Jenni Azanero Announces Her Candidacy for Ward 3 School Committee. Oliveira not seeking re-election.

The Ward 3 School Committee seat will change hands in November as incumbent Karen Oliveira will not seek re-election for a second term. The Azanero campaign has released a formal statement:

Ward 3 resident and attorney Jenni Azanero is proudly announcing her candidacy for Ward 3 School Committee.

Azanero is an attorney at Gonzalez Law Offices, Inc. in East Providence and said that the recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on East Providence public schools drove her to run for public office.

“Right now, our city is in the middle of a public health and economic crisis. We need to make sure this doesn’t become an education crisis too. Now is the moment for us to think of new and innovative ways to make sure our teachers and students always have the tools they need to accomplish their goals as they forge ahead in these uncertain times.”

Azanero, 27, moved to East Providence after graduating law school from Roger Williams University. She practices immigration law, but also has a background in corporate law and public interest law.

Azanero also has a background in legal education, participating in the Street Law program, where she taught legal concepts in plain language to high school students. That is where she developed a passion for education. Now she wants to take that passion and drive to the School Committee.

"As a School Committee Member, Jenni will prioritize the development of the new East Providence High School, but will also make sure that the relationship between parents, students, and the school administration will always come first," said a campaign statement.

Learn more about Jenni Azanero and her campaign by visiting her Facebook page Jenni Azanero for Ward 3 East Providence School Committee.

The Ward 3 seat is currently held by Karen Oliveira, a retired East Providence teacher first elected in 2018. Oliveira is not seeking re-election.