Kathleen Soldati, Portsmouth City Council Candidate

Kathleen Soldati

Age (as of Election Day)

72

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

City Council

Party Affiliation

nonpartisan

Family

four children; three grandchildren

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelors, Political Science, St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN

Occupation

Management and marketing - 50 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

new

Campaign website

KathleenSoldati.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I call on everyone in Portsmouth to recommit ourselves to our historic Portsmouth legacy of civil discourse. If we can help end the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 through citizen diplomacy, we can address - in a civil manner - the challenges we face. In our last Master Plan, residents called for a vibrant, authentic, diverse, connected and resilient city. As we update our Master Plan, we need to put more emphasis on climate and housing as they build stability for our entire community. I want to bring my creative problem solving skills and values of civil discourse and inclusiveness to the table to build consensus as we craft a concise, clear vision that everyone in Portsmouth will know - and can easily repeat. I am optimistic we can do this together.

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

Climate and Housing - addressing both will lead to stability - not just for individual households - but for our entire community and our economy. I am impressed with the RFP from the firm who is assisting us with our Climate Action Plan and I would love to be part of moving that forward and implementing it. With housing, we have so much expertise on this subject with respect to what we have the ability to do. My focus would be on siting of housing. For those who have concerns about the site, I want to respectfully listen to their concerns to see if and how the City can address those legitimate concerns. We need housing; we need the community on board with where it is placed.

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

I am focused on running my own campaign.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

No failure. I believe every decision making body should reflect its constituency. Women are 52% of the population and it should be reflected on the Council.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

See above climate and housing issues.

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

I am a big picture thinker, author and editor with significant management and marketing expertise. I've served as director of marketing for The Music Hall and JSA Architects, worked at NH Public Television, ran Soldati Public Relations, served as executive director for Portsmouth Historical Society and the League of NH Craftsmen, and co-produced events for Nelson Mandela and Jane Goodall. I currently work as marketing strategist for CrossCurrent Communications. For the 400th anniversary of Portsmouth, I edited my third book, A History of Portsmouth NH in 101 Objects, and now handle media relations for the celebration.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I believe Marian Wright Edelman said, "You can get a lot of things done in Washington if you don't care who gets the credit."

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

I married into the Soldati family in 1975. My late husband Lincoln grew up at Wentworth Acres, both parents worked at Pease, and his father ran the Sherburne Store. After raising our four children in Somersworth, we moved here in 2011. Now after four years of caregiving my husband, and the last year grieving for him, I am energized by the idea of serving the residents of Portsmouth on City Council.