Kimberly Lightford

Kimberly Lightford is a State Senator and Senate Assistant Majority Leader in Illinois. The youngest African-American woman elected to the Illinois Senate, Lightford has championed quality education and development programs for Illinois' youth. As Chair or Vice Chair of the Senate Education Committee for over a decade, she has been able to pass meaningful legislation, including a universal preschool program. Since becoming Senate Assistant Majority Leader, Lightford led the passage of legislation to reform and increase the cap on charter schools in Illinois. Most recently, she served as top negotiator for SB 7, a landmark reform bill aimed at boosting student performance through accountability for schools, administrators and teaching professionals.