Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez was born on July 14, 1961, in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. She is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 2nd district. The 2nd district, located in the Chicago area, includes parts of Berwyn, Brookfield, Cicero, Riverside, and Stickney and includes parts of the Chicago neighborhood of South Lawndale.
Hernandez lives in Cicero with her husband Charles and their three children. She was first elected as State Representative in 2006. On July 30, 2022, Hernandez was elected chairperson of the Democratic Party of Illinois by the Illinois Democratic State Central Committee. She unseated incumbent chairperson Robin Kelly. Hernandez had been endorsed by Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker and Jesús “Chuy” García prior to the election.
Before her political career, Hernandez worked as a senior policy advisor to former Lt. Governor Pat Quinn. She also worked in Cicero Public Schools for 17 years. She is a community volunteer and a current member of Children’s Center of Cicero and Berwyn, Cicero Youth Services. She founded the Cicero Youth Commission.
Hernandez earned an A.A. in liberal arts from Morton College in 2001 and a B.A. in public administration from Northeastern University. As of July 3, 2022, Representative Hernandez is a member of several Illinois House committees including Appropriations - Elementary & Secondary Education Committee, Appropriations - Higher Education Committee, Consumer Protection Committee, Executive Committee, Immigration & Human Rights Committee, Income Tax Subcommittee, Labor & Commerce Committee, Redistricting Committee (Chairperson), and Revenue & Finance Committee.
