[1] She earned her bachelor's degree in international peace and conflict studies from the Ohio State University, and subsequently moved to Waukegan, Illinois to begin a job with the AmeriCorps VISTA program in 2003.

[3] She received several endorsements from progressive activist groups, labor unions, and local politicians such Chuy García and David Orr.

[19] After her election, Hadden said that in her first few months in office, she would pursue a full assessment of infrastructure and services in the ward and set up an advisory committee for community engagement.

[20] On April 10, 2019, Hadden joined six other newly-elected members of the City Council in protesting against the approval of tax increment financing for the Lincoln Yards and The 78 real estate developments.

[24] In a statement about her vote, Hadden stated, "I’m optimistic about the increased investments in housing, mental health care, homelessness prevention and concrete investments in the south and west sides of our city, but remain concerned that we haven’t exhausted all prospects of progressive revenue in order to take greater strides towards a budget that starts to repair decades of harm and inequity.

[31][32] The team's stated goal is to help Rogers Park residents stay informed and access resources needed amid the social distancing and shelter-in-place measures in place during the crisis.

[33][34][31] They have offered informational resources online, set up a hotline for residents to request advice, and volunteers trained to safely deliver groceries and prescriptions.

[38] During the 2019–23 term, Hadden is a member of eight standing committees in the City Council: economic, capital, and technology development; ethics and government oversight; environmental protection and energy; housing and real estate; human relations and health; special events, cultural affairs, and recreation; zoning, landmarks, and building standards; and committees and rules.

[42] She declined to make an endorsement in the 2019 mayoral election, citing her goal of being an independent alderman as well as strong support received by both run-off candidates in the 49th ward in the first round.