Robyn Gabel is from Evanston and has represented the people of the 18th house district since 2010. During her time in the Illinois House of Representatives, she has earned a reputation as an independent legislative leader who gets results. She was notably a lead negotiator for CEJA (the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act), landmark legislation designed to protect our environment.

Since 2023, Rep. Gabel has served as the Majority Leader, appointed by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. In 2025, she was also appointed to be the Chief Budget Negotiator for the House of Representatives. Her priorities include leading the Illinois House of Representatives on developing a fiscally and socially responsible budget, expanding affordability for everyday products, increasing access to quality health care, promoting comprehensive clean energy policy, and protecting our most vulnerable residents.

Rep. Gabel serves as the chair of the Rules committee, member of the Medicaid Working Group, Energy Working Group and leads the House Budget Negotiating Team. Nationally, she is a member of the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus of the Council of State Government and served as the Chair from 2020-2022.

Her legislative record has won her recognition from the March of Dimes, ACLU of Illinois, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, Midwest Asian Health Association, the ARC of Illinois, Equal Hope, the Illinois Public Health Association, and the Illinois Environmental Council, among others.

Before joining the legislature, Rep. Gabel was the Executive Director of EverThrive from 1988 to 2010, a non-profit that advocates for policy to improve the health of women, children, and families in Illinois. She has a BA from Beloit College, an MSPH from the University of Illinois Chicago – School of Public Health and an MJ in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago.