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Juliana Stratton

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Article Genealogy
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Juliana Stratton
NameJuliana Stratton
Office48th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
GovernorJ. B. Pritzker
Term startJanuary 14, 2019
PredecessorEvelyn Sanguinetti
Office2Member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees
Term start22015
Term end22019
Governor2Bruce Rauner
Predecessor2James D. Montgomery
Successor2Kareem Dale
Birth date8 August 1965
Birth placeChicago, Illinois, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseBryan Stratton
Alma materUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (BA), DePaul University (JD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Juliana Stratton is an American attorney and politician serving as the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois since 2019, alongside Governor J. B. Pritzker. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first African American woman to hold the office in the state's history. Stratton previously served as a member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees and worked in mediation and criminal justice reform.

Early life and education

Juliana Stratton was born on August 8, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in the city's South Side neighborhood. She attended Kenwood Academy before enrolling at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Stratton subsequently obtained her Juris Doctor from the College of Law at DePaul University. Her early professional experiences included work with the City of Chicago and the Illinois General Assembly, fostering her interest in public policy and community organizing.

Early career

Before entering electoral politics, Stratton built a diverse career focused on conflict resolution and social justice. She served as the Director of the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where her work emphasized police-community relations. Stratton also founded and led a private mediation and arbitration practice, handling disputes in areas such as employment law and family law. In 2015, she was appointed by Governor Bruce Rauner to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, a role she held until her election as Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor

Stratton was selected by J. B. Pritzker as his running mate in the 2018 gubernatorial election, and the Democratic ticket defeated the incumbent Republican administration of Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti. She was sworn into office on January 14, 2019, at the Illinois State Capitol. As Lieutenant Governor, Stratton chairs the Illinois Council on Women and Girls and the Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative. She also serves as the head of the Illinois River Coordinating Council and is a key liaison to the Illinois General Assembly and various state agencies.

Political positions and initiatives

A central focus of Stratton's tenure has been advancing criminal justice reform and economic equity. She has been a prominent advocate for the Pretrial Fairness Act, part of the broader SAFE-T Act, which aimed to eliminate cash bail in Illinois. Stratton also leads the state's efforts to expand affordable housing and support minority-owned businesses through initiatives like the Illinois Business Enterprise Program. Her work on environmental justice includes promoting clean energy projects in disadvantaged communities and addressing issues along the Illinois River.

Electoral history

In the 2018 Illinois gubernatorial election, the Democratic ticket of J. B. Pritzker and Juliana Stratton defeated Republican incumbents Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti with 54.5% of the vote. Stratton and Pritzker were re-elected in the 2022 election, winning against the Republican nominees Darren Bailey and Stephanie Trussell by a margin of 55% to 42%. These victories maintained Democratic control of the executive branch in Springfield.

Personal life

Juliana Stratton is married to Bryan Stratton, and the couple has four daughters. Her family resides in Chicago, and she is an active member of the Apostolic Church of God in the city's Woodlawn neighborhood. Stratton has spoken publicly about the influence of her faith and her experiences as a mother on her approach to public service. She serves on several nonprofit boards, including those focused on education and youth development in Illinois.

Category:1965 births Category:Lieutenant Governors of Illinois Category:Illinois Democrats Category:African-American women in politics Category:DePaul University alumni Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni Category:Living people