Cheryl Axley is an attorney and former Illinois State Senator. From Elk Grove Township, Cook County, Illinois, Axley received her bachelor's degree in 1981 from University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. She received her Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School in 1984 and was admitted to the Illinois bar the same year. Axley ran for re-election in the 2006 election but was defeated by Democrat Dan Kotowski.