To the editor:
It is my honor to enthusiastically support Alexis Leahy as a candidate for Select Board. Alexis works full time at the Federal Reserve and has worked in government roles for close to 20 years starting with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts-Division of Banks. Her level of expertise is what our town needs to address the budget challenges that are being similarly experienced across our great country. Combine Alexis’ keen financial prowess with her ability to engage with our community in a meaningful and relationship-building manner and her Harvard University executive education in government performance and you have all the requirements of a superbly qualified Select Board member. Alexis will be a phenomenal leader in our town but knows how to collaborate on a team and give due credit.
Despite her responsibilities at work, Lynnfield Finance Committee duties, and family commitments, Alexis understands the value and importance of participating in our community events. You will regularly see her at PTO events and meetings, fundraisers, local musical productions and Lynnfield For Love events. Besides being intelligent and hilarious — Alexis speaks multiple languages! This was discovered last year at Lynnfield’s Multicultural Celebration where Alexis hosted the Greece table with her family and dear friend. Placed next to the Greece table was another Lynnfield family hosting the China table. Alexis was able to jump in and engage in a conversation in Mandarin with the lovely hosts. This astonishing and heartwarming occurrence was recently brought up as plans are underway for the 2024 Lynnfield Multicultural Celebration. Be sure to catch Alexis Leahy and her family as they proudly host the Greece table on April 6!
Alexis served as SSS PTO president and this duty is not to be taken lightly or discounted. A PTO president is tasked with the unspoken responsibility of fundraising to pay for all of SSS’ enrichment programs and juggles the roles of fellow parent, Lynnfield Public School policy supporter and community liaison. In this role, you are the first in line to hear all feedback, good and bad, and always the last to leave a PTO event. This ability to successfully multitask while navigating and working collaboratively with her PTO team is another attribute to Alexis’ skill set. Collaborative and transparent communication is one of Alexis’ goals as Lynnfield Select Board member.
On January 13, 2021 the Home Rule Petition was signed into law as Chapter 343 of the Acts of 2020 by then- Gov. Charlie Baker. This legislation was filed on behalf of Lynnfield by the bipartisan efforts of House Minority Leader Brad Jones and Sen. Brendan Crighton. This change to Lynnfield’s charter was a remarkable step forward towards equal representation in our town’s government. This was one of three top priorities set by then-Chairman Chris Barrett. Mr. Barrett attributed the prioritization of the charter change to his young daughter who asked about the wording of SelectMEN and ChairMAN. To quote Rep. Brad Jones, “Today, the Town of Lynnfield joins a growing number of communities across the state that have taken a stand in favor of promoting more inclusion in local government by removing all gender-specific references from its town charter…” As it has been more than 20 years since our last elected female Select Board member it would be a monumental act of progress if we built upon this forward and inclusive thought process of an astute young lady and elected Alexis Leahy. I am confident that Select Board members Dick Dalton and Phil Crawford will work with Alexis in their warm and demonstrated collaborative manner. Representation matters and it is time for a remarkably qualified woman on our Lynnfield Select Board!
Thank you for your consideration,
Darlene Kumar
