Matthew Duray
Political Architect
Matthew Duray is an experienced political operative from Lake County, Illinois.
Matthew is a Political Consultant at Cor Strategies- a full-service, Illinois-based solutions company. Matthew works with clients, businesses, non-profits, and elected officials daily. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor's degree in Business. Later, he plans to pursue law school. He has experience in political, business, and legal networks.
Matthew first learned leadership when he joined Cub Scouts in kindergarten and eventually worked his way up to the rank of Eagle Scout. He was privately selected to participate in weeklong leadership training courses on full scholarship. Later, he started a local chapter of a national non-profit organization at his high school with over 60 members. Soon after that, residents of Gurnee asked him to run for a trustee when he was just 17 years old. His initial thought was, “You’re crazy. I’m too young.” But he did it, and through his campaign experience, he realized the importance of civic engagement for people of all ages.
Still valuing civic duty, he volunteers as a notary public, deputy voter registrar, and precinct committeeman. He is an active member of his local exchange club. He has spoken on multiple radio/media programs and in front of many boards, organizations, and groups on civic engagement, community involvement, government transparency, and public affairs.
Academically, Matthew graduated with honors with an Associate in arts from the College of Lake County and served as a Student Senator when disenfranchised students asked for a voice on the Student Government board. He is also a member of the CLC honor society, Phi Theta Kappa. Matthew made the dean’s list each semester at UIC and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Currently, he is studying for the LSAT.
In 2020, he became the third vice chair of a countywide political party. Since then, Matthew has worked on several successful campaigns throughout Lake County and has worked with many PACs, non-profits, and organizations. Believing change starts locally, Matthew has recruited and elected candidates at the village, school board, and county levels. Matthew has advised and consulted on over 25 different campaigns. Twice, he led the charge in removing corrupt figures from political leadership. He currently runs a countywide organization and political action committee. Matthew views politics as his civic duty—often quoting, “Evil prevails when good men do nothing.” and works daily to help move our state in the right direction. Some of his favorite political memories include accidentally having lunch with the United States Attorney General, trying to convince the head of a national congressional committee to donate multi-million dollars to a political campaign, and making an untimely phallic joke in front of a 500+ person audience.
Matthew is active in the local church, serving as a small group leader and playing drums on Sunday mornings. On Wednesday nights, you can find him with a small group of his closest confidantes’ who hold each other accountable to become better men. Matthew’s motto is “Soli Deo Gloria,” which means “Glory to God alone.” Matthew spent three summers working in a camp for children with special needs as a counselor and as a “barnstormer” who takes care of daily camp chores. Matthew has also volunteered with Sunshine Gospel Ministries working with youth, the homeless, and families affected by gang violence in Woodlawn, Chicago. In Lake County, Matthew has served with the ManyHands Project, LoveINC, PADs, Feed my Starving Children, and Aid for Women.
In what little free time he has, Matthew enjoys traveling the country, not only for personal enjoyment but to hear from the world’s brightest minds at conferences on leadership, personal development, education, psychology, socio-economic issues, public policy, and politics. Matthew has attended conferences in Santa Barbara, Palm Beach, Reston, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee, Raleigh, Houston, and, most regularly, DC.
A proud Eagle Scout, Matthew loves the outdoors, whether backpacking through the New Mexico deserts, hiking in the rocky or Appalachian mountains, or canoeing through the boundary waters. Matthew has been called an old soul by many because he loves going on walks and isn’t afraid to blast his favorite Zeppelin album on his turntable. He is also known for telling cheesy jokes and going on late-night Taco Bell runs. And he’s afraid to admit this in case Chicago politicians are reading, but he’s deathly allergic to peanuts.
Matthew is a Political Consultant at Cor Strategies- a full-service, Illinois-based solutions company. Matthew works with clients, businesses, non-profits, and elected officials daily. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor's degree in Business. Later, he plans to pursue law school. He has experience in political, business, and legal networks.
Matthew first learned leadership when he joined Cub Scouts in kindergarten and eventually worked his way up to the rank of Eagle Scout. He was privately selected to participate in weeklong leadership training courses on full scholarship. Later, he started a local chapter of a national non-profit organization at his high school with over 60 members. Soon after that, residents of Gurnee asked him to run for a trustee when he was just 17 years old. His initial thought was, “You’re crazy. I’m too young.” But he did it, and through his campaign experience, he realized the importance of civic engagement for people of all ages.
Still valuing civic duty, he volunteers as a notary public, deputy voter registrar, and precinct committeeman. He is an active member of his local exchange club. He has spoken on multiple radio/media programs and in front of many boards, organizations, and groups on civic engagement, community involvement, government transparency, and public affairs.
Academically, Matthew graduated with honors with an Associate in arts from the College of Lake County and served as a Student Senator when disenfranchised students asked for a voice on the Student Government board. He is also a member of the CLC honor society, Phi Theta Kappa. Matthew made the dean’s list each semester at UIC and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Currently, he is studying for the LSAT.
In 2020, he became the third vice chair of a countywide political party. Since then, Matthew has worked on several successful campaigns throughout Lake County and has worked with many PACs, non-profits, and organizations. Believing change starts locally, Matthew has recruited and elected candidates at the village, school board, and county levels. Matthew has advised and consulted on over 25 different campaigns. Twice, he led the charge in removing corrupt figures from political leadership. He currently runs a countywide organization and political action committee. Matthew views politics as his civic duty—often quoting, “Evil prevails when good men do nothing.” and works daily to help move our state in the right direction. Some of his favorite political memories include accidentally having lunch with the United States Attorney General, trying to convince the head of a national congressional committee to donate multi-million dollars to a political campaign, and making an untimely phallic joke in front of a 500+ person audience.
Matthew is active in the local church, serving as a small group leader and playing drums on Sunday mornings. On Wednesday nights, you can find him with a small group of his closest confidantes’ who hold each other accountable to become better men. Matthew’s motto is “Soli Deo Gloria,” which means “Glory to God alone.” Matthew spent three summers working in a camp for children with special needs as a counselor and as a “barnstormer” who takes care of daily camp chores. Matthew has also volunteered with Sunshine Gospel Ministries working with youth, the homeless, and families affected by gang violence in Woodlawn, Chicago. In Lake County, Matthew has served with the ManyHands Project, LoveINC, PADs, Feed my Starving Children, and Aid for Women.
In what little free time he has, Matthew enjoys traveling the country, not only for personal enjoyment but to hear from the world’s brightest minds at conferences on leadership, personal development, education, psychology, socio-economic issues, public policy, and politics. Matthew has attended conferences in Santa Barbara, Palm Beach, Reston, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee, Raleigh, Houston, and, most regularly, DC.
A proud Eagle Scout, Matthew loves the outdoors, whether backpacking through the New Mexico deserts, hiking in the rocky or Appalachian mountains, or canoeing through the boundary waters. Matthew has been called an old soul by many because he loves going on walks and isn’t afraid to blast his favorite Zeppelin album on his turntable. He is also known for telling cheesy jokes and going on late-night Taco Bell runs. And he’s afraid to admit this in case Chicago politicians are reading, but he’s deathly allergic to peanuts.
