Ms. Sarnia Cotton was raised on the south side of Chicago, but has spent nearly all of her adult years in Springfield, Illinois.  She was educated in the public schools system, graduating from: Morgan Park High School; Eastern Illinois University, with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology; and Roosevelt University, with a Masters in Public Administration.  Ms. Cotton’s professional career started with a brief stint teaching at Simeon Vocational High School in Chicago, and progressing to the State of Illinois, Department of Human Services, with the majority of service years with the Division of Mental Health.  She is an avaricious reader of various topics ranging from social issues to the bible.  Her extra-curricular activities and participation have included community volunteerism, politics, real estate, finance, writing, and providing counseling to her friends.  Her mantra is the, “The more you know, you’ll make fewer mistakes, … and that makes life easier.”