MARBA STAFF
Aaron has served as MARBA’s Executive Director since February 2015. He obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) from The John Marshall Law School in 2008. He obtained his Master of Laws (LLM), graduating with honors in Employee Benefits from The John Marshall Law School in 2019. Prior to joining MARBA, he served as an In-House Counsel at the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council. In his role at the ILFOPLC, he represented public safety employees in collective bargaining and post-contract administration. He also represented the Union’s interests in courts throughout the State of Illinois.
Before working for the ILFOPLC, he worked as an attorney at a small boutique law firm in Chicago. The firm handled a variety of matters, most notably, serving as outside counsel to the Chicago Teachers Union. In his role as an attorney at the firm, Aaron handled grievance arbitrations, disciplinary hearings, misdemeanor criminal cases, and mediations in front of local, state, and federal agencies, including State and Federal courts.
In Aaron’s role as Executive Director at MARBA, he is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s day-to-day operations. This includes administering over twenty different collective bargaining agreements with various unions in the construction and trade industry in the Chicagoland area. Additionally, Aaron serves as the Secretary to the Joint Grievance Committee for the Laborers' District Council and the Teamsters Joint Council 25, administering the parties’ grievance procedure. He also serves as a Committee Member for the Operating Engineers Local 150 Joint Grievance Committee, hearing and resolving grievances. Additionally, he serves as Chairman for the Cement Masons' Labor-Management Cooperation Committee (LMCC). He is also a Management Trustee to the Bricklayers ADC 1 Pension Fund and Health & Welfare Fund.
Aaron regularly attends events for the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association. In 2015, he was selected to participate in the Chicago Bar Association’s Inaugural Leadership Development Institute, one of only twenty lawyers selected to participate in the program. He previously served as Co-Chair of the ABA and CBA Young Lawyers Labor and Employment Law Committee. He earned a Certificate from the Illinois State Bar Association as a Mediator in 2018. He was appointed to serve as an Arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County and the Circuit Court of Will County in 2016 and 2017 respectively. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Chapter for the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA).
Aaron was appointed to the Mokena School District 159 School Board in July 2012. He was elected to the same board in April 2015 and served as the Board's Vice-President from that time through April 2017. In April 2017, he was elected to the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 serving as the Board's Secretary from 2017-2019, Board Vice-President, 2019-2023, and he currently serves as the Board President.
He and his wife, Molly, live in the southwest suburbs. They have three children, Luke, Madison, and William. Aaron volunteers his time as a youth baseball coach for the Cangelosi Sparks 10U Gary team. He also serves as the voice of the Illinois Junior Celtics Football organization.
Karen Dugo
Executive Assistant & Office Manager
Cathy Hughes
Administrative Assistant
MID-AMERICA REGIONAL BARGAINING ASSOCIATION
2720 S River Road
Suite 222
Des Plaines IL 60018