North Attleborough’s Town Election will take place on Tuesday, April 2, with polls at the North Attleborough High School open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
The School Committee is the sole contested race, with five candidates running for three seats. Keith Lapointe is one of those candidates, and responded to a series of questions from the North Star Reporter.
- Occupation: CEO of FullV, a start-up technology and innovation company seeking to end hunger in the United States
- Past employers: Supply chain and HR management roles at Medtronic/Covidien, Procter & Gamble/Gillette, and Accenture
- Married to Melanie. Two children: Reagan (17) and Zach (15)
- Age: 49
- Education: North Attleborough High School, BA from Lafayette College, Easton PA, MBA from University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Please list any experience on other boards, committees, or organizations.
• North Attleborough High School Building Committee 2023 – Present
• President North Attleborough Town Council 2019 – 2021
• Ex-officio Member North Attleborough School Committee 2020-2021
• Vice Chair North Attleborough Board of Selectmen 2017-2019
• North Attleborough RTM 2016-2017
• Board Member North Attleborough High School Alumni Association – 2006 – Present
• Coach: LNAL, North Soccer, NAYB, NAJF, Park and Rec, 2013 – 2023
• Executive Sponsor: Medtronic’s Massachusetts Hispanic Latino Network 2018 – 2023
Why are you running for this position?
I care deeply about North Attleborough and I believe the schools are at the center of what defines us as a community. I have a passion for helping the children of our town and have been doing so my entire adult life, first as a Park and Recreation Camp Counselor, then as a youth sports coach, elected official, including a year as an ex-officio member of the School Committee, and founding member of the NAHS Alumni Association.
My professional and volunteer leadership skills position me well to help the School Committee now, and in the years to come.
If elected, what issues would you like to focus on?
While I am excited to help influence the educational priorities and am looking forward to contributing to a welcoming and inclusive environment that supports all of our children, my focus will be on ensuring that we are planning for the long-term financial needs of the schools. This starts by building bridges between the schools, the Town Council, and the town manager. I will use my experience to ensure transparency during the planning process and alignment on the financial needs of the school department, while being mindful of the needs of the entire town.
What sets you apart from other candidates?
Experience and a track record of results, I am the only candidate that has experience on both the town side and the school side of our government. My experience as the president of the Town Council and the strong relationships I have built with councilors, the town Manager and all department Heads; coupled with my deep connections to the schools and having served as an ex-officio member of the School Committee allows me to make connections and create alignment on the challenges that we will face together, as one community.
What are some areas that the town has improved upon and what, in your opinion, remains to be done?
The town has made tremendous progress over the last eight years, we can’t forget that as recently as 2016 North Attleborough’s high school received an accreditation warning letter. The schools are now stable, we are seeing development happening across the town’s abandoned properties and the overall functioning of the town has improved.
Moving forward, we must ensure sustainable finances for both the town and the schools. The high school building project must be responsibly designed and successfully executed. And we need to ensure that we have a plan the allows for the changing needs of our students over time.
Being part of a board requires one to be a team player. Does your background lend you to working well in this environment?
I have a track record in leadership roles at Accenture, Procter & Gamble/Gillette, Medtronic/Covidien and now as the CEO of a startup using innovation to end hunger in the United States and as an elected official in North Attleborough of being a genuine, open, and honest communicator and always a team player. I build strong personal relationships that allow me to have the difficult conversations in a productive and positive way. As stewards of North Attleborough, we can only be successful as a team and I am looking forward to being a part of it.
