Candidate Profile: Shaun O'Keeffe For Woburn School Committee

WOBURN, MA — Woburn will have a number of contested races in the Nov. 2 municipal election, including a six-candidate open race for five seats on the School Committee.

Woburn Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Shaun O'Keeffe is the sole challenger for a seat on the committee. He faces incumbents Patricia Chisholm, Colleen Cormier, Christopher Kisiel, Andrew Lipsett and Michael Mulrenan.

O'Keeffe works in finance.

Are you running for office in Woburn? Contact Christopher Huffaker at chris.huffaker@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Woburn Patch.

Previously on Patch: Woburn Election 2021: Mayor, Council, School Committee Candidates

Shaun O'Keeffe

Age (as of Election Day)

41

Position Sought

School Committee

Family

Patrice (wife), Ali (daughter), and Christopher (son)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Woburn High School (Class of '98), University of Massachusetts - Lowell (Class of '03)

Occupation

Associate Director, Finance and Administration (13+ years in finance)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

Facebook: Shaun O'Keeffe For School Committee Woburn

Why are you seeking elective office?

As a father of two school-aged children and a life-long resident, I am asking for your vote so that I may use my knowledge and professional experience in ways to positively impact our children, our school system and the community to the best of my ability.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issue is understanding how the pandemic is impacting our students, staff, and entire school system and what is needed for a successful recovery. Our focus should be on the academic, social, and emotional development as well as the mental well-being of our entire school community. I intend to work with my fellow school committee members to evaluate the current challenges our students and staff are facing and fight for the resources that are needed for Woburn schools.

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

I feel my professional experience offers uniqueness to the school committee. My background has been in finance, accounting, and administrative experience for the last 13+ years. For more than five years, I have worked in higher education, focusing on financial planning, including but not limited to creating and reviewing budgets, forecasts, and capital improvement plans. As a school committee member, I will help frame the strategic fiscal vision and fight for the resources that are needed for Woburn schools.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As mentioned above, our focus should be on the academic, social, and emotional development and well-being of our entire school community.

Our focus should be on content development as well as mental health and workforce skills for our children.

Our focus should be on supporting our educators, counselors, administrators, coaches, and staff ensuring that necessary resources are in place, such as professional development and appropriate funding.

Our focus should be on building a community of diversity, inclusion and belonging for all.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

It’s a quote credited to Richard Branson, “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

I believe a driving factor in what makes a school system exceptional is ensuring we provide our leadership and staff with the professional, emotional, and financial support needed to reach their fullest, collective potential. As families of Woburn students, these are the people we charge and entrust with helping our children reach their maximum potential. It would be a disservice to everyone if we did not provide the needed resources to do just that.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a life-long resident of Woburn. I was raised in the South End near Horn Pond and now am raising my family on the East side.

Woburn holds a special place in my heart, and I want to give back to the community that has always taken care of my family and me. I intend to serve as a school committee member that puts its students and families, teachers, and staff in the best position possible to succeed.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.