Chicago—Today Governor JB Pritzker announced that Bria Scudder will serve as Deputy Governor for Public Safety, Infrastructure, Environment, and Energy. Scudder previously worked in the Governor's Office as First Assistant to Christian Mitchell, the former Deputy Governor who stepped down from his role earlier this month. She will begin her role on April 10.

"Bria Scudder has already shown her dedication to public service and the people of Illinois through her hard work earlier in my administration, and I'm thrilled to welcome her back to continue that work as Deputy Governor," said Governor JB Pritzker. "Her portfolio includes some of the most important issues currently facing our state, and I'm looking forward to working with her to continue making Illinois stronger."

Currently, Scudder serves as Director of State Government Affairs for the Midwest region at AbbVie, where she manages state and local related issues in twelve states. She previously served as First Assistant Deputy Governor in Governor JB Pritzker's administration. In her role in the governor's office, she helped manage more than ten state agencies, and implemented the administration's top policy initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Scudder spearheaded response efforts, including securing medical supplies for front-line workers, and planning the transition to work from home for over 50 state agencies and boards.

"I'd like to thank Gov. Pritzker for his leadership and trusting me with such an important role." Scudder said. "I'm looking forward to serving the people of Illinois and making strides towards safer communities, maintaining a world-class transportation system, and meeting our clean energy goals."

Prior to serving in the governor's office, Scudder was the Senior Government and Community Liaison at the Illinois Attorney General's Office. There, she developed strategies to advance the office's legislative agenda and worked with communities on critical issues. She has also worked as a staff member for the Illinois House of Representatives and managed several state Statehouse campaigns. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri- Columbia.