Celina Villanueva

Celina Villanueva
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 21st district
Incumbent
Assumed office July 24, 2018 (2018-July-24)
Preceded by	Silvana Tabares
Personal details
Born	Chicago, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Chicago, Illinois
Alma mater	University of Illinois (B.A.)

Celina Villanueva is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 21st district. The 21st district includes all or parts of the Chicago neighborhoods of Archer Heights, Brighton Park, Garfield Ridge, McKinley Park, South Lawndale and the Lower West Side along with the nearby suburbs of Stickney, Forest View, Lyons, Riverside, Summit and Bedford Park.

Villanueva was sworn into the Illinois House of Representatives on July 24, 2018 after her appointment by a panel of local Democratic leaders chaired by Senator Steven Landek, the Committeeman from Lyons Township. Villanueva was one of five candidates, who included: Carlos Aparicio, Chief of Staff for Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski; John Chojnacki, law enforcement instructor at Calumet College of St. Joseph; Sergio Rodriguez, Mayor of Summit; and Myra Ortiz, Village Trustee in Summit.

Villanueva is a resident of Little Village. She is considered a political ally of Cook County Commissioner Chuy García for whom she worked as an outreach director. She also worked as a youth engagement manager at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Villanueva is an alumna of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign where she earned a B.A in Latina/Latino Studies with minors in African-American Studies and Spanish. She was a speaker at the 2018 Women's March in Chicago.