Since 2008 Dr. Lichter has been a consultant to local governments working on both executive search and general management consulting assignments. Prior to that, he served as Village Manager of Lombard, Illinois, where he was responsible for management of financial operations, human resources, community and economic development, labor relations, police and fire services, public works, water and sewer utilities, and community relations. He also served for six years as Assistant City Manager of Mentor, Ohio and for three years as an Administrative Assistant in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Before entering local government, Dr. Lichter served for six years with the United States Peace Corps as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of the Philippines and on Saipan in the Mariana Islands, and as a Peace Corps staff member training new Peace Corps Volunteers for service in the Pacific region.

Among other regional and intergovernmental activities, Dr. Lichter was a Commissioner on the DuPage County Regional Planning Commission and a member of the DuPage County Mayors and Managers Conference Board of Directors where he twice served as Secretary/Treasurer. He also served on the Executive Board of the DuPage County Emergency Communications System (DuComm), and the Illinois Municipal League Managers Committee.

Dr. Lichter has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Model Administrator of the Year Award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration, and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Award from the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference. The Lombard Jaycees named him as 2007 Man of the Year for the Village of Lombard, and he has been given Life Member status by International City/County Management Association.

Dr. Lichter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont, a Master of Public Administration degree from American University, and a Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University.