Schaumburg library trustee annouces bid for 56th state House seat

A Schaumburg Township District Library trustee will challenge Democratic state Rep. Michelle Mussman for the 56th District House seat.

Jillian Rose Bernas announced her bid Saturday at the monthly Schaumburg Township Republican Organization breakfast.

The district includes parts of Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Roselle and Schaumburg.

Bernas said in a news release she has the backing of Ryan Higgins, the Schaumburg Township Republican committeeman.

She is an international relations manager at a medical association and lives in Schaumburg. She earned her bachelor's degree in Spanish and education, and holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago/University of Chile.

Bernas was a junior high Spanish teacher in Austin, Texas, a sixth-grade English teacher in Santiago, Chile, and later worked at the State Department's Fulbright and economic and political offices.