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 longtime Lexington resident and community leader running for Town Meeting in Precinct 5. I have lived in Lexington since 2001, where my husband and I raised our family and became deeply involved in our schools and community.
I hold a Ph.D. in Biology from Columbia University and have spent more than 30 years in academic research and mentoring students, with roles at Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Center, the Broad Institute, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. My professional background has shaped my commitment to education, careful analysis, and evidence-based decision-making.
I have volunteered extensively with the Lexington Public Schools, including serving as President of the Lexington High School PTO. I care deeply about maintaining strong public schools, supporting inclusive housing, planning for sustainable growth, and exercising responsible fiscal stewardship.
I believe in listening, collaboration, and transparent governance, and I am committed to helping ensure Lexington remains a welcoming, well-run community for all.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
I am running for Town Meeting because the decisions we make today will shape Lexington’s future for generations. Town Meeting has a critical role in setting priorities around major investments, housing, schools, and long-term planning, and I want to help ensure those decisions are thoughtful, inclusive, and fiscally responsible.
I believe we can support excellent public schools while being careful stewards of taxpayer dollars, especially as we plan large projects such as the new Lexington High School. I am also committed to expanding housing options so people of different ages, family structures, and incomes can continue to live in Lexington, while preserving the character and strength of our neighborhoods.
Good local governance depends on clear information, respectful discussion, and community input. As a Town Meeting member, I would listen carefully, ask hard questions, and work collaboratively to find balanced solutions. I am running to contribute that approach and to help keep Lexington a welcoming, well-managed, and forward-looking community for all residents.
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 preparation for Town Meeting comes from years of hands-on experience working at the intersection of schools, families, and town decision-making. Through volunteer leadership in Lexington, I’ve seen how policies debated at Town Meeting directly affect classrooms, neighborhoods, and the daily lives of residents.
Serving in leadership roles with the Lexington High School PTO, including as president, require me to listen carefully, balance priorities, and work collaboratively to get things done. I coordinate closely with local PTOs and PTAs, cultural organizations, town committees, and Lexington Public Schools to support programs that benefit students and families across the district.
I am also working to make information about affordable housing more accessible—to town employees, older residents who may want to downsize, and young Lexingtonians hoping to rent or buy their first home—so our community can navigate these challenges thoughtfully and equitably.
These experiences have prepared me to be a Town Meeting member who listens, collaborates, and approaches decisions with care and accountability.
For the Lexington High School project, I worked with community members who held different perspectives. While many families supported the plan, others were concerned about costs, impacts on Article 97 wetlands and green space, sustainable resources, and whether alternatives had been fully explored.
Throughout the duration of the project, I focused on listening carefully, asking questions to understand concerns, and sharing information from school leaders, planners, and the School Building Committee. I coordinated forums and communications among PTO leaders, parent groups, and town committees to help everyone understand the issues and tradeoffs clearly.
Although not everyone agreed, the process built mutual understanding and highlighted shared priorities like excellent schools and responsible stewardship of resources. The experience reinforced for me that good governance requires listening, collaborating, and negotiating thoughtfully to find solutions that work for the whole community.
What is the most important issue in this election to you personally, and what ideas do you have about how to address this issue?
The most important issue to me in this election is ensuring that Lexington continues to make thoughtful, inclusive, and sustainable decisions as our community grows—especially around public schools, housing, economic vitality, and civic engagement. As a longtime resident and parent, I see how these decisions affect every part of our community.
In our schools, my focus is on supporting students’ creativity and critical thinking while helping programs that foster collaboration and exploration thrive. Through the Lexington High School PTO, I organize events to help parents navigate the high school experience and prepare students for life after graduation. Our PTO team helps provide funding for educators to enrich learning opportunities, and, in partnership with LPS’s School Health Advisory Council, drives initiatives like Parent Academy, which offers resources to parents. I also work with LHS administrators and counselors to support mental health awareness and organize activities for METCO and special education students that foster inclusivity and provide support for our most vulnerable learners.
I have also collaborated with cultural partners—including CAAL, IAL, and the Muslim community—to support forums, festivals, and celebrations that help build stronger connections across communities. With CAAL, my focus is to promote student agency and strengthen collaborations between our schools, local cultural organizations, and town initiatives. My goal is to foster more collaboration among these core groups and the broader Lexington community to ensure more voices are heard and included in civic life.
Housing accessibility is another focus. Through Vision for Lexington, I am working with a core group to make affordable housing information clearer and more accessible for town employees, seniors looking to downsize, and young Lexingtonians seeking rental or ownership options. Alongside colleagues, I aim to encourage dialogue among housing committees, integrate information to address key questions about affordability, options, and planning, and make this information more readily accessible to the community it affects.
I also aim to strengthen our local economy, attracting businesses that contribute to a vibrant community while reducing the real tax burden. By listening, collaborating, and making inclusive decisions, I aim to help Lexington remain equitable, thriving, and forward-looking. For more on my priorities, visit www.catherinetelliezyan.com.