Michelle Mbekeani with Cook County State's Attorney's Office Appointed as New Commissioner

Michelle Mbekeani is a Policy Advisor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Prior to that, Michelle was a Staff Attorney at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. There she focused on police reform, voting rights, and criminal justice reform.

At the Shriver Center Michelle authored a report, Handcuffs in Hallways, that did an in-depth analysis of Chicago Public Schools’ use of School Resource Officers. Michelle authored statewide legislation that requires all School Resource Officers to undergo additional youth specific training. Michelle also co-authored legislation that established the nation’s first polling station inside a county jail, enabling individuals who are incarcerated pre-trial to vote in person.

Michelle earned her B.A. from Stony Brook University in German Language and Literature, Political Science, and Middle Eastern Studies. As a former Émigré Memorial German Fellow within Germany’s State Parliament, she advocated for language assistance programs for immigrant children in Germany

Michelle was awarded Forbes Magazine 30 under 30 for her work in law & policy and Crain’s Chicago Business 20 in their 20’s award.

Michelle received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was awarded the Tony Patiño Fellowship.

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