Maria Sinkule: 2026 candidate for DuPage County Board District 1 (2-year term)

Bio

Office sought: DuPage County Board District 1, 2-year term

City: Addison

Age: 42

Occupation: School Social Worker and Adjunct Instructor at UIC and Aurora University

Previous offices held: Addison Public Library, College of DuPage Board Trustee

Q&A

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I’m Dr. Maria Sinkule, former Board President of the Addison Public Library, a grass-roots community leader, co-founder of Grito Latino, and a candidate for DuPage County Board. I hold a master’s and doctorate in social work and currently serve as a school social worker in the Addison School District. I also teach graduate-level social work courses at UIC and Aurora University, preparing the next generation of social workers, and serve as an elected College of DuPage Trustee, overseeing policy and a multimillion-dollar budget.

The daughter of Mexican immigrants who relied on public assistance, my commitment to public service is personal. Known as “Maria de la biblioteca,” I helped families access benefits and health care and created a social work position at the library. When it was threatened, I ran for the board to protect it. I lead with action — organizing food pantries during COVID and advocating for tenants — and I’m running to make DuPage County more affordable, accessible and equitable.

If you are an incumbent, describe a few important initiatives you’ve led. If you’re not an incumbent, describe a few ways you would contribute to the board.

While I am not currently an incumbent, I bring deep experience as a licensed clinical social worker, progressive community leader and elected official, ready to contribute immediately to the DuPage County Board. I believe county government must actively build a community where everyone can live with dignity, stability and opportunity.

My first priority is affordability and housing stability. I will advocate for robust investment in affordable housing, stronger tenant protections and responsible use of county funds to prevent displacement. Housing is a human right, and nearly two decades of working with families has shown me how instability fuels mental health crises, disrupts education and traps working families in cycles of poverty.

I will also expand access to mental health and social services through community-based, culturally responsive and bilingual care, recognizing that prevention saves lives and taxpayer dollars. Finally, I will champion equity, immigrant protections and accountable, community-centered public safety for all of District 1.

Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

One of the most significant gaps in DuPage County is access to mental health and social services people can realistically reach, particularly in District 1. Although the county offers transportation assistance, geography and poverty continue to create structural barriers to care. District 1 is far from Wheaton, where many core services, including the County’s Crisis Response Center, are centralized. District 1 also experiences higher rates of poverty than much of the county, making it harder for residents to take time off work, afford transportation or navigate multiple transit connections. These barriers are compounded for residents seeking bilingual and culturally responsive care, which remains limited and overly centralized.

I believe access to mental health care is a matter of equity and public health, not convenience. I would advocate for a decentralized, community-based service model that brings care closer to where people live. This includes expanding services at the Addison site, co-locating mental health and social services in schools, libraries and community centers, and strengthening mobile and in-home crisis response in high-need areas like District 1.

With the county's budget being squeezed by federal funding cuts and other factors, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

With federal funding cuts and other pressures tightening the county budget, I support responsible revenue strategies & cost-saving investments that center equity in every decision. Too often, low-income residents, immigrants and historically excluded communities are left out of planning and budgeting, leading to lost economic opportunity, inefficient use of public dollars and greater reliance on costly emergency services. Inclusive decision-making creates policies that are more effective, efficient and sustainable. To responsibly increase revenue, I support equitable development fees and incentives that encourage investment in underresourced areas while ensuring developments contribute fairly to infrastructure, affordable housing and social services. Inclusive economic development strengthens the tax base, creates jobs and supports long-term fiscal stability without burdening working families. To reduce costs, I would prioritize prevention through community-based mental health care, housing stabilization, and youth and family services, saving future public dollars. I will advocate for data-driven audits to eliminate inefficiencies and ensure resources reach those with the greatest need.

What is the single most important issue facing your district, and how should the county address it?

The most important issue facing County Board District 1 is affordability including housing, transportation, health care and access to essential services. For working families, seniors and immigrants, rising costs are not abstract; they directly affect housing stability, health, education, child care and economic security. Census data show District 1 experiences higher poverty and uninsured rates, lower median incomes and lower college attainment than DuPage County overall. These disparities are worsened by centralized county services, like the Crisis Response Center, which are far from many residents and difficult to access due to transportation barriers or inflexible work schedules. The county must address affordability by investing upstream and locally: expanding affordable housing, strengthening tenant protections and prioritizing community-based and mobile mental health and social services. Transportation must be treated as essential infrastructure to ensure residents can reach health care, education and employment. Focusing on equity and affordability reduces economic stress, prevents costly crises and builds stability. When District 1 residents can live and thrive, the entire county benefits.

Why are you the best person to serve in this role?

I am the best person to serve in this role because I bring governing experience, professional expertise in social work and front line community leadership — all rooted in a deep commitment to equity and justice.

As an elected official, I have shaped policy, overseen budgets, and ensured public dollars are used transparently and responsibly. I understand how government systems work — and where they fail working families — allowing me to advocate for budgets that reflect community values, invest in prevention and deliver measurable results.

With a doctorate in social work, I approach policy through a data-driven, evidence-based lens while keeping the human impact at the forefront. County government plays a critical role in health care, housing and social services, and I have the expertise to evaluate programs based on outcomes, equity and long-term benefit — not just cost.

For nearly two decades, I have worked directly with DuPage County’s most vulnerable families, organizing at the grass-roots level and participating in rapid-response efforts. I am not removed from the consequences of county policy; I live them alongside the people most impacted.