Anna Valencia

Anna Valencia was first sworn-in as City Clerk of Chicago on January 25, 2017 overseeing one of the largest offices in the City serving 1.2 million Chicagoans and generating more than $130 million annually. As City Clerk, Valencia has focused on making government accessible to all Chicagoans. Under Valencia’s leadership, the Office of the City Clerk has made it a priority to find new and innovative ways to bring services directly to residents, increase civic engagement, and collaborate across government in the private and public sectors.

Since becoming City Clerk, Valencia led the creation and implementation of Chicago’s Municipal ID program, known as the CityKey. Available to all Chicago residents, the government-issued ID was the first in the country to serve as a resident’s government-issued ID, transit, library and prescription benefit card. Her other initiatives include:

• Mobile City Hall connecting residents to city services across Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods;
• Status of Women and Girls Working Group an alliance of more than 120 young women and girls from across the city and industry to advance equity for all residents;
• Fines, Fees and Access Collaborative bringing City Departments, community advocates, academic institutions, elected officials and residents to review current practices and develop both short-term and long-term recommendations to address the city’s fines and fees practices;
• Council Modernization exploring new ways to bring City Council into the digital age by enhancing streaming and making Council records and legislation more open and easily accessible for residents; and,
• Next Gen City Council working directly with Chicago Public School students to serve as Alderman for the day and a simulation of a City Council Meeting.

Prior to becoming Clerk, Valencia served as the second woman and first Latina to run Mayor Emanuel’s Legislative Counsel and Government Affairs (LCGA) where she spearheaded the passage of police accountability reform, the modernization of the CTA’s Red and Purple lines, the stabilization of pension funds and creation of the City’s legal fund that assists immigrants and refugees threatened with deportation.

Valencia has also worked as an Illinois political professional in several positions including, serving as Campaign Manager for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s re-election campaign, Senior Advisor for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s re-election campaign, Deputy Director of the Illinois Senate Democratic Victory Fund, a Communications Staffer for State Senate President John Cullerton, and Field Director for both Mike Quigley for Congress (IL-05) and Gary Peters for Congress (MI-09).

In 2018, Business Insider named Valencia one of the 8 most influential millennial women in U.S. politics. In 2017, Chicago Magazine listed Valencia as an Emerging Power Player highlighting her as a rising star in Chicago politics. Valencia has also been awarded Negocios Nows’ 40 under 40 for her work as part of the next generation of Latina leaders.

Valencia earned her degree in International Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She currently resides in the West Town neighborhood with her husband and dog.