Bria Scudder currently serves as Deputy Governor for Infrastructure, Public Safety, Environment, and Energy in Illinois, where she manages several state agencies and implements top policy initiatives. In this role, Bria led several successful legislative negotiations, including the SAFE CCS Act, which provides environmental protections for carbon capture, transport, and sequestration while bringing jobs and investment to Illinois; the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act, to fix and fund public transportation across Illinois and reform Northern Illinois public transportation towards a more regional approach; and the Clean and Reliable Grid Act, which invested in new, clean energy resources to address rising electricity bills and maintain Illinois status as a climate leader. She is also spearheading efforts with the Illinois Department of Corrections to modernize and rebuild two facilities with critical infrastructure needs to improve the safety and wellbeing of staff and people in custody and promote a more rehabilitative environment. In her previous role as 1st Assistant Deputy Governor (2019-2022), Bria directed several COVID-19 response efforts. She also played a critical role in the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which made Illinois a leader in climate change efforts, the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, and Rebuild Illinois, a historic $45 billion capital plan. Immediately before her appointment as Deputy Governor, Bria was the Director of State Government Affairs for the Midwest region at AbbVie. She previously served as the Senior Government and Community Liaison at the Illinois Attorney General's Office. There, she worked on critical issues, including the Chicago consent decree for police reform, the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act. Prior to her time at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, she served as a staff member for the Illinois House of Representatives.