Miranda Hernandez grew up in Cicero, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. She is third generation Mexican American and the proud granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant. Rooted in her values of public service and building representation, Miranda pursued a career in law and public policy after she completed her education and served in several roles between Chicago and Washington, DC.
At the beginning of her career, Miranda worked as a law clerk at the Domestic Violence Division of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Her positive experience in the office and mentorship from supervisors and professors led her to commit to a career in public service.
Following graduate school, Miranda was selected for a graduate fellowship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute that started her career on Capitol Hill. As a young lawyer in the U.S. Senate, Miranda advised Members of Congress on several judiciary matters, including federal judicial nominations and the 2020 Senate presidential impeachment trial proceedings. Later, she was appointed to serve as counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
While she served as an attorney with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Miranda successfully advanced the Biden Harris Administration’s efforts to build a diverse federal judiciary in its confirmation of over 200 Article III judges, most notably Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Miranda later went on to serve as a political appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice, where she worked closely with the DOJ’s Reproductive Rights Task Force under the Biden Harris Administration. Miranda also supported the DOJ leadership’s work related to immigration and clemency matters.
As the recent Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Miranda successfully advanced state-level legislation to strengthen protections for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, with another bill allowing first-time, non-violent gun offenders to apply for a FOID card after successful completion of a court-approved diversion program. Miranda currently serves in the office’s Criminal Appeals Division.
Miranda is a graduate of Saint Ignatius College Prep and earned her Bachelor of Arts in the Classics and Political Science from College of the Holy Cross. She received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration dual degree from Northern Illinois University. She currently lives in Riverside with her son and enjoys reading, mentoring, and supporting local small businesses.
