Meet Bridget

Bridget Degnen grew up in Edgebrook, a neighborhood on Chicago’s northwest side. Her family firmly believed that the privilege of holding public office is about improving the community. Those experiences shaped her, and Bridget became committed to Chicago’s neighborhoods. She now lives with her husband and son in North Center, on Chicago’s north side where her son attends the local CPS public school.

Bridget was elected to the Cook County Board in 2018. During her term she is proud to have worked on a number of environmental and infrastructure initiatives to make our neighborhoods a better place to live, work, and raise a family. 

Bridget’s undergraduate degree in environmental engineering helped hone her analytical thinking and problem-solving. After college, Bridget learned invaluable life skills while serving in the United States Peace Corps, in Mali, West Africa. She then worked for several years as an environmental engineer, directing field crews throughout North America. The summary of those experiences inspired her to attend Loyola Law School. Bridget has practiced law in both the private and public sectors.

Bridget has a deep understanding of public health after serving as the deputy general counsel of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Since 2013, Bridget has worked on the most innovative and compassionate approach to health care in Illinois while regulating dispensaries licensed under Illinois’ Medical Cannabis Pilot Program. She has gained a reputation as a firm but fair regulator, helping serve patients with debilitating conditions like cancer and terminal illness.

In a time when many politicians seem to be in it for the wrong reasons, Bridget is firmly committed to public service. That’s why in over three years on the Board, she has a 99.99% meeting attendance rate. As our county faces major challenges in the recovery from COVID, rising crime, and a looming environmental crisis, Bridget has worked daily to address each of these issues with integrity - serving our neighborhoods to build a better county for us all.