Presenter Biographies

Friday, June 26, 2026

Africa Robinson has served as the Administrator of the Informal Conference Board (ICB) for the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) since August 2024. In this role, she oversees and manages the ICB program, which reviews taxpayer-requested evaluations of proposed tax return adjustments. From 2020-2024, Africa served as the Associate Director for IDOR, providing operational direction and oversight. Prior to joining IDOR, she served as Legal Counsel in the Office of the Illinois Comptroller, where she supported the collection and monitoring of local government financial audits. Africa’s additional public service experience includes roles as an Investigator with the Cook County Sheriff’s office and as Chief of Staff for the 1st District Cook County Board Commissioner.

Philip Bolander serves as a Sales Tax Conferee with the Informal Conference Board at the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). He began his career with IDOR in 1976, as a Revenue Auditor and was later promoted to a Revenue Audit Supervisor. When the Informal Conference Board was created in January of 2002, Philip was selected as one of its first Conferees, focusing primarily on sales and miscellaneous taxes and working to resolve matters between taxpayers and the Audit Bureau. He served in this role until his retirement in December 2020. After spending time substitute teaching, volunteering, and playing racquetball, he returned to IDOR as a contract Conferee and continues to serve in that capacity today.

Chad Estes has served as an Income Tax Case Conferee for the Informal Conference Board (ICB) since June 2023. He brings more than 27 years of experience from the Illinois Department of Revenue’s Audit Program Area, where he held several roles including ROT Field Audit Manager, ROT Field Supervisor, Income Tax Discovery Supervisor, and both field and in-house auditor positions. His extensive background in tax administration and audit operations supports his current work resolving income tax matters before the ICB.

Max R. Letterly serves as the Audit Bureau Program Administrator at the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), a role he has held since July 2024. He began his career with IDOR in 2006 and has held several leadership positions, including Program Administrator for Taxpayer Services, Manager of the Central Processing Bureau, and lead user liaison for IDOR’s tax processing system, where he oversaw the GenTax® project. He also served as Project Manager for IDOR’s implementation of adult-use cannabis legislation.