Stephanie’s career is rooted in a foundation of public service, fiscal responsibility, and military experience. The child of a single mother and Polish-immigrant grandparents, she began working at age 14 to help support her family. After graduating from Wheaton Central High School, she served in the United States Marine Corps, with deployments to Camp Pendleton, California, and Okinawa, Japan. As an Administration Clerk, she was responsible for her unit’s payroll and records. Her service earned her a meritorious rank promotion to Corporal and a number of awards, including the Good Conduct Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Following her military service, Stephanie earned a B.S. in Political Science/Pre-Law and a Master’s in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University. She then began a career in finance, working in private banking and as a financial advisor. She transitioned to public office, serving for nearly 10 years as the Third Ward Alderman for the City of Aurora, where she focused on the city budget and investments in public services like street and park repairs. In 2012, she was elected as a State Representative. During her time in the General Assembly, she has served on budget committees and was part of the Budget Working Group that helped end a 2.5-year budget impasse in Illinois. She has also worked on the Tier 2 pension crisis and has consistently advocated for fiscal responsibility and property tax relief.