MARY HANAHAN
Senior Government Relations Director & Counsel

Mary Hanahan is an attorney with Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres. She also serves as a senior government relations director and counsel for Point of Difference Strategies.

Mary is an experienced legal and legislative professional with a proven track record of working with legislators, state agencies, and diverse stakeholders to shape impactful public policy.

Before joining Point of Difference Strategies, Mary served as Deputy General Counsel to Illinois Senate President Don Harmon and the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus. In this capacity, she played a pivotal role in negotiating, drafting, and analyzing high-stakes legislation, including the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), reproductive and gender-affirming health care policies, and amending the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Mary also represented legislators in efforts to amend Illinois’ energy, utility, liquor, gaming, and employment laws.

As lead counsel to the Senate Executive Committee, the Energy & Public Utilities Committee, and the Senate Democratic members of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Mary provided strategic guidance on legislative matters and complex policy issues. Her earlier work also included staffing the Senate Revenue and Pensions Committees, as well as COVID-19 working groups focused on energy and unemployment insurance.

Mary holds a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago, as well as a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Psychology.