About Ann

Ann Williams is currently serving her 7th term as State Representative of the 11th District on Chicago’s North Side. The district includes the Chicago neighborhoods of West Lakeview, Roscoe Village and Northcenter, as well as parts of Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Ravenswood Manor, Buena Park and North Halsted.

The former chair of the Illinois Green Caucus, Ann is a leader on issues related to the environment and is working to address the climate crisis. Ann served as chief House sponsor of the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which was integral to the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in September 2021. Her legislative priorities include supporting our neighborhood schools, protecting critical human services, preventing gun violence, and restoring fiscal stability to Illinois. She is a strong and unwavering advocate of reproductive rights and was a leader in bringing marriage equality to Illinois. She remains committed to ensuring equality for all Illinois families. Ann has sponsored and supported numerous legislative initiatives pertaining to privacy rights and data privacy.

 

Ann currently chairs the Energy and Environment Committee. She also serves as Vice-Chair of the Judiciary-Civil Committee. She is also an Assistant Majority Floor Whip and a member of the Reproductive Justice and Dobbs Decision Working Group.

Prior to her election, Ann was an Assistant Attorney General and Legislative Director for Attorney General Lisa Madigan. In this capacity, she was responsible for helping craft and implement key parts of the Attorney General’s public interest agenda, including preventing consumer fraud and creating openness and accountability in state government. Prior to serving as an Assistant Attorney General, Ann was a staff attorney for the Illinois House of Representatives and worked to advance legislation to meet the needs of working families.

Ann received her law degree from Drake University Law School and her undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa. She has always been committed to serving the community. While in law school, she clerked at the Legal Assistance Foundation, Women’s Law Project, and was among the first recipients of the Public Interest Scholarship at Drake University. As a new attorney, Ann volunteered at Pro Bono Advocates, helping victims of domestic violence obtain orders of protection.

Ann has years of experience in the public and private sectors working on behalf of the people of Illinois. She served on the board of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and Personal PAC, an advocacy organization committed to maintaining access to reproductive healthcare.

Ann resides in Chicago’s Northcenter neighborhood.