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Lynne Neveu was born and raised in downtown Niagara Falls and now lives in LaSalle with her husband Patrick. Born into extreme poverty, the Niagara Falls School system was a haven of physical and emotional support for Lynne. She credits Niagara Falls teachers for her ability to get out of the cycle of poverty and now wants to use her talents and experience to support the school district that was crucial to her success.

Lynne has a unique combination of work experience that makes her exceptionally qualified to serve on the Niagara Falls School Board. With a background in state government working directly on the New York State budget process, Lynne has firsthand knowledge of how to navigate the systems that help fund our school district. She oversaw the process for capital project grants while working for our local Assemblyman and took a leading role in advocating for a greater local share of casino revenue funding. She has great working relationships with elected officials on various levels which will be crucial for securing funds to support our teachers and students.

Most recently, Lynne has been focused on addressing the high teen pregnancy rate through her work with Planned Parenthood of Central and Western New York in Niagara County. Knowing that research shows that quality sexual health education reduces unintended teen pregnancies, Lynne worked directly with Superintendent Mark Laurrie and community partners to successfully advocate for comprehensive sexual health education in our  schools. High teen pregnancy rates lower the likelihood of graduation and increase the chances of poverty. Addressing this issue will have a long-term impact on our youth, our schools, and our city.

Lynne has three main goals as a School Board member. She would focus on increasing youth and parent engagement by reducing barriers to participation in decision-making processes. She sees schools as a hub for the community they’re in and wants to expand the impact of Niagara Falls Schools. Through deepening relationships with community partners, the school district would gain immense resources which would alleviate the burden of overworked teachers and administrators. Finally, she understands that Niagara Falls’ teachers are incredibly capable and passionate and wants to provide them with the support they deserve by addressing the substitute teacher shortage and increasing access to training on mental health and trauma.

In her spare time, Lynne volunteers with various organizations in our city. She is a Trustee of the Niagara Falls Public Library, on the Board of Directors of the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area, on the Board of Directors for the Niagara Beautification Commission, and also serves as the Chair of the Annual Holiday Home Decorating Contest. She is also a trained docent at Oakwood Cemetery.  She recently won the Emerging Leader Award from the Niagara Falls Education Foundation and the Education Award from the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier.

Lynne is excited for this opportunity and would be thankful for your vote.