Heather Steans (Chicago)

Senator Steans has served the 7th District since 2008 and has focused on economic development and educational reform. During her tenure, she helped improve the health of the state by introducing a piece of comprehensive sexual education legislation in an effort to reduce teen pregnancy and STD rates, and helped pass legislation aimed at reforming the Medicaid process. Steans has also been a huge advocate for marriage equality. She worked to extend pension coverage to include domestic partnerships. Steans also introduced a bill in 2009 that would make it easier for transgender individuals to change their birth certificate.

Steans serves as a trustee of the Steans Family Foundation, as well as a member of the Dean's Alumni Leadership council for the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She graduated with her bachelor's degree from Princeton University and with a master's degree from Harvard University. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband Leo, with whom she has three children.