Natick 2021 Candidate Profile: Guimel DeCarvalho For Select Board

NATICK, MA — Two Natick residents are running in the spring 2021 election for an open seat on the Select Board. Current Chair Jonathan Freedman will depart the board when his term ends this month.

For Freedman's replacement, voters have a choice between local business owner Paul Joseph and former Finance Committee member Guimel DeCarvalho. We sent both candidates a questionnaire to help voters get to know them better. Here's how DeCarvalho answered:

Guimel DeCarvalho

Age (as of Election Day): 36
Position Sought: Select Board
Family: Wife, son (6)
Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No, however, my wife is a Town Meeting Member
Education: Master's in Social Work
Occupation: Vice President of Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer (6 years)
Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Finance Committee, Natick Equity Task Force
Campaign website: www.guimelfornatick.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I moved my family to Natick six years ago, and I have been serving the people of Natick through my work on the Finance Committee, as a founding member of Natick Is United, and recently as an appointed member of the Natick Equity Task Force. I’m running to bring an equity focus to the work of the Select Board. An Equity Focus for Natick is ensuring that a critical eye is given to how our local ordinances, policies, and procedures impact ALL of Natick’s residents. It is making sure elected and appointed officials are hearing from a diverse range of stakeholders and that those stakeholders feel welcome and respected. It is the commitment to advocate for these voices and to pursue important changes when necessary. Natick is a beautiful & diverse community in so many ways. I believe that my personal & professional experience and expertise can be particularly helpful for thoughtful decision-making that reflects the needs of all Natick residents.

The single most pressing issue facing our town is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

We are starting to see an opportunity to contain COVID-19, but the negative economic and social impacts will last for years to come. The most pressing issue we have right now is to set Natick up for a successful future and that includes addressing the social, financial, physical, and mental impacts of the pandemic. For people in town government that means looking at the new, increased needs of the children in our schools. It means considering the new financial situations members of our communities find themselves in due to job loss. It means taking an honest look at the health and economic disparities COVID laid bare. But we can only do this if everyone has a seat at the table and a voice in how we move forward. This is why I want to be sure we bring an equity lens to our efforts--we need to engage people from all ages, races, backgrounds, economic situations, etc. to determine how we can best move forward after COVID-19 in a thoughtful way that takes advantage of what we all have to offer.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Natick has evolved over the last few decades, attracting new and diverse residents into the town. My lived experience as an immigrant woman of color, leadership expertise as Chief Diversity Officer and the Vice President of my agency’s Human Resources department, and as a parent of a young child just starting out in public school, bring a fresh perspective to strategic decision-making that will impact the daily lives of all Natick residents. I have new ideas for how business should be done and am committed to engaging a wider group of residents. At this time it is critical that Natick approaches strategic decision-making from the core principles of equity, communication, and accessibility, which will add transparency and opportunity for the residents of the town to have a voice.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I applaud our Natick town, school, and public health leaders for their thoughtful and evidence-driven approach to addressing this unprecedented crisis. Our first responders, the Natick Public Schools, Department of Public Works, Town Administration, and all other departments continuously worked to ensure residents’ safety even in the face of rapidly-changing guidelines from the state and national levels. Many of the decisions made by our town leaders were modeled by other municipalities - I believe our town has acted responsibly and with urgency, keeping the residents’ health and well-being front and center.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My vision for Natick is:

• Strong budget to support excellent schools, infrastructure, and services that meet our town’s needs
• Supporting Natick’s business community to add to the vitality of the town
• Reimagining partnerships with community organizations to strengthen Natick
• Affordable housing to support Natick residents and families
• Inviting diverse perspectives and experiences of our residents to inform decisions that impact the town
• An equity focus to all of our town’s strategic decision-making
• Thoughtful consideration for the selection of the new Town Administrator

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My proven leadership and service on the Finance Committee, Natick Is United, and the Equity Task Force, as well as my professional experience as the Vice President of Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer at Wayside Youth & Family Services, will help me move our town forward in a direction that is best for all of our residents. In my work and executive leadership at Wayside, I’ve implemented wholesale organizational culture change, reduced turnover of staff of color 10%, increased recruitment & retention of staff of color by 6%, and doubled the number of managers of color. I’ve shown that through investment in communication strategies and collaboration, you can engage communities around a unified vision. In my work with Natick Is United, I’ve engaged with municipal, religious, and community leaders to develop a vision, mission, and strategic plan and worked to make those plans into catalysts for change. In my work as a social worker, I’ve increased connections to community based ongoing services, managed multi-million dollar budgets, and I’ve seen how services can be a lifeline for families.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I’ve learned a lot from my CEO at Wayside. He has taught me that people want to understand that you will seek out differing opinions, take the time to listen, work together with other leaders to assess possible solutions, and then have the courage and conviction to move a decision forward.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Natick is a great place to live for many - that’s why we moved here! My fervent hope is that it can become a great place to live for ALL of us: for families focused on schools, for older adults who have given so much to this community, and to newcomers who chose this town and want to help sustain its vibrancy.

Through strong schools, a balanced and fair budget, quality infrastructure, smart economic development, and affordable housing, we can make Natick a more vibrant and welcoming community for all its residents.

I respectfully ask for your vote on March 30 or sooner via mail-in ballot.