Mariyana Spyropoulos

Mariyana Spyropoulos is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as the clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. She was previously a member of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners.

Quick Facts Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Preceded by ...

Mariyana Spyropoulos

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Incumbent
Assumed office December 4, 2024
Preceded by	Iris Martinez
President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners
In office January 2015 – January 2019
Preceded by	Barbara McGowan (acting)
Succeeded by	Kari Steele
Member of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Board of Commissioners
In office August 5, 2009 – December 4, 2024

Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Education	Loyola University Chicago (MBA) University of Illinois, Chicago (JD)

Family and early life

Spyropoulos is the daughter of Erika and Ted Spyropoulos. Her father was a notable businessman,^[1] and a prominent member of the Greek American community.^[2] Her mother has served on the Illinois Arts Council.^[3]

Spyropoulos received her Masters in Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago and her Juris Doctor from the John Marshall Law School (now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law) in 1996.^[4]^[5] She also did graduate work in American government at Georgetown University.^[4]

Legal career

Spyropoulos first practiced law as a prosecutor,^[6] working as an assistant state's attorney in Cook County.^[4] She subsequently left this career and in 2005 opened the Chicago law firm of Miriyana Spyropoulos & Associates.^[2]^[6] Her legal work has involved environmental advocacy.^[4]

Spyropoulos has been a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Hellenic Bar Association, and Women's Bar Association.^[2]

MWRD Board of Commissioners

Summarize

Perspective

In 2008, Spyropoulos unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners. Her candidacy had been endorsed by then-lieutenant governor Pat Quinn.^[7] On August 5, 2009, Quinn (now the governor) appointed Spyropoulos to a vacant seat on the board.^[6] She was elected to a full term in 2010, and re-elected in 2016 and 2022.

Spyropoulos served as the MWRD chairperson of finance from January 2013 through January 2015.^[8]^[4] She served as president of the board from January 2015 through 2019.^[4]^[9] She has served as a trustee of the MWRD Retirement Fund.^[8] She has served chairperson of the judiciary committee; chairperson of the Pension, Human Resources, and Civil Service Committee; chairperson of the finance committee; chairperson of the real estate development committee; vice chairperson of the ethics committee; vice chairperson of the public health and welfare committee.^[4]^[8] She was also the MWRD representative to the Public Building Commission,^[4] to which she was appointed by the board in January 2011. She was elected to the finance chairmanship in January 2013, and was elected board president January 2015.^[10]

Spyropoulos advocated for decreasing administrative costs and implementing resource recovery involving the conversion of waste into fertilizer.^[11]

In 2018, it was alleged that Spyropoulos had received $60,000 in campaign donations from contractors who did business with the MWRD.^[12]

In 2018, Spyropoulos gave her support to the creation of an inspector general position at the MWRD, instructing the agency's law department to draft a proposal.^[13] This position was ultimately created.^[8]

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Abandonded 2020 candidacy

Spyropoulos launched a campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 Cook County Clerk of Courts election. Incumbent clerk Dorothy Brown was not seeking re-election, creating an open race. Spyropoulos withdrew from the race in September 2019, citing family reasons.^[14]

2024 election

Spyropoulos successfully challenged incumbent Cook County Clerk of Courts Iris Martinez in the Democratic primary for the 2024 Cook County Clerk of Courts election.

Ahead of the primary, Spyropoulos was endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party.^[15] She also received the endorsement of the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune.^[16] Spyropolous' campaign finances benefited from her family's wealth. Ahead of the primary, she personally loaned $1.2 million to her campaign committee. Her mother made an independent expenditure totally $78,000 to purchase billboard advertisements in support of the campaign.^[17]

Spyropolous won the general election in November 2024.^[18]

Tenure

Spyropolous was sworn-in on December 4, 2024.^[19]

Awards and recognition

2017 Illinois Water Environment Association "Public Service Award"^[20]