Meet Melissa martinez

Melissa Martinez lives and works in DuPage County and currently serves on the DuPage County Board. As a District 6 resident, she understands the everyday challenges families face — from affordability and transportation to access to health services and county resources — because she experiences them alongside her neighbors.

Melissa is the founder and CEO of Cool Party Balloons, Illinois’ leading retail and wholesale balloon distributor. She launched the business in 2024 with no advertising budget, building it from the ground up into a trusted resource for balloon professionals across the country. She began her journey in the balloon industry as a decorator in 2022, guided by creativity, discipline, and a strong work ethic.

Before starting her business, Melissa spent more than 20 years in the corporate world leading marketing, strategy, and sales initiatives across the telecommunications, lottery, television media, and newspaper industries. That experience shaped her results-driven, solutions-focused approach to leadership.

As a proud Latina and mom with Mexican parents, Melissa’s values are rooted in family, hard work, and respect. She is committed to ensuring county policies promote safety, dignity, and trust so families feel supported — not overlooked — and believes government works best when it listens, communicates clearly, and treats every resident with dignity.

Melissa is running for County Board because she believes local government should be practical, transparent, and focused on real results — not politics for politics’ sake.

As a County Board Member, Melissa brings a balanced, collaborative approach to decision-making. She believes fiscal responsibility and compassion go hand in hand, and that progress comes from working across differences to find solutions that serve the whole community.

From responsible budgeting and property tax stewardship to mental health access, housing stability, and infrastructure, Melissa remains focused on the issues that directly affect quality of life in District 6. Her goal is simple: make county government work better for the people it serves.