​Steve Kouri was born with a physical disability called cerebral palsy and became the first person with that level of physical disability to graduate high school from Peoria Public Schools District 150. He graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree, and Florida Coastal School of Law in 2015. He began working as an assistant state’s attorney in Peoria County under the leadership of Jerry Brady almost immediately after becoming an Illinois licensed attorney. Kouri has also worked at the Peoria area law firm Haebecker, Morris, & Dluski, LLC. where he worked on a variety of cases in all areas of the law. Kouri has a passion for public service and has always been active in the Peoria community. He served as Chairman of the City of Peoria’s Liquor Commission and on the Zoning Board of Appeals, before joining the Human Rights Commission.