• Will Burns •

Will Burns is a Managing Director with ASGK Public Strategies. In this capacity, Burns provides counsel to ASGK management and select clients on policy issues.

Burns was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives on November 4, 2008, where he represents Chicago’s 26th Representative District. Burns has been appointed to the Appropriations-Elementary and Secondary Education, Health Care Access and Availability, Health and Healthcare Disparities, State Government, Infrastructure, and Youth and Family Committees.

He has a long history in Illinois politics and government. He managed the Illinois Desk of the Content and Issues Department of Obama for America, served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, Jr., deputy campaign manager Obama for Congress 2000, campaign coordinator for the Democratic Party of Illinois and community outreach coordinator for State Senator Barack Obama.

Burns has also worked for a number of Chicago civic organizations. He was the vice president of program and field offices of the Chicago Urban League where he spearheaded the Chicago Urban League's voting rights/redistricting efforts, managed the League's day-to-day programmatic activities, and coordinated the League's public policy initiatives.

As education and tax policy manager for the Metropolitan Planning Council he organized a statewide education funding reform coalition and directed its legislative and communications campaign.

Burns's commitment to social justice and civic engagement is demonstrated through participation on the boards of several not-for-profit organizations such as the Lugenia Burns Hope Center, Mikva Challenge, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, the Blue Gargoyle Youth Service Center, and the South East Chicago Commission.

In 2001 Burns was named an American Marshall Memorial Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

He attended the University of Chicago where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees.

Burns is married to Robin N. Black and they have an infant daughter Athena and live in Kenwood.