August 2026

The LCMS Northern Illinois District is blessed to have a dedicated, faithful staff in place to serve the needs of congregations, schools, ministries, pastors, commissioned workers, lay leaders, and the many others members of our District. For the July and August Ministry Theme topics, we wanted to take time to introduce (or re-introduce) them to you!

We hope you find it helpful to learn a bit more about each of them

Meet Ann Ciaccio – Director of Communications

If you’ve visited one of the District’s websites, read a newsletter article, received an email update, or scrolled through a social media post, chances are you’ve seen a small piece of Ann Ciaccio’s work.

As Director of Communications, Ann spends much of her day helping connect people with information, resources, and stories from across the LCMS Northern Illinois District. Behind the scenes, she manages two websites, branding, social media, print publications, public relations, email communications, and the databases that help keep church workers, congregations, schools, ministries, and supporters connected.

Communication has been a common thread throughout Ann’s career. Earning a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Marketing, she worked in the corporate world, serving as a Marketing Manager for a major relocation company and later as a Marketing Project Manager for a major airline. She joined the LCMS Northern Illinois District in 2011 as a Communications Coordinator. Those experiences taught her the value of clear messaging, strategic planning, and building meaningful connections—skills she now brings to her work in ministry.

Constantly learning, she uses many tools to enhance productivity and spark creativity, but she believes that discernment, human judgment, and relationships remain at the heart of effective communication.

What motivates her most in here work is a simple belief: words matter. Whether drafting a news email, creating a publication, or sharing a ministry story, Ann is passionate about making sure communications support the District’s mission and vision while keeping the focus where it belongs—on Jesus and His work through His people.

Away from the office, Ann has been married to her husband, Steve, since 1995. They are proud parents of two adult daughters who have established lives of their own in Boston and Washington, DC.

Her favorite Bible verse is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

For Ann, communication is about more than sharing information. It’s about telling stories that encourage, inform, and remind us of the many ways God is at work throughout the District.

We are thankful for Ann’s work with the LCMS Northern Illinois District, and we pray for God’s continued blessings on her and her family.