Alexi Giannoulias shares lessons on leadership, public service, modernizing government, and building trust in the latest edition of CLN's 5 Questions.
As part of Chicago Latino Network's 2026 vision, 5 Questions spotlights leaders shaping Chicago's business, civic, and cultural future.
Each edition features a respected voice responding to five questions—offering perspective on leadership, decision-making, and the ideas shaping what’s next.
Today, we feature Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois Secretary of State, whose career has been defined by a commitment to modernizing government, expanding access to public services, and strengthening public trust. From serving as Illinois State Treasurer to leading one of the state's largest constitutional offices, Alexi has focused on making government more efficient, accessible, and responsive to the people it serves.
Our Featured Leader Alexi Giannoulias
Illinois Secretary of State
Since taking office, Alexi has led efforts to improve customer service, expand digital access, reduce wait times, strengthen ethics and transparency, and champion initiatives that protect libraries and increase government accessibility. His approach to leadership is rooted in the belief that public institutions should earn people's confidence by delivering results.
As Illinois continues to navigate important conversations about its future, Alexi remains focused on public service, civic leadership, and building institutions that deliver results through innovation, accountability, and transparency.
1. Your career has spanned public service, finance, entrepreneurship, higher education, and even professional basketball. Looking back, what experiences have most shaped the leader you are today?
Every chapter has taught me something different, but they’ve all reinforced the same lesson: leadership is about people. Growing up in Chicago taught me resilience and the importance of community. Playing professional basketball taught me discipline, teamwork, and that no one succeeds alone. Working in finance and business showed me the value of accountability and making decisions that deliver real results. Public service has reminded me every day that government exists to serve people, not the other way around.
The experience that has shaped me the most, though, is listening to people. Whether it’s a small business owner trying to navigate government, a parent balancing work and childcare, or a senior who simply wants to renew a driver’s license without spending half a day in line, you learn quickly that good intentions aren’t enough. Leadership means solving problems, earning trust, and making people’s lives a little easier.
2. As Illinois Secretary of State, you’ve led a major effort to modernize one of the state’s busiest offices while improving customer service. What leadership lessons have you learned from driving change within such a large public institution?
The biggest lesson is that government can absolutely change when you’re willing to challenge the status quo. Too often, people accept inefficiency because “that’s the way it’s always been.” I never believed that.
When I became Secretary of State, we set out to eliminate what I called the “time tax” that people paid just to access basic government services. We introduced Skip-the-Line appointments, expanded online services, modernized outdated technology, opened flagship service centers, and dramatically reduced wait times. None of that happened overnight, and none of it happened because of one person. It happened because we empowered employees, invested in technology, and stayed relentlessly focused on the customer.
The lesson is simple: if you put people first, measure results, and aren’t afraid to innovate, government can work better. That’s the standard people deserve.
3. Throughout your career, you’ve emphasized making government more accessible and restoring public trust. What motivates that commitment, and how do you define success in public service?
People have every right to expect government to work. They shouldn’t have to lower their expectations every time they interact with a public agency.
What motivates me is knowing that government has the power to improve people’s lives when it’s competent, honest, and focused on results. Every hour someone doesn’t have to spend waiting in line is time they get back with their family or at work. Every service we move online makes life easier for someone juggling multiple jobs or caring for children.
Success in public service isn’t measured by headlines or speeches. It’s measured by whether people feel their government respects their time, spends their tax dollars wisely, solves problems, and treats everyone with dignity. If people have more confidence in their government when you leave than when you started, you’ve done your job.
4. Chicago Latino Network celebrates leaders who inspire the next generation. What advice would you give young Latino professionals and aspiring public servants who want to make a meaningful impact in their communities?
First, don’t wait for permission to lead. Your perspective, your experiences, and your voice matter today.
Second, never lose sight of why you’re doing the work. Titles come and go, but your reputation and your integrity stay with you. Be someone people can trust. Listen more than you speak. Build relationships across communities. The biggest challenges we face are never solved by one person or one neighborhood alone.
Finally, remember that representation matters, but results matter just as much. Open doors for others, mentor the next generation, and focus on making people’s lives better. That’s how you create lasting change.
5. When people look back on your time as Illinois Secretary of State, what do you hope will be the lasting impact of your leadership?
I hope people remember that we proved government doesn’t have to be slow, outdated, or frustrating. We showed that with the right leadership, you can modernize one of the largest constitutional offices in the country, dramatically improve customer service, protect libraries from censorship, strengthen ethics and consumer protections, and make government more accessible for everyone. Government can be competent and compassionate.
More than any one program, I hope the lasting legacy is raising expectations. I want people to believe they should demand better from government because better is possible. If we’ve helped restore that confidence and shown that public service can still deliver meaningful results, then I’ll consider that a success.
5 Questions is part of Chicago Latino Network's ongoing series highlighting the leaders shaping Chicago's business, civic, and cultural future.
