Why do you want to serve on the City Council?
I want to serve on the City Council because I truly love this city, and I believe we’re at a pivotal moment in shaping its future. Over the past three years, I’ve been deeply involved in our community as Vice Chair of the Resident Advisory Committee, where I’ve helped the city staff its 24 boards and commissions through recruitment and candidate evaluations. This role gave me valuable insight into how our city government operates and how decisions are made.
But just as important, I believe the Council should reflect the lived experiences of the people it serves. If elected, I would be the only current Councilor with children in our public schools, and I think that perspective is critical as we make decisions that affect families and our education system.
I also bring the perspective of a person of color, an immigrant, and a millennial — voices that are too often underrepresented in local government. Together, these experiences will allow me to help build a Watertown that is more inclusive, forward-looking, and responsive to the needs of all residents.
Tell voters about your background and qualifications for being a City Councilor.
I’ve spent much of my career in the startup world—first as a founder, and later working at the intersection of startups and venture capital. In these roles, I built partnerships, managed complex projects, and learned how to make data-driven financial decisions.
More recently, I’ve shifted into real estate development, which has given me the flexibility to devote meaningful time to serving our community while continuing to put my management and problem-solving skills to work.This work has also allowed me to gain deep knowledge of real estate, affordable housing and construction finance. I think these are very useful skills for a councilor, especially as the council will serve as the Redevelopment Authority for the Watertown Square project.
As previously mentioned, I serve as Vice Chair of the Resident Advisory Committee, where I’ve helped staff the city’s 24 boards and commissions by recruiting and evaluating candidates.
I was born in Ghana and raised in Italy before moving to the United States for college. I’m a proud graduate of the University of Southern California, where I studied political science and business, and I later completed a program in international political economy and finance at the London School of Economics on a full academic scholarship. These experiences shaped both my global perspective and my deep commitment to civic life here in Watertown.
What would you like to see built on the municipal parking lots in Watertown Square that are proposed to be redeveloped as part of the Watertown Square Redevelopment?
Watertown Square is the heart of our community, and the redevelopment of the municipal parking lots is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We need to get it right. I believe the redevelopment should prioritize three things:
1 – Housing that’s attainable for a mix of residents. This includes smaller units for young professionals and downsizing seniors, as well as affordable units for working families. The Square is the perfect location for more housing because it can be walkable, served by transit, and close to amenities.
2 – Active ground-floor uses. I’d like to see local shops, cafes, and community-serving retail that bring energy to the street, combined with civic and cultural spaces where residents can gather. A revitalized Square should feel welcoming, vibrant and community-focused, not just another development project.
3 – Public space and connectivity. The redevelopment should improve walkability, create inviting green spaces, and make it easier and safer to move between the Square, the river, and nearby neighborhoods—whether you’re walking, biking, or driving.
I want Watertown Square to reflect the best of our city: a place that is exciting to visit, representative of our community, and accessible to everyone. That means planning for housing and economic vitality while ensuring we preserve the character, sense of community, and socio-economic diversity that make Watertown so special.
The City has aggressive goals in the Climate and Energy Plan. How can the City help make their homes more energy efficient and the City as a whole more sustainable?
Watertown has set ambitious goals in its Climate and Energy Plan, and achieving them requires both city-wide initiatives and household-level support. On the residential side, I am grateful that the City has hired an energy advocate and initiated interest to expand education and incentive programs that help homeowners and renters access energy-efficiency upgrades — such as insulation, weatherization, and heat pump systems — while making it easier to navigate rebates from Mass Save and other state/federal programs.
I’d be interested in the City studying bulk-purchase programs for solar panels, heat pumps, and battery storage, reducing costs for residents by leveraging the City’s buying power. Streamlined permitting for energy-efficient renovations and electrification projects would further lower barriers.
At the community level, the City Manager has already raised the possibility of installing geothermal systems at City Hall and the Library. These kinds of forward-looking municipal projects can serve as a model, showing residents and businesses the benefits of sustainable technology while reducing long-term operating costs for the City. Paired with investments in green infrastructure — like tree canopy expansion, sustainable landscaping, and EV charging stations—these efforts set a strong example and lower the path for others to follow.
I’m also interested in the potential impacts of energy ordinances such as BERDO. That said, I’d like to review the findings of the city’s study before deciding on next steps By combining practical support for households with bold municipal leadership projects like geothermal at our civic buildings, Watertown can meet its climate goals while saving residents money and improving quality of life.
