Community | Erin For Salem

My Commitment to Our Community

My parents instilled in me the importance of community service and leadership, values I have actively embraced on the North Shore for nearly a decade. In both my personal and professional lives, I take pride in being a role model for my peers and colleagues while dedicating myself to making a positive impact. I have over five years of experience managing veterinary clinics, including launching a low-income vocational training clinic with the MSPCA at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School. In my current role, I train and mentor early career veterinarians at my company's five private practices. Outside of work, I advocate for safer streets, serving on Salem's Transportation Commission and Safe Streets for All grant task force, and I founded a grassroots pedestrian safety organization, Salem's Safe Walking Advocacy Group (SWAG). Additionally, I volunteer weekly as a SCUBA diver at the New England Aquarium, caring for Myrtle, the green sea turtle (yes, she is the same turtle you visited years ago), and hundreds of other marine animals. I have a lifelong passion for helping others and look forward to continuing my commitment to service as Salem's Ward 1 City Councillor.

Here's a summary of the most impactful work I've done for our community:

2024 - Featured volunteer in NEAq's blue Magazine Fall 2024 issue
2024 - Recognized for 5+ years of service with NEAq (and for 1000+ service hours in 2023)
2023 - "Salem SWAG Hits the Streets" - Salem News letter to the editor
2022 - "The State of Veterinary Care in Morocco: A Visit to American Fondouk" - Angell-MSPCA article
2021 - Featured clinician in Angell Animal Medical Center's Fall 2021 Referral Guide
2020 - "Paw Pursuit" - cover feature for Danvers Magazine Spring 2020 issue
2020 - "Angell's on the North Shore" - WickedLocal.com article
2019 - "Animal Clinic at Essex Tech Opens Doors to Public Next Week" - Salem News article

Local Updates

As part of my commitment to keeping Ward 1's residents informed, I'll post current events and updates from around the city, with a focus on ward-specific and transportation-related issues. Please note that the city is migrating to a new website, and some areas where agendas and minutes are posted are still under construction. Here's what's happening in Salem this spring:

Wednesday, March 12, 6:00 pm (virtually via Zoom) - regular Transportation Commission meeting to discuss tour bus parking. Agenda and Zoom link can be found here.

Thursday, March 27 - Sunday, March 30 - Salem Film Fest. Tickets and information can be found on the event website. Movie venues include the Peabody Essex Museum, Cinema Salem, and the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center.

Wednesday, April 2, 6:00 pm, Couch Dog Brewing, 76 Lafayette Street - The Salem Commoner presents an evening with Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise. Meet the author of Paved Paradise and learn about how the pursuit of perfect parking drives up housing costs, worsens traffic, and makes our communities less livable. Henry will talk about what parking reform could do for a city like Salem. RSVP here if you'd like to attend (space limited).

Saturday, April 5, 9:00 am, Salem Armory Visitors Center Auditorium, 2 New Liberty Street - April SWAG General Meeting. Join Salem's Safe Walking Advocacy Group for their bimonthly general meeting. Police Chief Lucas Miller will be speaking about the proposed bollard project on the Essex Street mall, and we will have updates about other initiatives in Salem. All are welcome. If you'd like to join the e-mail list to stay updated regarding agendas and other events, you can sign up at http://bit.ly/SWAG-Emails.

Recent meetings you may find interesting:

1/9/2025 - City Council meeting (YouTube recording) - discusses submission of a home rule petition to allow automated speed enforcement cameras in school zones (starts at 25:32). Minutes are available here.

2/10/2025 - Committee on Administration and Finance meeting (YouTube recording) - discusses funding a design study to investigate hydraulic bollards on the Essex Street pedestrian mall, with the eventual goal of creating a seasonal car-free zone. Minutes are available here.

2/26/2025 - Transportation Commission agenda - discusses Phase 1 of bicycle/pedestrian improvements to the southern part of Lafayette Street, as well as a proposed redesign of the intersection near the Conant Statue and Salem Witch Museum. You can follow the Lafayette Street project here. Will post minutes when available.

2/27/2025 - City Council meeting (YouTube recording) - discusses amending the current B1 zoning ordinance to include indoor commercial recreational facilities and restaurants serving alcohol (starts at 1:16:32). Will post minutes when available.

Lafayette Park Cleanup with the Salem Beautification Committee (2024)

Danvers Magazine Cover with Fancy (2019)

Ready to dive into the Giant Ocean Tank (2024)

Salem SWAG at Salem Common (2023)

Joint Meeting of OLLA and Traffic & Parking Commission (2024)