Alma Anaya is the Cook County Commissioner of the 7th District. Alma has served the people of the 7th District of Cook County for nearly ten years, previously with former-Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia. Alma was the district's Director of Administration, and she oversaw constituent services and managed the 7th District budget. At 28, Anaya became the only Latina on the board and among the youngest members to serve. She also became one of the three women out of 17 members of the County Board.  

During her time at the Cook County Board, Alma has worked with churches, community stakeholders and grassroots organizations to provide resources to the constituents of the 7th District.  She has organized community fairs and events, including workshops on women’s health, youth employment, veteran affairs and immigrants rights.  She has also provided policy research on issues facing the community.  

When Commissioner Garcia ran for Mayor in 2015, Alma took a leave from the commissioner's government office to dedicate all of her time to the campaign, where she joined the executive team.

Alma was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and came to the U.S. as a 6-year-old. She grew up in Southeast Side of Chicago, attending Chicago Public Schools, and graduated from Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, a CPS selective enrollment high school.

Alma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago this spring (2018).

Alma is constantly active in her community. She has served on the Local School Council at Orozco Community Academy. She is deeply involved in Mujeres Latinas en Acción's Young Professional Advisory Council, and is a member of the Coordination Committee of St. George Church.

Alma was recently selected as a Racial Equity Fellow in the inaugural cohort of Chicagoans United for Equity, an organization which analyzes and recommends policies designed to improve and equalize opportunity for all Chicagoans