Susan O’Leary filing for County Council last month at the Clerk’s Office. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
POLITICAL News:
Susan O’Leary filed in March as a Democratic candidate for the Los Alamos County Council and today announced that she has launched a campaign website at http://oleary4lac.com.
O’Leary is one of five Democratic candidates who will be on the ballot in the June 3 Primary Election. Of the five Democratic Primary candidates, four will continue on to the General Election in November, vying for four vacancies on the County Council.
“I’m running for County Council because I believe that Los Alamos and White Rock are great family communities,” O’Leary said. “I want to participate in County government to help make Los Alamos County an even better place to live. If elected, I’ll work to align County programs and spending to serve Los Alamos County residents to the highest level possible.”
O’Leary explained that she believes this focus on making Los Alamos an even better place to live can fuel a virtuous cycle in which residents, the Laboratory, and the local business community support one another with increasing benefits.
O’Leary described the extensive leadership and business experience she brings to her candidacy. She served in a number of management positions during her tenure at The Washington Post from 1992-2004. From 2001 through 2004, O’Leary was The Post’s vice president of advertising, leading 500 employees who managed more than 30,000 customer accounts to achieve annual revenue of about $750 million. She added that she has significant experience strengthening organizational profit margins through business development and operational efficiencies. She earned a Masters of Business Administration from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Georgetown University.
O’Leary said that she believes in the importance of giving back to the community as a volunteer. She is a founder, analyst and author for Save Our Schools Los Alamos, a group created to raise awareness about K-12 public education funding issues in Los Alamos. She also volunteered with Los Alamos County as chair of the Charter Review Committee, which developed a package of Utilities Department reforms that will appear on the ballot this fall; and, she is a volunteer at Mountain Elementary School where her children are students.
“I want to combine my business and leadership experience with my passion for giving back to the community, to make Los Alamos an even better place to live for all our residents,” O’Leary said. “I’ve experienced first-hand how our County government works, through the various volunteer positions I’ve held, and I’m eager to jump in and get involved at the Council level.”
O’Leary added that she developed an interest in public policy and current events while living in Washington, D.C. and working at The Washington Post.
“I have a strong belief that County government must operate efficiently and be open and transparent to all citizens,” she said. “That’s what I hope to bring to the table as a County Councilor.”
To learn more about O’Leary’s vision for Los Alamos County and the experience she can bring to the community as a County Councilor, visit her campaign website at http://oleary4lac.com.
