Wallingford Election 2023: Donna Regan Running For Board Of Education

WALLINGFORD, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Wallingford with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7 and cast their ballots for the position of mayor, along with seats on the Town Council and Board of Education.

Wallingford Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Donna Regan, 54, is running for re-election to the Board of Education as a Republican.

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://donnaregan.com

Education.

BA in English from the University of Connecticut

What is your occupation?

I'm a B2B marketing professional with over 25 years experience in technology marketing.

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

I have been married to Christopher Regan for 22 years and have 3 children; Evelyn, Adam and Aaron

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

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

I was elected to the Wallingford Board of Education have been serving on the board since January, 2022.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am seeking re-election to continue the work I have started as an advocate for the students of Wallingford. As a mom, I was an advocate for my children as they progressed through school. Now that my children are grown, I feel I can continue being an advocate for all the students, especially those students who need to have their voices amplified.

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

The single most pressing issue facing Wallingford is the challenge of improving the emotional health of our students and providing them with the resources to help them succeed both emotionally and academically. I would like to see the Board of Education working more closely with central office, parents, and teachers to collectively work on this. While there is attention being given to this, I would like to see more concrete efforts.

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

I have served a term already so I know how the Board runs. I am chair of the Operations Committee so I have good understanding of the budget process. There's a lot to learn being on the Board and I have that experience already. I'm also a mom so I have a good understanding of the parent perspective.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

n/a

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

I want to have more discussions with parents, teachers, and students. I want the Board to be interactive. I want to talk about the physical conditions of our schools. I want the Board to be more collaborative with the town.

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

I am the chair of the Operations Committee. This past budget cycle was difficult and I came to the workshops prepared with suggestions and questions. I am committed to our community. I serve on the Board of Directors for the CT STEM Academy. I was actively involved when my children went through the Wallingford school system.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Don't be afraid to be yourself. Not everyone will agree with you and not everyone will like you. But that's okay.

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

I consider Wallingford my hometown even though I was not raised here. This is my community. It's important to me to be an active part of trying to better the lives of our students and help them achieve their version of success. Not every student learns the same and we owe it to our students to help them learn in the best way that suits them and makes them happy. That's the true measure of success - not a test score or class ranking.