolingbrook Independent Voices Party. As an individual who was born and raised in Bolingbrook, and who has spent most of his life here, he believes in the Bolingbrook motto, “A place to grow,” and is dedicated to advancing our legacy. In fact, he and his wife Megan now raise their three young children right down the street from where he grew up. This is the foundation of why Matt decided to run for Trustee.

Matt’s early years of education came exclusively through the Valley View School District, where he attended elementary school at Jonas Salk, middle school at Humphrey, and high school at BHS. His post-high school education includes undergraduate and graduate degrees. Matt has a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling, and a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Walden University. His first professor role was at Benedictine University in Lisle where he taught in the Master of Clinical Psychology Program. He is now a full-time professor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and Yorkville University (YU) in Canada teaching graduate counseling students. Matt is also a former private practice owner with multiple Chicagoland locations. Mental health is his passion.

Whether as an advocate, clinician, professor, presenter, author, or otherwise; he is focused on bettering society. Much of this entails a concerted effort toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As an advocate for minority/oppressed populations, Matt serves as an effective ally with the “we are all in this together” mentality. Matt had the opportunity to speak to the community about various mental health topics when he hosted “Mental Health Matters with Dr. Matt,” a television show which ran from 2018-2020 on BCTV. This is coupled with his social media pages, which promote mental health awareness. Beyond hosting a local community show, he currently serves on the Bolingbrook Tee-Ball Association Board and as head umpire and head coach for the Eagles. Recently, he published his first two children’s books, “The Dinosaur Door,” and “Good Morning, Sunshine,” which are now featured throughout the Bolingbrook community.

With the community’s support, Matt intends to continue advocating on behalf of the residents —not only serving underrepresented voices but those of everyone. He grew up a proud Bolingbrook resident and still maintains that pride today. Matt believes that there is much to admire about our community, but that there are also areas in which we may improve. He looks forward to bringing his extensive background in the mental health field to establish and drive initiatives and resources in this space. His experience as a business owner/entrepreneur will also serve as an asset to the village board, and the community.