Watertown has an opportunity to completely renovate or rebuild Watertown Middle School and use the temporary school currently at Moxley Field. Would you like to see this happen and if so how would you like to see it financed?
The middle school is a very tricky issue. There’s nothing I would love more than to complete the trifecta of investments in our schools. A middle school project would give our students the facilities they deserve and provide consistency across our school system.
But I am also cautious about timing and financing so we need to take a careful, data-driven approach. At the macro level, there is a lot of economic uncertainty. The life science sector that fueled recent growth has slowed, and the recent sale of the Watertown Mall at a loss is a red flag for our revenue outlook. I don’t believe that adding significant new debt while our reserves are being drawn down is a fiscally responsible solution.
Delaying the project comes with real risks too though. We currently have the modulars at Moxley that makes a large-scale renovation or rebuild feasible without major disruption to students. If we wait, we could lose that option. And with Boston-area construction costs increasing 4–5% annually, a project estimated at $112 million today could easily climb to $165 million or more in a decade. That’s a steep price for delay.
I’m interested in the idea recently presented by the Manager about using some of the already set-aside funds to purchase land for a future middle school. This approach could allow us to move forward with a new school at a later date without the need for modulars in the interim.
Before pursuing this path, however, I would like a clearer understanding of how impactful the planned short-term improvements would be if we delay the full project. I’ve heard concerns from residents about the quality of the middle school, and I know WPS has had some attrition between grades 5 and 6. What’s less clear is how much benefit we can expect from a full-scale new building compared to a smaller-scale refresh — particularly in terms of educational quality, student outcomes, and teacher recruitment and retention. It surprised me that at the recent City Council meetings discussing this important issue we did not hear from the local educational community (the Superintendent, the teachers’ union, the PTO or the School Committee.)
Given the current economic outlook, my ideal scenario would be to purchase land for a future middle school, modestly increase the funds dedicated to a refresh — ensuring that investments focus on improvements most likely to impact student learning and teacher quality of life — and then revisit the full project as soon as possible to avoid significant future cost escalation.
How can the City cut down the number of cars on the road, and make other modes of transportation more viable and attractive?
Watertown’s size and location give us a real opportunity to make alternatives to driving practical and appealing. Reducing car dependency isn’t about punishing drivers — it’s about expanding choices and making other modes safe, reliable, and convenient.
First, we need to invest in safe, connected infrastructure for walking and biking. That means filling sidewalk gaps, improving crosswalks, maintaining bike lanes year-round, and making sure these connections link neighborhoods to schools, parks, and commercial centers.
Second, we should work with the MBTA and regional partners to improve bus reliability and frequency along key corridors like Mt. Auburn, Arsenal, and Pleasant. Tools such as bus lanes, transit signal priority, and better stops make buses a real alternative to driving.
Third, Watertown should support innovations in transportation. Initiatives like Waddah Hoppah — leveraging the Charles River as a transit corridor — are exactly the kind of creative, regional solutions that can help cut car trips while also strengthening Watertown’s connection to Cambridge, Boston, and beyond. Expanding Bluebikes, exploring micro-transit options, and improving shuttle service are other ways to give people flexibility.
Finally, parking policy matters. Overbuilt or underpriced parking encourages driving. Aligning supply with real demand, while reinvesting in better walking, biking, and transit, can help shift how people move. At the same time, we need to ensure the right amount of convenient parking is available for those who need it most, such as seniors and people with disabilities. I’m encouraged that the Watertown Square Area plan addresses this.
If we give residents and workers safe sidewalks, reliable buses, attractive bike routes, and even innovative river transit, many will gladly leave the car at home – I hope. The key is making these alternatives not only available, but truly convenient and attractive for daily life.
During your campaign, what was the biggest issue or concern for voters when you spoke to them about the City?
The biggest concern I heard from voters was housing affordability. Residents are worried that Watertown is becoming unaffordable not just for first-time buyers, but also for long-time residents, seniors on fixed incomes, and even young families who want to stay here. Many people feel priced out, and renters in particular raised concerns about rising costs and limited options.
At the same time, voters also emphasized balance. They want solutions that make housing more accessible while still protecting neighborhood character and ensuring that growth is paired with investments in schools, traffic management, and public infrastructure.
This is a complex issue without a single fix, but the message from voters was clear: if we don’t address affordability in a serious, thoughtful way, we risk losing the very people who make our community strong.