Mattie Hunter, born on June 1, 1954, is a native of Chicago and a full-time state legislator. She has been serving in the Illinois General Assembly since 2003, representing the 3rd district. She holds a leadership position as the Assistant Majority Leader and is the vice chair of the Executive Appointments and Public Health Committees. She also serves on the Senate Appropriations – Public Safety and Infrastructure, Energy and Public Utilities, Executive, and Health and Human Services Committees. She is a member of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.
Hunter earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Monmouth College and a Master’s degree in Sociology from Jackson State University. She also holds a Doctor of Humane Letters from Monmouth College. She is a certified alcohol and drug counselor and prevention specialist, which equips her with the expertise to craft legislation addressing substance abuse and prevention.
As a state senator, Hunter’s priorities remain focused on protecting schools, increasing public safety, creating economic opportunities, expanding access to health care, and fighting for equality. Over 400 bills regarding breast cancer, childhood vaccines, health care access, substance abuse treatment, youth employment, environmental issues, and education have been passed during Hunter’s career.
Hunter has also worked abroad. She headed the Center for Health and Human Services in Johannesburg, South Africa as a managing director and participated in coordinated U.S. State Department Demand Reduction Workshops addressing substance abuse in South Africa. She served for years as vice president of the Human Resources Development Institute Inc., where she developed and managed programs focusing on abused women and children, behavioral health, youth, and ex-offenders.
In 2006, Hunter was appointed a Lifetime Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. She has been named Legislator of the Year by numerous organizations in the fields of health care, youth, child welfare, and education. Senator Hunter co-chairs the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women, Health and Human Services Task Force, Kidney Disease Prevention and Education Task Force, and Medicaid Managed Care Oversight Commission.
She is an active member of numerous organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. (Theta Omega Chapter), the National Conference of State Legislatures, Credit Union of Illinois board of directors, co-chair of the Durban committee for Chicago Sister Cities International, treasurer of Women in Government, and convener of the South Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force.
