PTO Spotlight with Kindergarten mom, and Town Meeting Member Chris ChanyasulkitQ: Tell us about your family:
A: My family includes James (my husband), Hunter (our eldest son who just turned six and is in KShea), Grayson (our four year old son who is in Driscoll BEEP), and baby Genevieve (who is 16 months old).
Q: Tell us about how you have been involved at Driscoll:
A: This is our first year at Driscoll and we love and appreciate the teachers, staff, and community of parents. Thank you to the many teachers, parent volunteers, and so many more who arrange the fun breakfasts, PTO Spring Fundraiser, playground play dates, and more!
Q: You wear a couple of different hats within the Brookline government. Tell us about that.
A: Since 2006, I have served as a Commissioner on the Brookline Commission for Women, which I co-chair with Casey Hatchett (who is amazing woman!). Since 2009, I have served as a Town Meeting Member in Precinct 13, and am always appreciative of the votes from neighbors who allow me to volunteer as one of their 15 TMMs. I volunteer as a Steering Committee Member with the Brookline Asian American Family Network. I am a gubernatorial appointee to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women and the Asian American Commissionand am proud to also represent the needs and concerns of women and Asian Americans on the state level. In these two positions, I advocate for pay equity, health equity, and other issues of concern. Please Save the Date for the AAC's upcoming Young Leaders Symposium, which will be held in Brookline on Oct. 15th and is open to all and not just Asian Americans. I also serve as a Board Member on the League of Women Voters of Brookline (a non-partisan organization that works to encourage active and informed civic engagement in our government. I began formally working within Brookline in the 2013 in the Brookline Dept. of Health and Human Services and then since its inception, in the Brookline Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations. I approach my work with a public health lens as I work to advance, advocate, and promote human and civil rights through my advocacy, education, and outreach work.
There are many great ways to get involved in Brookline's government such as joining the Brookline Medical Reserve Corps, the Community Emergency Response Team (full disclosure, I'm also a CERT/MRC member), or joining a Board or Commission.
Q: What do Town Meeting Members do?
A: Essentially Town Meeting enacts town by-laws and is responsible for passing a balanced budget. There are 15 TMMs per precinct for each of the 16 precincts. TMMs attend community meetings, engage with neighbors, and stay informed of issues affecting their precinct and the town in order to make educated votes at Town Meeting on behalf of their precinct. Elections for Town Meeting are held each May. I am happy to talk with anyone interested in running for Town Meeting and encourage people to do so. You can't win if you don't run!
Q: Fun Fact: What's something we should know about you that we don't?
A: I love reading mysteries and especially, cozy mysteries (Think Jessica Fletcher from "Murder, She Wrote!")! I enjoy reading fast-paced mysteries that don't have any graphic violence and enjoy solving crimes.