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A hometown kid fighting for our neighborhoods
Dan Gaynor is running to ensure our community continues to be the best place to live, at any age or income.
Watch Dan’s candidate statement on NewTV.
Priorities
Smart Development
We must strike a pragmatic balance between preservation and progress, ensuring our villages are more walkable, affordable, and accessible–regardless of age or income.
Sustainable Innovation
We must embrace a greener future by enhancing energy efficiency, reducing the use of fossil fuels, and ensuring new buildings incorporate clean tech.
Stronger Schools & Businesses
We must continue to invest in our public schools–Newton’s crown jewel–and support the small, independent businesses that make our villages vibrant.
About Dan
Born and raised here in Newton, I grew up watching my own parents' commitment to service—and now
as a young dad myself, I share our community’s top priority: family.
An immigrant from Kiev fleeing antisemitism, my grandfather purchased an affordable cobblestone home on Cabot Street in the 1930’s. Nearly a century later, Newton looks a lot different, but some things remain the same. A few months ago, just like my grandfather, I brought my new baby—a 4th generation Newtonian—home from the hospital through that exact same door on Cabot Street.
My experiences—serving in the Obama Administration, founding a company, and growing a family—enable me to give back to every corner of our community.
In Washington, I was selected by then-President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden to serve as a Presidential appointee on national security and foreign policy. In the Administration, I worked at the highest levels of government and on the hardest issues: containing the Ebola epidemic, protecting democracy from corruption, and racing to save lives from disasters, disease, and war. In an era where ‘bipartisan’ sounds old-fashioned, I carved out common ground between Democrats and Republicans to fund investments in early childhood education, humanitarian aid, and economic opportunity for vulnerable women and girls.
I then served Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley as Director of Policy Development. We pioneered a model for technology-powered governing—one where politicians use objective data and facts, not ideology, as the foundation for making smarter decisions.
In the Newton Tab
at 4 years old
Newton YMCA Soccer
At the end of the Obama Administration, I moved to Nike’s worldwide headquarters, where I was charged with envisioning the future of the world’s biggest brand.
I worked alongside Nike’s CEO and executive team on diversity and sustainability, innovation launches, and global communications strategy.
Seeing the immense potential of artificial intelligence (A.I.), I returned home and founded a company here in Newton. Our data analytics platform helps global brands strengthen their commitments to better business practices, from embracing renewable energy to boosting diversity. In July 2022, my company was acquired by one of the world’s fastest-growing applied AI firms.
As a passionate supporter of non-profit organizations, I serve on the Community Advisory Board of WBUR (Boston’s NPR News Station); as a member of Green Newton, Friends of Edmands Park, the Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the New England Council, our nation’s oldest regional business organization; on the New Frontier Steering Committee of the John F. Kennedy Library & Foundation; and as a Fellow at the Truman Center for National Policy. I earned a Master’s degree with top honors from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
I live in the Newtonville area with my wife, Cara, and our baby girl. We’re frequently found on the swings at Cabot Park, on the dock at Crystal Lake, or on a bench outside of Mochiko Hawaiian sipping on a bubble tea.
Growing up here in Newton opened incredible opportunities.
I’m running for City Council to apply my experiences—and all the challenges I’ve faced from them—into a powerful lever for progress within Newton City Hall.
Little League in Cabot Park
President Joe Biden
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
Governor Martin O'Malley