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 moved to Lexington with my family in 1984. I have served in Town Meeting since 1997, with a hiatus from 2015 to 2021, while I lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
I have spent nearly all of my adult life working in some aspect of software development and the computer business, including today. From 2008–2014, I taught social studies in Boston Public Schools.
I have served two terms on the School Committee, 2004–2007 and 2007–2010.
I thank those who have voted for me in the past and ask for your support again this year on March 2nd.
Why are you running for Town Meeting?
I am a strong supporter of public education in our town, particularly teaching and learning. Our fine new high school will not be a better high school unless we make it so by supporting our school administrators and teachers.
I also supported Article 34, to rezone for MBTA multifamily housing, in 2023. In 2025, I supported Article 2, to scale back to a smaller number of potential projects. I look forward to somewhat more affordable housing, which is needed by younger newcomers and by older downsizers.
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?
I have learned the importance of collaboration from business. If you can’t get along with others and get them to go along with you, you will not accomplish enough! As one of my bosses taught me in the 90’s, “people don’t do what they’re told; they do what makes sense to them.” Persuasion, consensus, and incentives are the ways to get people moving. That work experience helped me achieve more on the School Committee and in other town government work.
I worked with a colleague on the School Committee and with two members of the Select Board to create the Department of Public Facilities, which now manages and maintains all town buildings. The School Committee and Select Board members had significantly different goals for the new institution. Suffice it to say that we came up with an excellent compromise and got the department going. All four of us, and all members of our boards, knew the department was good for the town, and we knew nobody was acting in their own interest.
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 want to see the high school project run efficiently, quickly, and expertly. As I have in the past, I rely on the Permanent Building Committee (PBC) and School Building Committee to get the project done. The PBC is an expert committee appointed by the Select Board, also answerable to the School Committee on school building projects. They have seen us through many building projects in the past, and I have confidence that they will do so with the new LHS.