Biography

Lauren Underwood, born on October 4, 1986, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Illinois' 14th Congressional District since January 3, 2019. She is the first woman, the first person of color, and the first millennial to represent her community in Congress. Additionally, she holds the distinction of being the youngest African American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Underwood's early interest in healthcare was influenced by her diagnosis with supraventricular tachycardia at the age of eight, a condition that shaped her commitment to health policy. She grew up in Naperville, Illinois, and is a lifelong Girl Scout.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan
  • Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University
    

• Professional Experience:

  • Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , where she played a key role in implementing the Affordable Care Act.
  • Senior Director of Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at NextLevel Health .
  • Adjunct Instructor at Georgetown University's School of Nursing & Health Studies.

• Political Experience:

  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, defeating incumbent Republican Randy Hultgren.
  • Re-elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024, overcoming competitive races in each election cycle.
  • Co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, focusing on addressing disparities in maternal health outcomes.
  • Serves on the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  • Elected Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee in 2023, becoming the first Black woman to hold an elected Democratic leadership position since Shirley Chisholm in the 1970s.

Throughout her tenure, Representative Underwood has been a vocal advocate for healthcare reform, maternal health, and veterans' affairs, leveraging her background in nursing and public health to inform her legislative priorities.