Swampscott resident Danielle Leonard has announced that she is running for Select Board.
Leonard made the official announcement last week. Incumbent member Peter Spellios will not be running for reelection.
“I am honored to submit my candidacy for the Swampscott Select Board,” Leonard said in a press release. “I love the town of Swampscott, with its small-town feel, close-knit community, and time honored traditions where generations of families continue to live and raise families along the ocean.”
Despite only living in town for the past six years, Leonard spent a decade working for the school district. Her career began in payroll and as a principal’s assistant before she pivoted to human resources.
“It’s really given me a great piece of experience,” Leonard said. “Working with kids, working with people in town, it really gives you a perspective of what people are thinking, what they’re talking about, and what they really want to see in town.”
After working in Swampscott, Leonard moved to the Lynnfield school district where she served as the head of human resources. In December 2023, she began her current role in the human resources department at Harvard University.
Leonard named listening to residents as a priority for her campaign.
“It really does take the input of everybody that lives here to understand the impact of the issues,” Leonard said. “We have a lot of them right now.”
Leonard named pollution at Kings Beach and the delayed response to climate resiliency as two examples of “issues” she hopes to improve if elected. She also hopes to help change what she feels is a divisive culture between board members themselves and with the community.
“After talking to so many people in this town and hearing the same thing, that they’ve been spoken to in a less than professional manner, that their voices aren’t heard or that their thoughts are discounted,” Leonard said. “I’m tired of complaining. I’m just going to put my money where my mouth is and I’m going to try to change it.”
Leonard now joins a race that includes resident Katie Arrington, who announced her campaign earlier this year.
