It is an incredible honor to serve on the Needham Select Board
From expanding recreational opportunities like pickleball, to championing ambitious climate goals, I've gained invaluable insights into municipal governance during my first term. These efforts have contributed to an improved quality of life and economic growth in Needham.
Needham is a great community
My husband Stephen and I moved to Needham in 2004 and raised our two sons here. We both grew up in Newton, and met in high school. We married in 1997, living in Jamaica Plain before settling in Needham. The Needham community has been an incredible place to raise kids, with great public schools, and all the safety and services that lucky parents could imagine.
Professionally, much of my career was spent at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Two years ago, I joined a company pioneering affordable, portable MRI scanners that make high quality medical imaging accessible to patients and clinicians around the world.
From Volunteer to Candidate:
My Journey to Advocate for Change in Local Government
Before running for Select Board in 2022, I served as a Town Meeting member for five years and volunteered for many years with the League of Women Voters and the Democratic Town Committee. I ran for the Select Board to stand up for issues I believe in and wanted to see implemented at the local level: climate policy, an increase in the variety of housing stock, and better communication between government and residents.
We have made a lot of progress!
Needham is now a Climate Leader in Massachusetts, with tangible health and economic results. The Needham Housing Authority’s major renovation project has full town support. Needham’s Select Board voted unanimously to support the Base MBTA zoning plan to Town Meeting in May. The Town newsletter The News You Need(ham) reaches over 5,000 households weekly, and Select Board members hold monthly open office hours. Quiet Zone planning for the train crossings is underway to improve safety and quality of life, and tennis and pickleball will shortly have their own dedicated facilities for players of all types.
There’s more to do and I am eager to continue to serve our residents. I want to help our businesses and downtown areas to grow and thrive, to protect Needham’s tree canopy, and right-size new residential building. Local problems need locals to solve them, and that’s a serious commitment. I have built the relationships to understand Needham’s needs, and I am committed to solving them.