In Brookline for 36 years, I am a child, adolescent, adult psychiatrist, mother of two Brookline High graduates, one on US Coast Guard active duty, & wife of a retired Navy veteran. My education: B.A. Mount Holyoke College, M.D. University of Cincinnati, M.P.A. Harvard Kennedy School. Selected local and state government experience: Currently Norfolk County Advisory Board (Chair 2023-2025), Brookline’s 9/11 Remembrance Committee, Brookline Police Behavioral Health Stakeholders Group; Formerly MA Mental Health Commissioner, MA Dept of Early Education and Care Board, MA Dept of Public Health Catastrophic Illness in Children's Relief Fund, High Street Hill Board, Brookline Committee on Police Reform, Brookline School Committee and Town Meeting.
We are first and foremost a community of neighbors. Neighborhood input should guide Town policies, budgets, and zoning regulations. Town government should be responsive to residents and businesses, fiscally sound and sustainable, transparent and accountable. All members of our community deserve to be safe, and I will put needs and concerns of all our neighbors first in my decisions at Town Meeting. Maintaining character and scale of family- and senior-friendly neighborhoods with the wish to make our community even more welcoming and keeping it affordable for new neighbors who bring diversity and fresh perspectives requires open, realistic conversations about trade-offs and impacts of financial and zoning changes. All voices must be heard.
My wife, Anna, and I, are raising our daughter, a third-generation Brookline resident, on Walnut Street, a few blocks from where I grew up. I am a graduate of Pierce School, BHS, Pomona College, and Harvard Business School. I served as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Gov. Deval Patrick. I now run Brookline-based urban planning firm Speck Dempsey. I previously served as Chair of the Brookline Transportation Board. Proud to be endorsed by Brookline PAX and Brookline for Everyone.
Precinct 4 is a great place to live no matter what decade of live you are in. Town Meeting must support policies that continue the high quality of our public schools, support great parks and recreational facilities, care for our senior neighbors, and improve street safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. I am proud to support investments in the BHA's Walnut Street / High Street buildings that will improve conditions for current residents and welcome new ones.
I’ve lived on Walnut Street in Brookline for nearly 30 years, and my two sons graduated from the Brookline Public Schools. I’m a LEED-accredited commercial architect and Principal at a Boston-based B Corp design firm, leading collaborative, stakeholder-focused teams. I’ve served in Town Meeting since 2021, am Treasurer of the High Street Hill Neighborhood Association, and Chair of the Planning Board. I focus on sustainable design, adaptive reuse, and vibrant public spaces, and in public service, I guide zoning and development thoughtfully, balancing housing, taxes, and neighborhood character. I approach decisions as a pragmatic optimist, listening, building consensus, and helping Brookline grow inclusively and sustainably.
I believe my constituents care about thoughtful housing growth, preserving neighborhood character, and keeping town services and schools strong. I work to balance new housing, desperately needed commercial tax revenue, and historic preservation by listening to diverse perspectives and building consensus. I connect with many neighbors during my 3x/day dog walks, on my daily commute on the T, and doing errands around the Village. As a TMM, my goal continues to be to guide Brookline’s growth in a sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant way, ensuring decisions reflect the community’s shared values while meeting the needs of all residents.
As photographer & small business owner, it's my job to communicate, from important details to the big picture. For decades, I’ve worked on impacting our local environment and had the privilege of participating in committees and boards around development, transportation, and the arts (aside from TMM P4, currently serving on the Advisory Committee, the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, and am a board member of ArtsBrookline). I’ve experienced firsthand how community engagement can shape development for the better. We have a lot to consider in a time with increasing challenges, and I value balance in working towards common goals.
I live and run a small business on Station Street. As such, I have a unique perspective on the ecosystem of independent businesses and mixed-use buildings in our commercial districts. What I understand from talking with community members is that we need to balance diverse and seemingly conflicting needs in a dense residential / commercial environment, with growing budget constraints. I am responsive to texts and emails and am typically available to talk, meet, make introductions and address concerns.
I’m Awet Teame, born in Eritrea and raised in Boston from age five. I produce Funny Hermits (podcast/comedy showcase) and create paid TikTok content, building entrepreneurial media ventures. I’m a television actress on Showtime and TV One, as well as in short films, and a voice and on-screen performer in a recent Lyft ad. Recognized by the City of Boston and Mayor Wu with an Artist Certification and Grant, I’m also a certified life coach, teaching actors’ mindset work. As a Brookline Town Meeting Member, I focus on innovative housing—including tiny and modular homes (container and capsule)—education, and zoning, combining creativity with civic leadership.
As a Town Meeting Member, I carefully consider issues important to Brookline residents, including housing, immigrant rights, and senior services. I recently shared input with the Select Board on innovative tiny home concepts that would be modern, attractive, environmentally conscious, and well-integrated with Brookline’s character. These homes could provide affordable options, support community diversity, and serve as an additional housing choice rather than replacing existing homes.
Attendance
Not Incumbent Town Meeting Candidate
Out
30-Jan
Zahriyannah Karakashian-Jones is a Brookline resident, community organizer, and nonprofit professional committed to equity, civic engagement, and public service. She has worked in philanthropy and community grantmaking and is deeply involved in local organizing and advocacy. Zahriyannah is the founder of Brookline For the Culture, where she has helped lead community centered programming and cultural events. Her candidacy for Town Meeting is rooted in a commitment to affordability, transparency, and making local government more responsive to the needs of all residents.
The issues I hear about most are housing affordability, immigrant safety, and support for seniors. I would address them by supporting more affordable housing, protecting vulnerable residents, and defending strong town services. I also believe communication matters, so I would stay in regular contact with constituents and make sure they know how I am voting and why.
Just as importantly, I want residents to feel that Town Meeting is accessible and responsive to them. Too often, local government feels distant or shaped by the people with the most time and privilege. I believe elected officials should listen closely, be transparent, and make decisions based on what helps the broader community thrive.
Attendance
Not Incumbent Town Meeting Candidate
Out
17-Feb
I have lived in Brookline for 30+ years being handicap my mom couldn’t let me go outside with other children hurting me so we moved to Brookline as a teen I worked on the season program through the program I was evil to see Brookline firsthand. Do the program I worked at a police station Town Hall municipal court. I also had the pleasure to work at the James J Lynch recreation center. I have also made mini recreation for the kids who lived here. I also was in charge of the homework rooms and years later I started the Brookline food co-op where I had 17 sites to look after we have various type of food and vegetables for everyone to have. Being in Brookline have offered me a first hand look at the the government.
I would look for information regarding their preferences. With my experience on the advisory board we discuss individual concerns. Informing the public about housing rules, regulations and resources.
