Medford Election Profile: Natalie Breen For City Council

MEDFORD, MA — Medford's municipal election Nov. 5 will send seven people to the City Council out of a pool of 14 candidates. Natalie Breen, 26, is one of nine candidates not currently serving on the City Council.

Breen works in operations for Cummings Properties in Woburn. She lives in Medford with her parents, Karen and Mark, younger brother, Pat, and their French Bulldog, Louie (who counts as family).

Breen is a 2010 graduate of Medford High School and graduated from the Suffolk University honors program in 2014. She has served as the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities since 2013.

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The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Lack of a master plan, we need to be proactive not reactive! Development (both residential and commercial) is going to impact the future of our City. I intend to lead a zoning review to ensure we are being strategic, intentional, and thinking big picture of our vision for Medford. We have no master plan for the City and we need one to guide us in this pivotal time with constant and evolving input from the residents of Medford.

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

There is a potential to have a fully male Council in 2020. My election would bring a young, new, female perspective to the Council - one that we have not seen since Breanna Lungo-Koehn's election nearly two decades ago. Despite my age, I bring years of experience in both business and civic groups as well as unparalleled enthusiasm and passion for the City that raised me.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

Zoning Review, Charter Review (it has not been reviewed since before I was born), Economic Development, Arts & Culture Initiatives.

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

Currently, I serve as the youngest Executive Board Member of Women in Sports and Events (Boston Chapter) and as an appointed member of Medford's Commission for Persons with Disabilities since 2013.

I have five years of professional experience at Hill Holliday, HubSpot, and now at local commercial real estate firm Cummings Properties where I manage a multi-million dollar portfolio and am actively problem solving everyday. In 2016, I started my own non-profit called 'Autism Works' to assist youth on the spectrum in finding meaningful employment. Additionally, I am a published author and the 2019 winner of the Chopps Champion Business Leader Award as well as one of Suffolk's '10 Under 10' an award that honors the ten most influential alum from the last decade.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Work hard. No cliché quote just straightforward words from my dad. By the time my dad reached middle school, both of his parents had passed. Everything in his life he worked hard for. I have observed him for 26 years and I have learned to work hard in silence and let your accomplishments speak for you. I am working hard everyday on this campaign not for recognition but because I see an opportunity to pay it forward to this City.

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

I grew up playing at Playstead and Dugger Park, eating at Amici's, Bob's, and Ronny's, hiking to the Tower and fishing at Wright's Pond. All my best memories are here in Medford. This is my chance to say thank you through hard work and action to make Medford the best it can be for the people who live here and those to come. Please consider me for one of your seven votes on November 5th.