Matt Audette to Run for School Board

Fridley MN

22 June, 2021

9:26 AM

Description

A Conservative Voice for Our Children: Matt Audette to Run for School Board in the Ham Lake-Andover Area of Anoka County. As the school year finishes up, Matt Audette is announcing his 2021 candidacy for the Anoka-Hennepin School Board in District 4. Audette is best known for his leadership in the local Facebook group “AH District 11 Let Them Be,” which has nearly 6,000 members. He is running for the position currently held by Anna Dirkswager. “The district’s handling of COVID-19 created community-wide interest in school district operations as families struggled with seriously inadequate learning conditions for over a year. During this time, I had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of parents and residents who opposed distance learning and who felt like they had no voice on the school board. I will be that voice - a voice for our children,” stated Audette. Leadership Experience: Audette has 24 years of leadership experience in many roles, and currently works for Zinpro Corporation as the Director of Supply Chain. An Andover native and graduate of St. Francis High School, Audette attended the University of Notre Dame on an Army ROTC scholarship, graduating with a BBA in Finance and Business Economics. Upon graduation, Audette was commissioned an officer in the United States Army, where he served for four years, attaining the rank of Captain. He earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Audette and his wife of 22 years, Joy, have been residents of Andover for 14 years. She is a local physical therapist. Their two sons attended Rum River Elementary and Oak View Middle School, and they are currently enrolled at Andover High School. As a family, they enjoy spending time outdoors. “As a parent and active member of the community, I saw the harm done to our children during the pandemic because of poor decisions made by state government and the Anoka-Hennepin school district. Schools could have been open. We know this because private schools around Minnesota stayed open during the pandemic. Political agendas and the demands of a teachers’ union that is increasingly out of step with our community were placed ahead of the social, mental, and emotional health of our children, and providing a quality education. It is time for the district to re-focus the priority back on educating our children,” said Audette. Community Experience: Audette has been a leader in the community in numerous capacities over the past 14 years. He served as community board chair at the Emma B. Howe YMCA in Coon Rapids and was an active board member for several years. He was the cubmaster for Pack 414 in Andover and has coached youth football. He teaches religious education and confirmation at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Oak Grove, where he has attended most of his life. In his spare time, Audette enjoys being a “problem solver” by building and fixing things. The election will be held on Tuesday November 2, 2021. Early voting begins September 17. The District 4 voting area covers most of Andover and Ham Lake as well as portions of Ramsey, Oak Grove and Nowthen. Voting locations may be different than during a presidential election year. Information is available at www.MnVotes.org . Audette can be contacted through his email, [email protected] or by phone at 612-224-5934. His website is www.MattAudetteForDistrict11.com