Bustos, Cheri, 1961-

Cheryl Lea "Cheri" Bustos (née Callahan, born October 17, 1961) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 17th congressional district since 2013. Bustos has served in multiple leadership roles within the Democratic Party, notably serving as Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2019 to 2021. On April 30, 2021, she announced that she would retire at the end of the 117th Congress.

Born in Springfield, Illinois, she graduated from Springfield High School there before attending Illinois College and earning a B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park and an M.A. from the University of Illinois at Springfield. In 1985, Bustos moved to the Quad Cities to work as a night-shift police reporter for the Quad-City Times. She worked there for 17 years, first as a reporter and then as an editor. From 2001 to 2007, Bustos worked as senior director of corporate communications for Trinity Regional Health Systems. From 2008 to 2011, she worked as vice president of corporate communications for Iowa Health System. In 2007, Bustos ran for the East Moline City Council from that city's 4th Ward. Winning the Democratic primary, she was elected unopposed. Bustos was re-elected in 2011.

...