The Honorable Clarence Burch, Esq.

Board Chairperson 

"Two men looked out from behind steel bars – one saw mud; the other, the stars."

This is the motto that guided Clarence Burch through his formative years, and into his professional career.

A lifelong resident of the Cabrini Green area, Clarence Burch was a successful criminal defense attorney before assuming his current position as a Judge on the Cook County Circuit Court.

Having left just long enough to prepare himself with a wealth of knowledge and experience, he returned to Cabrini Green to share this wisdom with the community that provided him with the impetus and strength to embark on the cycle of his quest.

In his current role as Chairperson, Mr. Burch hopes to stand as a living answer to the many problems facing urban America. He has witnessed the miraculous growth of the NNH under the dynamic leadership of its Executive Director, Ms. Berneice Mills-Thomas, and recognizes that good health is an essential prerequisite to any effort to resolve the issues of poverty and lack of opportunity that afflict so many.