Meet Nate Cornell

My story is one of activism, accomplishment, and service; but also of privilege. I was born to incredibly kind and generous parents, rich in love, whose sacrifices allowed my brother and me to have opportunities they themselves never had. And for them, that meant a quality education and the chance to go to college. To make that a reality, my mom took a job as a secretary making less than $20,000 at The Peddie School, a top boarding school that offered free tuition to faculty and staff's kids. My enrollment, although earned on academic merit, was made possible entirely by my mother's sacrifice. And those four years changed the trajectory of my life.

With scholarships, student loans and financial aid, I went on to attend Connecticut College, a small liberal arts school in New England, where I dedicated my education to government and Mandarin Chinese. During my junior year, I lived and studied in China for two semesters, vowing to speak only Mandarin, an experience that gave me a profound appreciation for cultures and communities different from my own. Returning for my senior year, I was elected President of the Student Government Association, where I oversaw a $300,000 student budget and proposed meaningful reforms to improve student life. It was my first taste of representative politics and I loved it. In Spring 2011, I became a first-generation college graduate and understood that the opportunity I'd been given came with an obligation to do something with it.

Following graduation, I moved to New York City to begin a job in management consulting, where I have spent the entirety of my career in service of mission-driven clients. For the first seven years of my career, I worked at Huron in their healthcare practice helping urban, rural, and community-based hospitals navigate the financial and operational challenges that threatened to close their doors. Eager to be a part of the most consequential election of my lifetime, I left my corporate career in 2018 to join a congressional race in central New Jersey. I served as finance director, deputy campaign manager, and trusted advisor, helping run the closest race in that heavily Republican district in four decades. While we lost the election, I gained something more valuable: a deep understanding of what it takes to build a diverse coalition, lead under pressure, and fight for change against long odds.

I then joined Deloitte's Government and Public Services practice, drawn by the opportunity to help state and local governments reexamine how our most vulnerable populations interact with the systems designed to serve them. By asking basic questions like “what technologies and processes have existed for consumers in the private sector, and how can we apply them to someone's Medicaid application?” we have helped governments modernize critical services that communities depend on. One of my signature projects was leading a 23-month, $13 million modernization effort for a Midwestern state's department of health services so that families with children with disabilities and complex medical needs could more easily apply for and manage their Medicaid benefits. That work affirmed what I have always believed:

That government plays an extremely vital role in the health and success of a society. And when in the right hands, government can be a tremendous force for good.

Despite starting my career in New York City, I jumped at the opportunity to relocate to Chicago in 2013, and immediately fell in love with the city and a girl. That Fourth of July weekend, I met Janice, who was entering her final year at DePaul University studying communications. From the moment I saw her, her smile, her laugh, the way she lit up every conversation, I knew two things immediately: she was completely out of my league, and I was going to try anyway. What started as a summer romance turned into eight years of dating, an apartment together in the West Loop, the adoption of our dog Bruce, a home on the Near West Side, and a wedding in 2022. In that time, we've built our life here, gotten to know our community, and have come to feel deeply connected to the West Side. In November 2025, we welcomed our son Hugh, and becoming parents has made us even more grateful to call the West Side home. I came to Chicago for a job. I found everything else here.

Long before I decided to run for Alderman, I made a commitment to this community. Since 2020, I've been involved with Breakthrough Urban Ministries, a nonprofit anchored in East Garfield Park that partners with residents to build connections, develop skills, and open doors of opportunity. I started on their Young Professional Board, moved to their Finance Committee, and along the way coached youth soccer and basketball and spent the past year mentoring young men in high school. I've also been an active member of our neighborhood association, H.O.W United, recently stepping into the role of President, a responsibility I take seriously. For the past three years, I've partnered with Together Chicago, a nonprofit working to build thriving, safer communities across the city, to host a back-to-school block party for Near West Side families. Every August we show up with backpacks, school supplies, and volunteer barbers giving free haircuts to get kids ready for the first day of school. It's a small thing. But it has a big impact.

I didn't get involved in this community to run for office. I'm running because of it. And my candidacy is not in opposition to any one person, but in search of new solutions, with deep respect for the history of these neighborhoods, the people who have shaped them, and the voices that must continue to guide the communities of Chicago's West Side.

The 27th Ward is home. And I'm running to fight for it.