I’m a pragmatic leader who believes results matter more than rhetoric, and I’ve spent my life working across differences to solve hard problems.

I’m the daughter of immigrants who came to this country believing in the American Dream — and they taught me the value of hard work, education, responsibility, and service.

Those lessons started early for me growing up in Des Plaines. Inspired by my parents’ strong work ethic, I began babysitting at nine, started my first small “business” at ten, and worked my way through college at Northwestern University delivering Chicago Tribune newspapers each morning. These experiences shaped my belief in showing up, working hard, and helping others.

I’m a military mom, small-business owner, educator, author, and social scientist. As a caregiver for my father and my mother — who lived with a rare form of muscular dystrophy — I saw firsthand the gaps in our healthcare and caregiving systems. That experience shaped my belief that dignity in aging and disability care is a right, not a privilege.

I built a global education company focused on lifelong learning and workforce development for professionals, students, and government workers. My career has been about helping people adapt, learn, and succeed in a changing world.

Experienced. Accountable. Innovative.

Throughout my career, I’ve challenged outdated assumptions and built innovative solutions. To strengthen jobs and small businesses, I:

• Served on the former President’s Foreign Policy Working Group focused on international trade, boosting exports, and creating jobs.
• Serve on the boards of the National Small Business Association and the Truman Center, strengthening our economic and national security.

Like you, I’m frustrated by the lack of commonsense problem-solving in Washington.

Instead of recklessly cutting critical programs families depend on, we should reimagine how government can function more effectively to meet the real needs of people for the 21st century.

How do we achieve that?

• By leaning on the things that have always made America great: freedom, opportunity, and each other.
• By innovating and getting rid of the policies and practices that no longer work for us.
• By thinking anew and not being afraid to listen and work with anyone, regardless of party, to get it done for America.

I know how to get things done — and I will deliver for Illinois in Congress. I will be a workhorse for the people of the Eighth District, advancing commonsense policies that build a brighter future for all Americans: a future where daily life is more affordable, safer, and healthier. One grounded in freedom, fairness, mutual respect, shared values, and smart investments in the long-term needs of our communities.