2025 Patch Candidate Profiles: Andrew Tedford, Vernon Town Council

VERNON, CT — Andrew Tedford is running for the Vernon Town Council.

Candidate's Name:

Andrew Tedford

What office are you seeking?
Vernon Town Council

What town do you live in?
Vernon, Connecticut

Campaign Website
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Party Affiliation:
Republican

Occupation:
Innovation Manager at Hartford HealthCare with 11 years of progressive experience and promotions within the organization.

Family:
I have been married to Yuqi Gao for two wonderful years and in January 2025 we welcomed our daughter, Olivia Tedford — she’s the fourth&dash;generation Tedford here in Vernon and a daily reminder of why I serve our community.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
I was elected to the Vernon Town Council in 2023 — the only weekend I took off from knocking on doors was my wedding weekend that September. With a deep passion for public health, I served on the Water Pollution Control Facility Committee from 2014 to 2023, including four years as Committee Chair.

I was elected to the Vernon Town Council in 2023 — the only weekend I took off from knocking on doors was my wedding weekend that September. With a deep passion for public health, I served on the Water Pollution Control Facility Committee from 2014 to 2023, including four years as Committee Chair.

Why are you seeking this office?
Making Vernon a place where people want to live and grow is at the heart of why I run for office. I was born and raised here and went through Vernon’s public schools. This town has been good to me and to so many I’ve met, and I want to ensure our future generations — including my daughter — can benefit even more than I did.

Education is especially important to me — as an Honors Graduate of Rockville High School, I want to see all of our schools continue to win awards, like our Blue Ribbon Schools, so every child has access to a great education.

Access to best-in-class healthcare is also a top priority — I spent two years as a Manager at Rockville Hospital and am thrilled to see it transition to a non-profit, where I hope it will continue serving our community to its fullest.

Ensuring our children and families have access to excellent schools, essential services, and a fair tax rate is why I am seeking re-election to this office.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
Cost of living has been a challenge for all of us, requiring careful budgeting and thoughtful assessment of our needs more than ever in recent years. Vernon has been able to maintain lower taxes than surrounding towns thanks to the diligence of expert department leaders, the sharing of critical services between departments, Mayor Dan Champagne’s leadership, and the Town Council’s ability to work collaboratively as a team. As a lifelong resident, I have skin in the game, and if re-elected I am committed to working hard to keep fiscal pressures balanced while continuing to provide excellent services to our community.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I bring the advantage of a lifetime in Vernon combined with leadership experience from the state’s second-largest employer, giving me a practical and informed perspective on public service.

Personally, as a lifelong resident I have gone through our schools and seen them grow, starting as a Rockville High School Honor Society graduate and later earning my Bachelor’s at UCONN and MBA at the University of Hartford. As a father, I want our schools to give my daughter and your children tools to succeed like I was granted.

Professionally, over the past decade at Hartford HealthCare, I have held analytics roles reporting to Vice Presidents, led committees on productivity, budgeting, and workforce planning, and contributed to transformative healthcare projects, including COVID initiatives that reshaped virtual care. With hands-on leadership experience at Rockville Hospital, I know its people, culture, and what it needs to thrive.

I believe my unique combination of professional expertise and deep local roots gives me a unique perspective and a keen, practical eye for public service.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
In addition to focusing on education and healthcare, I will support and improve the services that make Vernon such a great place to live, while seeking efficiencies where possible. From door-to-door conversations with hundreds of residents, I’ve heard that our public works services and recreation offerings are top tier. We are also fortunate to have an outstanding emergency services division, and I remain committed to supporting our Police and EMS teams. As new concerns and ideas arise, I will work with my fellow Town Council members to find innovative solutions that benefit our community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I am well-prepared to serve on the Vernon Town Council because of both my decade of public service and my professional leadership experience. From my early days on the Water Pollution Control Authority to my first term on the Town Council, I have seen firsthand how collaboration and teamwork get projects completed. Even during the challenges of COVID, we were able to keep the Water Pollution Control Facility upgrade on track, under budget, and well-supported through grants. My time on the Council has also given me a deep understanding of how our town charter and governance structures guide effective decision-making.

My experience as a healthcare leader has equipped me with the business acumen, analytical skills, and cross-functional leadership necessary to work with diverse teams and manage complex initiatives. I have honed the ability to analyze data, identify challenges, build consensus among stakeholders, and implement practical solutions — skills that translate directly to public service. Just as I have helped organizations thrive professionally, I am committed to applying these same principles to strengthen Vernon’s schools, healthcare, public services, and overall community well-being.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
"Do or do not, there is no try." — Jedi Master Yoda.

From delivering newspapers in the snow and rain as a kid, to learning how to drive at sixteen, studying subjects I didn’t enjoy in college, or completing professional projects I would rather have avoided, Yoda’s principle of committing fully to the task at hand has always guided me. This is a mindset I carry into every challenge — personal, professional, and in public service — ensuring that I see every responsibility through to completion.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am seeking re-election to continue serving Vernon because this town has shaped my life, and I am committed to helping it thrive for future generations. My own family journey reflects the richness of Vernon: my grandfather’s side immigrated from Ireland, my mother from Malaysia, and my wife from China. It’s remarkable to think that ancestors from opposite sides of the globe would end up here, and it inspires me to ensure Vernon remains a place where all people want to live, raise families, and thrive. Among Connecticut’s 169 towns, I am proud to call Vernon home, and I will continue working to help it grow from “great” to “excellent.”