New East Lyme school board member appointed
East Lyme — Leigh McNamara Gianakos was appointed Monday to the Board of Education, filling a vacancy that was left when Marlene Nickerson resigned last month after serving 11 years on the board.
Gianakos, a Republican and East Lyme High School graduate, worked as an admissions counselor at Northeastern University in Boston after graduating from college there. She then taught in Nashville, Tenn., under the Teach for America program and earned her master's degree in education. She later moved back to Connecticut and joined Achievement First, a network of charter schools, as a talent partner.
She told the Board of Education on Monday that she was interested in serving on the board because she appreciates the education she received in East Lyme.
She also told them that she believes in civic engagement and a seat on the board would utilize not only her skills and expertise, but also her passion and commitment to give back to the town.
Her term on the board ends in December 2017.
Board of Education members John Kleinhans, Jaime Barr Shelburn, Al Littlefield, Tim Hagen and Eric Bauman voted in favor, while Bill Derry and Barbara Senges abstained and Jill Carini opposed.
Ann Cicchiello, a Democrat and an attorney, was also a nominee for the open seat. She said East Lyme provided her children with a great education and she wanted to give back to the community by volunteering on the board.
"I truly love East Lyme and its youth," she said during her speech to the board. "I love the energy and attitude of its young people, especially as I have helped them decorate the commons for spirit week, raise money at the pancake breakfasts, and help them with group projects, and I want to be part of the future of these young people."
Hagen, the board's chairman, thanked Cicchiello for stepping forward and said he hopes to see her in November.
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