Jennifer Todd

Jennifer Todd says she was in third grade when her mother went back to school to become a nurse.¹ Todd herself initially planned to become an athletic trainer.¹ When she told her mother she wanted nursing instead, she recalls the response: “It's about time.”¹

She began nursing school at Kaskaskia College in 1991 and worked as a nursing assistant at St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia while studying.¹ Her subsequent career took her through several states and included hospital and hospice care.¹ She later worked in nurse education, medical record review, insurance appeals and school nursing.¹

Back problems and surgeries eventually ended her bedside nursing work, leading her toward other healthcare roles.¹ Her 2026 questionnaire lists her occupation as a retired registered nurse.² A mother, she has described relying on Medicaid and SNAP while raising her daughter.² She is the Democratic candidate challenging Mary Miller in Illinois' 15th District.²

Todd supports protecting Medicare and Medicaid, lowering prescription drug costs and strengthening rural healthcare.² She also advocates preventive and mental health services and clearer information about prices before treatment.² On immigration, she supports secure borders, due process, lawful immigration pathways and additional resources to reduce court backlogs.² Her technology proposals emphasize protection from scams and human accountability in decisions about healthcare, insurance and employment.²