Prairie State Wire

Bureau Chief of State Affairs Kaitlyn Mitchum has been with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) since January 2024. In her role, she works closely with members of the General Assembly, lobbyists, and stakeholders to negotiate bills, testify in committee, track legislation, and research policies as needed.

When asked about the most important impact of her work, Mitchum said: "Protection of investment in the state’s transportation system."

She also shared her favorite aspect of the job: "Working with legislators and advocates with the common goal of improving transportation policy in the state of Illinois."

Mitchum described the significance of her office: "The Office of Legislative Affairs is important because we help navigate important legislation through the legislative process as a whole, from collecting and creating legislative proposals and negotiating to finding a House and Senate sponsor, to testifying in committee, to watching floor debate and providing talking points and scripts for members, to tracking the bill all the way up to the governor’s office for signature, and then coming back to the department for implementation."

Reflecting on her background, Mitchum noted that her previous experience prepared her for this position. "I spent time in the Illinois House of Representatives on the Speaker’s staff in the Research and Appropriations Department working on labor and transportation policy and as the lead capital budget analyst," she said.

Outside work, Mitchum enjoys traveling. She spent a year living and studying in Denmark as a foreign exchange student through Rotary International during her senior year of high school.