Patch Candidate Profile: Christopher Gilson​, Newtown Board Of Ed

NEWTOWN, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Newtown and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Newtown Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Christopher Gilson, 45, is running for election to the Newtown Board of Education as a Democrat.

Education.

Emory University, PhD in Immunology. University of New Hampshire, BS in Microbiology

What is your occupation?

Research Investigator, transplantation immunology and immune-oncology, 10+ years

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My wife Monica, two children; a senior and eighth grader, cats Benjamin and Oliver, little pug Daisy.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

none

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

No

Why are you seeking this office?

Honesty, I’m running for the Board of Education because of my kids. I want them to get a great education, develop critical thinking skills, and gain knowledge of the wider world around them. I also want to set a good example for them to get involved in public service when you feel you have something to offer. Newtown has an excellent school system and I’d like to be a part of its continued success.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

With regards to the Board of Education, the single most pressing issue facing my constituents is the need to work together to solve issues. The Board of Education should be a non-partisan body working to efficiently manage its budget, set policy that respects all students, and support teachers and staff.

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

I have over six years of teaching experience at community college and as faculty in the Biology Department at Emory University. As a Research Scientist in New Haven, I am constantly learning new information, trying to understand data, and working with colleagues to solve problems to improve medical treatments. However, I also know when I’m out of my depth. I value differing opinions and I am humble enough to know when to lean on other’s expertise.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

The Board of Education needs to stay focused on the tasks before it and not be distracted by national politics or special interest agendas, which are increasingly inserting themselves where they do not belong. From attending Board meetings and talking with current members, there are many important issues to tackle. How are we addressing the complex issues of facilities improvements? The pandemic had a real tangible effect on our kids learning and emotional well-being. How are we using all the information we have (including survey and standardize testing data) to identify the gaps and implement strategies to address them? Do we have adequate support staff, and if not, what is being done to recruit them? What are we doing to anticipate and plan for changes in state regulations?

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

Successfully completing graduate school while raising two young children; it was often like trying to study and run a marathon at the same time, without sleeping. I received Emory’s Crystal Apple Award for Excellence in Large Lecture Class teaching. I’m experienced in grant writing, managing tight academic funding and staying within budgets. Experienced mentoring students and serving as an academic advisor. Working in biotech for over seven years, I have first-hand appreciation how innovation, creativity, hard work drives success in a corporate setting.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My dad would often say to my sister and I simply, “study hard kid”. I took that as his quiet way of encouraging us to respect and value the potential we had to make a better life for ourselves.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have a lifelong dedication to education. I would not be where I am today if my parents had not moved our family when I was younger so my sister and I could be in a better school system. I understand and greatly value the opportunity and blessing that my own kids have in front of them by living in Newtown.