Melrose Candidate Profile: Jen Grigoraitis For Mayor

MELROSE, MA — With the Melrose Municipal Election scheduled for Nov. 7, Patch is profiling the candidates.

Here, we learn more about Jen Grigoraitis, who is running for mayor. Grigoraitis is running against Monica Medeiros Solano to fill the seat vacated by Paul Brodeur, who announced last spring that he would not seek reelection.

Grigoraitis has been elected to two terms as the Ward 6 city councilor and has twice been elected as the council president by the other councilors. Professionally, Grigroraitis has spent 15 years as the chief of staff at the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance.

Candidates were sent questionnaires and filled out the answers.

Name

Jen Grigoraitis

How old will you be as of Election Day?

46

Campaign website

https://jenformelrose.com/

What city or town do you live in?

Melrose

What office are you seeking?

Mayor

Please give us your party affiliation

Democrat

Education

Wellesley College, BA in Political Science, magna cum laude

Occupation

Chief of Staff, Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, 15 years

Family

My husband, Bill, our two boys, Graham (9th grade at MHS) and Reid (4th grade at Winthrop), and our yellow lab, Clementine

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have been elected to two terms as the Ward 6 City Councilor (2019 and 2021). I have been elected President of the Council by my fellow Councilors in 2020 and again in 2023.

Why are you seeking this office?

I am eager to serve as Melrose’s next mayor because I believe great things are possible in our community and I believe my professional and elected experience puts me in a unique position to lead our city forward. There are big challenges ahead of us, but also exciting opportunities. I love this city and the people who make their homes and businesses here. Together, we can make Melrose a sustainable, growing, inclusive and thriving city open to all.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Throughout my campaign, whether at people’s doors, on the phone or during community events, I have heard about a broad range of concerns for our city. One consistent theme that cuts across all of these concerns is to have responsible, inclusive and visionary leadership as our city tackles the issues before it. Whether the issue is fiscal management and budgeting, great public schools, housing and development, or myriad other topics of concern, addressing them must all start with leadership that Melrosians know will listen to many voices, collaborate to solve problems and hold herself accountable for results. I’m proud that my track record of doing just that as a city councilor and council president has earned this campaign the support of so many leaders in our community.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe that there is a clear choice before voters this November. I believe our municipal government has an obligation to make our city a better, more just, more inclusive, more sustainable community. I believe that together we can do things that we can not achieve alone. I intend to continue working effectively with other leaders in our city, elected and unelected, and our state and federal partners, to move Melrose forward.

Further, I am proud to be the candidate in this race with unrivaled professional management and executive experience. I have managed a public agency serving some of the most vulnerable in our communities effectively and efficiently. This includes managing a significant budget and large professional staff.

Finally, I intend to continue being an effective, inclusive communicator about our challenges and our opportunities. I have been a proud advocate for our public schools, for strong fiscal practices, for robust city services, and for building a community that is climate-resilient, forward-thinking, and inclusive in its approach to addressing challenges and needs.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

As mayor, I will bring my professional and elected experience — managing a $60 million state agency, serving as City Council president, advocating for Melrose Public Schools as a parent and an active school and community volunteer, and leading with inclusion, equity, and integrity — to invest in a strong future for Melrose. My goals include: supporting our students and schools, building attainable housing for families and older residents, enhancing our open space, investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, supporting our health and public safety, always improving our beautiful downtown, and, above all, leading with inclusion, equity, and integrity.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am proud of my track record leading and managing teams. True professional leadership comes with practice and experience, learning how to assemble teams of great people, manage to their strengths, and inspire them to work together for a common goal. I have been doing exactly that since 2007 at the state level, managing a team of over 30 people to achieve continuously better outcomes and results for residents across the Commonwealth, and I will bring that proven leadership experience to Melrose’s city operations. My leadership style has always been one of collaboration and example, finding common ground among varying perspectives and leading those teams as they work through challenges to achieve collective results.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

To listen to understand. As someone who has the privilege of working with crime victims and survivors, I am keenly aware that my role as an advocate and a public servant is to meet someone where they are at, even if that is not where I hope for them to be, and to do my best to meet their needs — to help them address the problem that they see before them.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am proud to be part of the Melrose community, and I am asking for your vote on November 7th. The success of Melrose is deeply personal to me. My husband, Bill, and I are raising our two boys in this community we love, and I am committed to ensuring that Melrose works for all residents.