Jen Daulby, a 2002 SIU Simmons Law School graduate and Du Quoin native, will discuss her career on Monday, Nov. 10, at SIU Carbondale’s Student Center. (Photo provided)
November 04, 2025
SIU’s Simon Institute hosts Du Quoin, SIU Law alumna Jen Daulby to discuss her career
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Jen Daulby, a Du Quoin native and SIU Simmons Law School alumna who is CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation, will discuss her path from Southern Illinois to Washington, D.C., on Monday, Nov. 10, at SIU Carbondale.
Hosted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Daulby’s free, public presentation, “From SIU to Capitol Hill,” begins at 6 p.m. in SIU Student Center Ballroom B. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. in the John W. Corker Lounge. Registration is encouraged but not required. There will be a Q&A session.
Media availability
Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover Jen Daulby’s presentation. For more information, contact Will Becque, institute communications and marketing coordinator, at 618-453-4009 or william.becque@siu.edu.
Daulby will discuss the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), a bipartisan, nonprofit organization that helps members of Congress work more effectively and better serve their constituents, said John Shaw, institute director. She will also share insights from her career in government affairs, legislative operations and leadership, as well as strategies for fostering more successful and transparent governance.
Daulby “has had a record of accomplishment in both the private and public sectors,” Shaw said. She has worked for four members of Congress, including two from Illinois, served as the chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Illinois from 2013-2018 and was staff director for the House Administration Committee from 2019-2021, where Davis was chairman. She became CEO of CMF in September 2024.
Stellar career began in ‘a special place’
Daulby, a 1994 Du Quoin High School graduate, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Eastern Illinois University in 1998 and an SIU law degree in 2002. While in law school, Daulby was Student Bar Association president, constitutional law tutor and research assistant, student member of the Bar Passage Taskforce and selected by her peers to be graduation speaker.
“Southern Illinois is a special place for me, having grown up in the area. For the past 22 years, I have tried to take a bit of Southern Illinois to D.C.,” she said. “While serving as a congressional aide, I was mindful of how policies and laws affect those in Middle America. SIU law school was foundational to my work as a legislative counsel for two committees and in particular, working on election law issues during 2019-2021 in Congress.”
Daulby said she wants to share her passion for public service and experiences with students and hopes to encourage them to pursue careers in Washington, D.C., and “be part of the solutions our country desperately needs.”
"I am grateful to engage with the SIU community and give back to an institution that was a launching pad for my successful career in Washington,” she said. “I have benefited for more than two decades from the fundamentals I learned at SIU — hard work, attention to detail and a commitment to subject matter expertise."
More information, including a list of the institute’s upcoming events and past speakers and events, is available.