Meet Rachel

Senator Rachel Ventura!

Born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, Senator Ventura grew up in a working class family. Her parents worked tirelessly to raise her and her three siblings, teaching them that education and hard work are part of the American dream.

Equipped with grassroots support, years of knowledge, compassion, and an unrelentingly tough work ethic, Senator Ventura has and will continue to fight to improve our communities and make our community a better place –– no matter the job, city, or state, that’s what she’s always done.

As the State Senator for Illinois’ 43rd district, Senator Ventura has championed legislation that addresses climate change and environmental resilience, criminal justice reform, access to college education, and bridging the digital divide by expanding broadband access across Illinois.

Sen. Rachel Ventura has a B.S. in Mathematics from Benedictine University and an A.S. in Biology from Tidewater Community College in Virginia. She lives in Joliet with her twin daughters and dogs.

Re-Elect a Progressive Democrat so we can have a government that works for everyone! ​Rachel stands for Honesty, Integrity, and Hard work!

Rachel (The Early Years)

Rachel was born in 1981 and raised in Joliet, Illinois, alongside her three older siblings. With two working class parents, she grew up understanding the power of hard work and the value of unions. She proudly attended public school and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Benedictine University in 2002. Armed with a degree and a desire to see more of this great country, she moved to California where she began work as an actuary for health insurance companies. Here she saw firsthand how the American healthcare system had been warped to profit off the sick.

Disgusted by the injustices of the industry, Rachel left the healthcare field, and spent the next 10 years as a military spouse. This change granted Rachel more opportunities to explore work as well as travel the world and country. While living in Virginia, she earned a second degree in biology and started work as a veterinary assistant (Pet Nurse). 

In Georgia Rachel became a naturalist for Georgia State Parks where she learned about the destruction of over 87 million acres of Longleaf Pine Forests. She was infuriated to learn that less than 4% of the original forest remains today, and so Rachel’s passion for preservation was born. She worked to restore the pine forest and help save the endangered gopher tortoise. Shortly after her twin girls were born, the family moved to Washington State. There, she volunteered for numerous non-profit organizations, many of which focused on protecting the environment and providing access to healthy foods. She secured a position at an international publishing and gaming company, Legendary Games, where she worked for a decade. She also worked as a substitute teacher.

Rachel later returned to Joliet with her daughters as a single mother where in her free time, she volunteers for Joliet School District 86, Girl Scouts, Educarious, and is an active thespian at Will County Bicentennial Park. It was here in her hometown that she realized she wanted to do more to help her community. 

So, in 2018 she ran for the Will County Board and won. In this race, Rachel showed her willingness to engage with her constituents, as she knocked on 10,000 doors. In 2022 she ran for State Senate and won again! And at every single door, she was prepared to listen to the real concerns of her community members.

No matter the job, city, or state, Rachel has always fought to make her community a better place. Equipped with years of knowledge, compassion, and an unrelentingly tough work ethic, she will continue to fight for the people.