Patch Candidate Profile: Karen Krause For Greenwich Board Of Education

GREENWICH, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the town.

Candidate's Name:
Karen Krause

What office are you seeking?
Board of Education

What town do you live in?
Greenwich

Campaign Website
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Party Affiliation:
Republican

Occupation:
Financial Services Executive, 25+ years of experience

Family:
My husband, Craig Hess, grew up in Greenwich and graduated from Greenwich High School. He works as a fund manager. Our two children attend Cos Cob School (our neighborhood public elementary school).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No one in my family works in government currently, but my mother-in-law, Marilyn Hess, represented District 150 in the Connecticut State Legislature from 1993 to 2000.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
No

Why are you seeking this office?
The recent challenges surrounding the school budget process in Greenwich made it clear that the Board of Education needs someone with deep financial expertise and the ability to deescalate conflicts to find workable solutions. As an executive who possesses those capabilities, and as a parent of two Greenwich Public Schools students, I feel compelled to step up to provide the leadership and oversight our school district deserves.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
ensuring our public schools provide an excellent and appropriate education in a fiscally responsible manner. In collaboration with the other members of the Board of Education and our colleagues on the Board of Estimation and Taxation, I will achieve this through transparency, rigorous data analysis, and respectful communication. The analytical skills I developed working in banking and strategy consulting enable me to objectively evaluate the impact of key programs and identify efficiency opportunities, so we won’t have to choose between quality and affordability.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am a former C-suite executive with 25+ years of relevant business experience and subject matter expertise in finance, strategy, risk management, and corporate governance. The Greenwich Board of Education oversees a nearly $200M operating budget as well as a capital budget in the tens of millions of dollars annually across 17 facilities serving over 8,000 students, so the skills I bring to the Board are essential for responsible stewardship of those considerable resources. My colleagues on the Republican BOE slate bring a highly complementary set of skills and experiences including a deep understanding of educational policy and research-backed best practices, expertise in collective bargaining and meaningful volunteer service to our town. I look forward to collaborating with them to leverage our diverse capabilities for the benefit of the schools and the town.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
1. Student achievement: We need to close achievement gaps across town and ensure we have the right curriculum and resources to support struggling students, drive strong year-over-year growth for students who are on-track, and challenge those students who are excelling above grade level to ensure they too have an opportunity to reach their full potential.
2. Technology and cell phone usage: With a growing body of research regarding the adverse impacts of screentime and social media on developing brains, it’s imperative we review usage of iPads and Chrome Books, especially in the lower grades, and consider a stricter policy on cell phones that helps students focus during the day while ensuring they can feel safe walking or biking to and from school.
3. Student and staff safety: As a volunteer EMT with GEMS, I’ve had an opportunity to build strong relationships with our town’s dedicated first responders. I look forward to collaborating with them to identify and address risks across all our facilities. Importantly, behavior issues must also be effectively addressed to ensure an environment that is safe, calm, and conducive to teaching and learning.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I have a long track-record of fostering collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups to address high-stakes challenges. Throughout my 25+ year business career, I have set strategy, launched new products, streamlined operations to reduce costs and improve productivity, turned-around underperforming business units, and advised Boards of Directors of Fortune 500 companies. I possess a strong business foundation from my studies at Wharton (bachelor’s degree) and Harvard Business School (MBA), technical skills developed early in my career in strategy consulting and investment banking, and sound judgement and leadership skills refined over two decades of taking on increasingly senior roles at high-performing organizations.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Your choice of spouse will impact your life more than any other decision you make. Fortunately, I chose very well.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I’m volunteering my time and energy because I love our town and our schools, and I have valuable skills and experience to contribute to the Board of Education. Municipal election matter a lot, so I’d encourage everyone to research the candidates and make the time to vote.