www.negociosnow.com
6 March 2020
Age: 37
Title: Commissioner
Name of Organization: Illinois
Commerce Commission
The proud daughter of Mexi-
can parents, both her mother, a
former migrant farm worker
turned engineer , and her im-
migrant father, a teenage-aged
coal miner turned machinist,
instilled a hard work ethic that
no doubt shows today.
Appointed to the Illinois
Commerce Commission by
Governor JB Pritzker in April
2019 and confirmed by the
Senate in May 2020, she is an
accomplished, well-respected
attorney with prior public
service under both Democra-
tic and Republican adminis-
trations. As a Commissioner,
she regulates public utilities,
transportation and telecom-
munications entities in com-
plex and technical matters.
Immediately before the
ICC, she served as Arbitrator
at the Illinois Workers' Com-
pensation Commission, ma-
naging a docket of nearly 3,000
cases. Previously, Bocanegra
held the Public Seat on the
Labor Advisory Board for the
Illinois Department of Labor.
She also formerly worked as
an attorney litigating workers'
compensation, employment
and personal injury claims.
When not immersed in
docketed matters, she actively
represents Illinois nationally
on issues ranging from water,
electrification/EVs, customer
communications, demand
response, diversity and cyber-
security. Recently, Bocanegra
and her team brought together
over 100 stakeholders to the
ICC to engage on issues rela-
ted to electrification of trans-
portation. As National Co-Vice
Chair for NARUC's Committee
on Water, she is interested in
contamination issues, afforda-
bility, water plans, lead detec-
tion, and sustainability.
She was recently selected to
Negocios Now's Who's Who In
Hispanic Chicago and by the
Chicago City Council Latino
Caucus as a 2019-2020 Fellow.
She also serves as national
Chair for NARUC's EV Wor-
king Group, assisting unders-
tanding of electrification for
other public utility commis-
sions. Commissioner Boca-
negra earned her JD from De-
Paul University College of Law
and her BA in Political Science
from Quincy University. She is
only the second Latina to be
appointed to the Illinois Com-
merce Commission.
An Energy
Watchdog
Maria S.
Bocanegra
WORDS OF WISDOM:
"A
lways work in service of
others. In any work I do, I
strive to do it competently, fairly,
honestly and with integrity."
