Meet Murri

My name is Amy “Murri” Briel—but you can call me Murri.

I was proudly born and raised in the Illinois Valley to a caring family that taught me the value of hard work, community, and showing up for people who need it. My dad was a Korean War veteran and IBEW electrician who worked at Libbey Owens Ford for 40 years—and his commitment to labor went all the way back to his father’s close involvement in the AFL-CIO merger. He liked to boast I was his only child who wanted to walk a picket line before I was six. My mom grew up the youngest of four, raised by a single mom on a farm her family has worked for nearly 200 years. She spent her life volunteering in the community: Meals on Wheels, the farm bureau, fighting for environmental protection. They were my first role models, and I’ve never taken that for granted.

I went to Wallace Grade School and Ottawa High School before heading to Illinois State University, where I competed on the Forensics Team and studied Philosophy, Psychology, Women’s Studies, and Political Science.

From the moment I met my husband, I always knew we’d move back to the Valley.

I ran for Congress in the 2018 primary for Illinois’ 16th District, and after an unsuccessful run, I didn’t walk away. I stayed active in the party and in my community, serving as a PC, joining the Illinois Democratic Women of Will, and working as a public strategy consultant for organizations like the Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield District 202 Teachers, Citizens for Responsible Transportation, and the Islamic Foundation of Southwest Suburbs.

When my family and I moved back to the Valley, I went to work as Chief of Staff for Representative Lance Yednock—a role that gave me an even deeper understanding of our community’s challenges and potential.

Serving our community has been an honor, and I’ll continue standing up for Illinois Valley families.