SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Jared H. LaLiberte as a permanent town clerk on Wednesday.
“After a significant stint working as the deputy town clerk in Lincoln, Mass., he has done some extraordinary work in government as well and certainly has demonstrated his academic achievements,” said Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald, introducing LaLiberte to the board.
LaLiberte, 30, will start his job at Town Hall on April 25. He has been working as a deputy town clerk in Lincoln for almost two years, primarily focusing on vital records and elections.
“You get to be there for the good times and the bad times in the person’s life,” LaLiberte said. “I really do love that aspect of work.”
He also enjoys finding ways to make local government more accessible to the average person, LaLiberte said.
Swampscott has been trying to build a lot of things that he would like to be part of, LaLiberte said, and he could see himself continuing building his career there.
“Your resume is really impressive,” said Peter Spellios, member of the Select Board. “Your commitment to public service is evident.”
LaLiberte grew up in Berkley, Massachusetts. His parents both were involved in local government (his mother worked as an assistant town clerk) and he used to help them out when he was young.
He attended the University of St. Andrews in Scotland for his undergraduate degree in international relations, returning to Boston in 2013 to first intern for former Gov. Deval Patrick and then worked in his administration as a constituent-services aide and government-affairs coordinator.
“At which point I realized my undergraduate degree was in international relations but I thought about working on the state and local level,” said LaLiberte.
Right before the COVID-19 pandemic started, LaLiberte completed his graduate dual degree in public policy and public administration at the London School of Economics and Political Science and Peking University in Beijing, China.
“It was really interesting to live in a foreign country like that,” said LaLiberte about China. “The thing that struck me the most was that people are no different no matter where you are, language, cultural barriers. At the end of the day, we are all human.”
In his free time, LaLiberte enjoys sports. He is currently training for the Boston Athletic Association for a 5k, 10k and half marathon.
“My goal in life has always been to run a marathon and I’ve gotten up to a half marathon,” LaLiberte said.
He also enjoys spending time with his family and participates in a number of charitable organizations.
“I am just excited to be in Swampscott, excited to meet everyone and jump into the job as soon as possible,” said LaLiberte.
