PB 2026 Endorsements

Progressive Brookline fully supports the Operating Override and encourages you to vote “YES”. 

• YES to funding our schools

• YES to funding strong municipal services 

• YES to community services

• YES for Brookline

Brookline has REPEATEDLY passed overrides when needed, and this, along with our great teachers and staff, contributes significantly to our top-tier schools and excellent municipal services. It is the mark of a smart, committed, and progressive populace to keep voting for and supporting overrides when needed.

Progressive Brookline is proud to endorse the Yes for Brookline campaign and is ready to work to make sure this critical override passes.

Progressive Brookline is proud to enthusiastically endorse Amanda Zimmerman for the Select Board. Amanda is a proven progressive with a strong history of putting her values into action. 

Amanda’s vision for Brookline is values- and data-driven. It’s a vision for an accessible, green-focused, sustainable community with safe streets and affordable homes to grow in. An inclusive and diverse Brookline with increased revenue streams for our excellent municipal services and schools. As the co-founder of Brookline for Everyone, her work on Town Meeting and on the Bicycle Advisory and Open Space & Recreation Planning Committees, Amanda has demonstrated her commitment to progressive policies and the people of Brookline.

While not endorsed, we are also excited to see Anthony Buono emerge as a candidate for the Select Board. We are encouraged by his vision for Brookline and his desire to represent new voices. Town Meeting and the Select Board are overwhelmingly represented by residents who are homeowners, over 50, skew wealthy, and have lived in Brookline for decades. Meanwhile, 51% of residents are renters, and 57% are under 40. Anthony would bring a diverse and more representative lens to the Select Board should he be elected. 

Lastly, we do not recommend voting for incumbent John VanScoyoc, who did not seek our endorsement.

It is clear that now is the time for change in Brookline politics, and we encourage members of Progressive Brookline to use their two votes for the Select Board to push the Town forward towards a future of diversity, shared prosperity, racial and social justice, good government,  strong democracy, and environmental sustainability.

Progressive Brookline enthusiastically endorses Suzanne Federspiel and Faiza Khan for School Committee. 

At a time when public education is under attack at the national, state, and local levels, we must elect proven progressives who will fight to protect this essential public good and our students. Suzanne Federspiel and Faiza Khan are those proven progressives. They will fight for adequate funding for our public schools, which are currently underfunded at the state and local levels. They both support the override, will oppose attempts to reduce the state income tax, and fight back against the federal government’s assaults on public education funding. Importantly, they will vote to protect our students, all our students, supporting schools as a safe space for all to grow and learn. 

Both Suzanne and Faiza are experienced public school educators who are experts in their fields and have decades of service. Suzanne was a special educator, educational team leader, literacy coach, and school principal. She has a long history of consistently taking a progressive stance on school committee votes, and her children all attended Brookline Schools. Faiza has an MBA and a PhD in Education, leads the Math Curriculum for the Medford K-12 School District, is a member of the Brookline Interfaith Organization, and her children were also educated in the Brookline Public School System. This background positions them to fight most effectively to protect public education and public school students at this critical juncture.

Progressive Brookline is thrilled to endorse Chris Chanyasulkit, Marissa Vogt, Amy Isikoff Newell for Library Trustee. 

Our libraries serve as essential, inclusive community spaces that provide access to information, technology, and knowledge. Beyond books, they provide quiet study spaces, expert research assistance from librarians, digital access to bridge the "digital divide," and diverse programs for all ages. Our libraries need to remain safe, welcoming spaces open to all. Progressive Brookline believes that Chris Chanyasulkit and Marissa Vogt should be re-elected, and Amy Isikoff Newell should join them as a trustee.  All three have long histories of holding the progressive line in Brookline. 

Chris, currently a library trustee, is the past President of the American Public Health Association and equity-centered as a consultant, public speaker, and public health advocate. Chris has led the way on progressive issues both locally and nationally, as supported by her voting record. Marissa, also a library trustee, is a progressive stalwart, thoughtful, caring, and a champion of progressive causes, as evidenced by her voting record as a trustee and Town Meeting member. Her professional experience provides her with the skills for clear, concise, and impactful data analysis that serves all levels of the library and Town Meeting. Finally, Amy is involved in progressive politics, has a strong progressive voting record in Town Meeting, and is dedicated to educating and engaging those around her. Amy has extensive experience in the technology space, working with large, diverse teams, and would bring her skills to the libraries of Brookline. We believe these three candidates will continue to make our libraries safe and dynamic spaces for learning and growth for all. 

• Bettina Neuefeind

Vote At: BU-Wheelock College, 43 Hawes Street (Monmouth Entrance)

• Robert M. Miller

• Colleen Newsome

• Markus L. Penzel

• David Trevvett

• Megan Hinman

Vote At: Ridley School Gymnasium (Stedman Street Entrance)

•  Leigh Heyman

•  Sadaf K. Kazmi

• Gregory Wheeler

Vote At: Morse Apartments, 90 Longwood Ave

• Christopher Dempsey

• Awet Teame

• Zahriyannah Karakashian-Jones

Vote At: Brookline Town Hall, 333 Washington St

• Anthony Evans Flint

• Wendy Stahl

• Ian Huntington

Vote At: (New) Lincoln School, 19 Kennard Road

• Bitsy Perlman

• Marissa Vogt

Vote At: BHS Schluntz Gymnasium, 115 Greenough Street

• Amy Isikoff Newell

• Jessica Stokes

• Samantha Rothberg

• Matthew Zalesak

• Rani Balakrishna (1 year)

Vote At: O’Shea House, 61 Park Street

• Alexander Lebovitz 

• Eric C. Stone 

• Kailey Bennett

• Catherine Michaels

Vote At: Ridley School Gymnasium, Stedman Street Entrance

• Lee L. Biernbaum 

• Ben Chostner

• Jess Levasseur 

• Aron Unger

• Kevin Walton

• Katherine Wilkins (1 year)

Vote At: Senior Center, 93 Winchester Street

• Suzette Abbott

• Kimberly Elizabeth Loscalzo

• Ariel C. Maddocks

• Jessica M. Lang

• Nimisha Schneider

Vote At: Driscoll School, New Gymnasium, Washington St Entrance

• John Franklin Hilliard

• John Rumpler

• Jennifer Goldsmith

• Andrew Halpert

• Akiva Leibowitz

Vote At: Driscoll School, New Gymnasium, Washington St Entrance

•  Michael A. Burstein

• Stephanie A. Bruce

• Margaret B. Molloy

• Jonathan Phillips

• Christopher James Stadler

Vote At: Runkle School Gymnasium, 50 Druce St (Front Entrance)

• Michael Best

• Werner Lohe

• David Mendels

• Faiza Khan

• Victoria Fernandez

• Philip Steigman (2 year)

• Leigha Cuniberti (1 year)

Vote At: Runkle School Gymnasium, 50 Druce St (Front Entrance)

Vote At: Hayes (Formerly Heath) School Gymnasium, 100 Elliot Street

Vote At: Fire Station 6 (Rear), 962 Hammond Street

• Nick Fetzer

• Joseph Ross

Vote At: Putterham Branch Library, 959 West Roxbury Parkway

• Katherine Haenschen

• Jonathan Klein

• Elizabeth Schaefer

• Jonathan Golden (1 year)

Vote At: Coolidge Corner Library, Community Room, 31 Pleasant Street

Progressive Brookline fully supports the Operating Override and encourages you to vote “YES”. 

• YES to funding our schools

• YES to funding strong municipal services 

• YES to community services

• YES for Brookline

Brookline has REPEATEDLY passed overrides when needed, and this, along with our great teachers and staff, contributes significantly to our top-tier schools and excellent municipal services. It is the mark of a smart, committed, and progressive populace to keep voting for and supporting overrides when needed.

Progressive Brookline is proud to endorse the Yes for Brookline campaign and is ready to work to make sure this critical override passes.