Meet Mary Beth

My story begins like many others: My mom and dad, a biracial couple, met in the ’70s, fell in love and married. Their strength and courage, coupled with my own life experiences, have made me a fiercely independent person with a strong moral compass and sense of justice. I’ve always felt I’ve had to do more and work harder because I’ve never squarely belonged in any one place; I’ve tried to use that feeling of being in the middle to my advantage in bringing people together. 

My dad was a Navy officer and pilot, so we moved several times in my early years. We ultimately settled in northern Virginia. I attended The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, graduating with a double major in English and Literary & Cultural Studies. I later moved across the country to attend the University of Arizona for law school, and then started my law career in Las Vegas. 

In 2008 I moved to Arlington Heights with my husband. We bought a home, started our family, and have made incredible friends. 

In 2019, I made the decision to run for the Arlington Heights Village Board because I wanted to be a voice for our residents and businesses. While on the board I helped develop an affordable housing ordinance and helped our businesses navigate the pandemic through creative initiatives such as Arlington Alfresco. 

In 2020 I was named to the RTA Board of Directors, where I saw firsthand the challenges faced by our transit systems, and the changes that would be necessary to make sure we have the world class system we deserve.

I ran for State Representative to make people’s lives better - kindergarten was the most expensive year of care for my family since we didn’t have access to full-day kindergarten. As an adult in the corporate world I learned that I was making less than my male counterparts. As a taxpayer and parent, I realized that Illinois needed to be more efficient with their early education programs to maximize the funding and minimize the bureaucracy faced by families and providers. Since being elected in 2022 I have made sure that families would have access to full-day kindergarten in every school district across the state, employers must include pay scales in their public job postings, and created a Department of Early Childhood to streamline our early childhood programs. 

I have worked hard to make a mark for the northwest suburbs and the people of Illinois. I believe the state should be focused on policies good for all Illinoisans, not a chosen few, and not just in select areas. I am honored to represent the 54th District, and to make sure we lead the state in innovative policies.