With 25 years of experience in service, Leah knows the ins and outs of government. Learn more about her priorities as a leader who will work for you. Leah will be an alderperson who listens, learns, and builds practical solutions — together.
Your agenda matters. Leah will work for you.
With 25 years of experience in service, Leah knows the ins and outs of government. Learn more about her priorities as a leader who will work for you. Leah will be an alderperson who listens, learns, and builds practical solutions — together.
Your agenda matters. Leah will work for you.
I'll change that with a clear plan to help business owners succeed, bring energy back to our neighborhoods, and make the 45th Ward a place where local entrepreneurs thrive. My husband and I launched a thriving business and I know the ups and downs faced by small businesses.
Listen first: Host community conversations to hear what business owners actually need
Cut red tape: Guide owners through the permit process
Match businesses to neighborhoods: Lead development that brings the right businesses to the right locations
Encourage recreation, arts & culture: Create anchor destinations across the ward by filling empty storefronts, creating new venues, and holding community events
Activate Community Advisory Council: Give residents and business owners to play a bigger role in neighborhood zoning
You're paying for basic services — you should get them. When infrastructure needs are not met, we waste time and money: fixing the suspension on our cars, repairing flat tires, getting stuck in traffic - all when gas prices are so high. I will fight for the funding to ensure the 45th Ward is safer, more walkable, and easier to get through every day.
Partner across agencies: Work with all levels of government to keep our streets safe and homes safe from flooding.
Fix streets faster: Prioritize citizen safety to tackle potholes and street repairs quickly. Working for all residents, not some.
Make our intersections better: Apply smart traffic management to make navigating the ward safer (and less frustrating).
Restore participatory budgeting: Use surveys, town halls, open houses, and 1:1 meetings to improve infrastructure quickly.
Address problems before they happen: Respond proactively to our community rather than waiting for the next crisis, because your safety and livelihood matter.
I know from growing up in a working class household with a single mom. We put off doctor visits because we couldn't afford them. My oldest was a year old when the 2008 economy blew up our family income. We juggled paying for child care, food, rent, and gas. I worked two jobs to help us pay our bills.
The squeeze on everyday Chicagoans is real — and it's getting worse. I'll help neighbors keep more money in their pockets and make sure no family has to struggle alone. I'll fight for good schools, union labor jobs, and fair-priced housing so that neighbors at all stages of life can enjoy long-term stability.
Help families that are stretched thin: Connect 45th Ward residents to every dollar and resource they're owed.
High quality for every child: Fund quality public schools and early care and education for all families, regardless of their zip code.
Provide care for caregivers: Connect family caregivers to resources, from direct care and medical coordination to financial information, meal supports, transportation, and more.
Address housing: Create options for renters and homeowners so people of all incomes have a stable place to call home.
Local planning that works: Work with residents, community groups, and developers to bring intentional development.
My agenda is your agenda. I will listen, learn, and make decisions for the ward based on information gathered in open community meetings, online engagement, and in one-on-one conversations. My office will be open, accessible, and responsive. Every resident deserves respectful and equal treatment from the 45th Ward office, without fear or favor, no matter their background or political views. Your taxes pay the alder's salary. Your voice matters.
Transparent leadership: Hold town halls and coffee hours to ask questions, discuss concerns… and actually get answers.
Make 311 actually work: Simplify how residents request city services and make sure the job gets done.
Track my promises: Post a projects dashboard showing status updates, and what is being done.
Give you a say in spending: Let residents have real input on how aldermanic funds are spent with participatory budgeting.
Fight for reform in Chicago government: Lead the charge for a responsible, responsive, and accountable City Council.
Safety means more than officers on the street. It means making mental health services available for first responders and their families. It means making sure officers, firefighters, and EMTs have the tools, training, and support they need to stay safe. It means addressing training, accountability, and conditions that lead to crime in the first place. I'll fight for an approach that makes the 45th Ward safer for everyone.
Support our officers: Advocate for more training and mental health resources for first responders who are dealing with trauma and stress.
Uphold accountability: Work closely with local police, CAPS, and other oversight systems to keep our communities safe.
Address causes of violence: Invest in early interventions like community development, rapid rehousing, early care and education, and social services for residents of all ages.
Increase public safety investments: Support mental health first responders and violence interrupters, which will help our officers stay focused on violent and organized crime.
Strengthen local bonds: Support block clubs, festivals, and everyday connections that bring neighbors together.
In 2013, I earned a Masters degree in public policy from the University of Chicago. I am ready to bring training in economics, public finance, and implementation to fight for responsible spending and fiscal accountability. I have fought for working families for 25 years and will continue to prioritize them. We are tired of feeling nickel-and-dimed by the city. We need courageous leadership to keep our city solvent without putting the burden on everyday Chicagoans.
Celebrate Chicago: Support citywide tourism, invest in new industries, and support career pipelines for workers of all ages
Push for a smarter budget: Address Chicago's fiscal challenges without balancing the books on the backs of everyday Chicagoans
Advocate for everyone: Develop practical solutions with neighbors, not those who want to buy influence at City Hall
Clear the cobwebs: Eliminate outdated policies and red tape that waste taxpayer money, and fight for government reform
Help working people keep more money: Support lawmakers who are working to move Illinois to a less regressive tax system