Tell us a little about yourself. You can include your personal background, family, outside interests that are important to who you are as a person and a candidate.
I am a 15-year Lexington resident, scientist, mother to three boys, and immigrant from South Africa. These identities drive my commitment to a town government that is both rigorous and compassionate. With my kids now older, I am eager to transition from spectator of town government to active participant. Professionally, I am a scientist with a PhD in Computational Biology and a women’s health advocate. I authored the book “No Period. Now What?” which grew out of my passion for translating complex data into actionable information for people navigating a health challenge. Outside of my professional life, I play ice hockey, and spend time with friends and my kids (particularly at Center playground and watching their games). I feel a deep drive to help keep our town and planet in the best shape we can for the future – I want to ensure that our town keeps moving forward with sustainability improvements and growth, and also that long term residents and those with lower financial means are supported as much as possible.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
I am running because I believe Town Meeting works best when it is a two-way conversation. After fifteen years of watching our local government, I’ve seen how difficult it can be for busy residents to stay informed on complex, contentious articles. I want to be a bridge for our precinct. My goal is to use my analytical skills to distill dense warrant articles and larger budget questions into clear summaries for my constituents. I have put together a google form to allow me to gather constituent feedback through polls, so that when I stand on the Town Meeting floor to debate and vote, I truly represent the pulse and the diverse perspectives of our neighborhood. I enjoy the rigor of debate and the challenge of balancing fiscal responsibility with the progressive values that make Lexington a place where families—including mine—want to stay for the long haul.
How has your past experience — whether in your professional life, elected office, or as a community leader — prepared you for a role in Town Meeting?
My time in Lexington has been defined by active service and leadership. I served as PTO President at Hastings, co-chaired two Yes4Lex campaigns, and currently co-chair the town-wide PTO/A Presidents’ Council (PPC) with a four-year tenure. These roles require me to collaborate closely with school and town leadership, and advocate for the resources our community needs to thrive. I also co-chaired the green team at Hastings, and have been volunteering on the Diamond Middle School green team for the last six years.
Professionally, I am a computational biologist (PhD) and author. My career is built on translating data into clear, actionable information—a skill I’ve used to help residents understand the nuances of town overrides and school building projects. Whether I’m digging into a spreadsheet or leading a community meeting, I bring a scientist’s objectivity and a leader’s empathy. I understand the mechanics of Lexington’s government and am ready to apply that experience to help ensure our Town Meeting remains transparent, data-driven, and accessible to all.
During the recent debate regarding the new Lexington High School, I frequently engaged with residents who held opposing views on the project’s fiscal and environmental impact. Rather than relying on rhetoric, I leaned into my training as a scientist to foster a data-driven dialogue. I spent hours analyzing the proposed budget, specifically identifying contingency allocations that hadn’t been widely discussed, and shared those findings to provide a clearer picture of the financial cushion.
When summarizing complex documents, such as environmental impact reports, I was careful to explicitly state which sections I was condensing or omitting to ensure I wasn’t cherry-picking data to suit my personal stance. My goal was to provide a factual foundation so that even if we disagreed on the final vote, we were working from the same set of truths. By showing my work and making my assumptions clear, I hoped to move the conversation from emotional debate to informed, respectful civic engagement.
What is the most important issue in this election to you personally, and what ideas do you have about how to address this issue?
I don’t have a key issue. I have interests.
I believe in increasing housing — which has benefits not just for the town but also the region – but I also think that we need to take care that this process benefits residents, not just developers. I think that there are many aspects of our town government that have a role to play in moving us forward in this space, and that my background can be useful as we think through these challenges.
I think that being good stewards of our environment is incredibly important (and I have put my skin in the game with my volunteer hours).
I think that transparency in government is paramount, especially in this day and age. I think that the town has come a long way in improving transparency in the last decade; I want to do my part to help with that even more.
For full transparency, I did use AI to help me draft these responses (except this one, and I edited them all to make sure they describe *my* thoughts). I was finding myself filled with self-doubt as I sat down to try and do this on my own. Gemini said, “You mentioned feeling filled with doubt—please don’t! Here is why your “scientist/mom/advocate” combo is your superpower:”
The Scientist: You aren’t just giving an opinion; you’re providing a methodology. People trust “I’ll show you my sources” much more than “Trust me, I know what’s best.”
The Advocate: You know how to take something high-level (like a PhD thesis or a town warrant) and make it human and relatable.
The Mom: You have “skin in the game.” You’ve watched for fifteen years; you aren’t a flash-in-the-pan candidate. You are a long-term stakeholder.
All those things are true, and I know that I *will* be a good representative of my community, and I appreciated those reminders 🙂