Personal Background

Elise and her husband, Alan, moved to Concord in 1981. They live in a house of their own design on Garfield Road. They have two grown children who attended Concord public schools. Alan is an emergency physician who served as Director of the Emergency Department at Emerson Hospital from 1988 – 2007 and today serves on the Massachusetts Public Health Council, and also on the Concord Board of Health.

Elise and Alan have volunteered their time to their children’s schools, their church, Emerson Hospital, and various professional organizations.

Professional Experience

Elise is a Principal at Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott, a 130 member Boston-based architectural firm, where she is a senior member of the firm’s education and healthcare practices. As a member of the firm’s leadership, she has served for nine years on the board of directors, four as board chair.

She is active in the Boston Society of Architects and received the Women in Design Award of Excellence in 2007.  She also serves on the Ethics Committee.

In her professional life, Elise is an architect focused on the design of complex buildings for college and university and healthcare clients.

Civic Volunteer

Elise has been active for many years in the civic affairs of Concord, serving as:

• Member of the  Board of Selectman: 2009 – present; 2010 Clerk, 2011 Chair
• Member of the Finance Committee from 2001 – 2007
• Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals from 1995 – 2001 and as its Chair for four years
• Member of the CCHS Advisory Council from 1997 – 1999
• Member of the Middle School Advisory Council from 1994 – 1997
• Co-chair of the Middle School PTG 1994 – 1996
• Member of the Thoreau and Willard Elementary Schools Building Committee from 1993-1995
• Member of the Concord Schools Space Study Committee 1993 -1994
• President of the Willard School PTG 1991 – 1993

“As a resident of Concord since 1981, I have had the opportunity to gain considerable understanding of the town’s governance issues.  My experience is long and varied and includes one term on the Board of Selectman; one year as Chair; two terms on the finance Committee; two terms on the Zoning Board of Appeals including 4 years as chair; and many years on school building committees; as PTG president at both the Willard and Middle Schools; and as a parent on the advisory committees of both the Middle and High Schools.

This background has prepared me well for a second term as Selectman. I understand where our tax dollars are spent, the role of the State, and the importance of Town Meeting decisions, and I am committed to clear, open, and complete communication.  It is important for voters to know the issues the Town faces, to anticipate the plan for future years, and to understand the implications of our choices. I have the leadership and management skills as well as the fiscal experience to contribute robustly as a Selectman.”

Recent Accomplishments

One of the primary responsibilities of the Board of Selectmen is to appoint the skilled citizen volunteers to the myriad boards and committees that make Concord a well-functioning town.  In addition to filling these committee appointments, examples of achievements of the Board of Selectmen during the three years of Elise’s first term as Selectman include:

• approval of the reconstruction of the CCRHS,
• analysis of town owned lands for ground-mounted solar installations by the Solar Siting Committee,
• master planning for West Concord by the West Concord Task Force,
• continued progress on energy efficiency for town-owned buildings by CSEC,
• adoption of  sustainability principles for town operations,
• completion of the Fowler Library renovations,
• relocation of the Caesar Robbins House,
• construction of repairs to the town’s roads and bridges,
• contract for reconstruction of Crosby’s Corner including modifications to Cambridge Turnpike,
• renewed contracts with the Police and Fire departments,
• purchasing the Rogers land and accepting its conservation restriction,
• potential acquisitions of other parcels for open space and municipal purposes including agriculture,
• licensing pedicabs,
• progress on the design of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail,
• creating the Tax Relief Committee to support residents with financial needs.

Civil Discourse

“Through civil conversation, we translate our basic social values into everyday living and doing.  These social values equate to good citizenship:  listening, respect for others, and a willingness to risk changing our minds.  This is a fundamental framework that I support.

When re-elected, I will continue to focus my leadership and experience to develop solutions for the issues that will face our Town:

• Balancing fiscal priorities in this time of increasing financial uncertainty and shrinking resources
• Proactively planning to maintain Concord’s unique character and manage development throughout the Town especially our stance on environmentally responsible development
• Continuing to hold the governance boundary between Selectmen as policy makers, and Town Manager as implementer of those policies.”