State Senator Ram Villivalam was born and raised on the northwest side of Chicago. He is the proud son of Indian immigrants, the first Asian American to serve in the Illinois Senate, and the first Indian American to serve in the Illinois General Assembly.

 

Prior to entering office, Senator Villivalam advocated for home care for seniors and people with disabilities, child care for working families, and Medicaid for those in need. He also worked in the federal level of government, where his duties ranged from signing people up for the Affordable Care Act to organizing Job Fairs.

 

Senator Villivalam is honored to be an effective, proactive, and progressive voice for the people of the 8th District. He has and will continue to be focused on issues such as income equality, reducing gun violence, providing a quality education to children regardless of the zip code they reside in, and advancing both women's and LGBTQ rights. He serves as Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and Co-Chair of the Illinois Legislative Asian American Caucus.

 

Senator Villivalam serves his community in other roles that include being a past President of the Indo-American Democratic Organization (IADO) and previous Director on the Board of Gun Violence Prevention PAC.

 

Senator Villivalam lives with his wife, Elizabeth, and his son, Rohan, in the North Mayfair neighborhood in the City of Chicago.