Candidate Profile: Melissa Braga For Tewksbury Board of Health

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury will have five contested races in the April 2 municipal election, including a three-candidate race for two seats on the Board of Health.

Tewksbury Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Melissa Braga is one of three candidates running for the Board of Health, facing Susan Amato and Nicole Burgett-Yandow.

Braga is a registered nurse and owner of Holistic Health Care.

Are you running for office in Tewksbury? Contact tewksbury@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Tewksbury Patch.

Previously on Patch: 17 Candidates Filed For Tewksbury's 2022 Town Election: See Who's Running

Melissa Braga

Age (as of Election Day)

39

Position sought (including ward or district number if applicable)

Tewksbury Board of Health

Family

My husband Steve, who is my greatest supporter!
Our rescue dogs: Resco, a 7-year old Shiatsu/Jack Russel Terrier, and Bailey, a 2-year-old Shephard mix.
Children: We hope to be blessed with children to raise in this wonderful community

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No, this would be a first.

Education

Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Southern New Hampshire University (High Honors). I am certified as a Nutrition Response Testing® Practitioner and continue to expand my knowledge, education, and skills training within natural functional medicine.

Occupation

I am both a registered nurse and a small business owner.

As a nurse, I have worked across multiple areas of healthcare, including:
- Urgent Care
- Family Practice
- Behavioral Health
- Pediatric Long-Term Care
- Medical-Surgical and Cardiac Floor
- Home Healthcare
- School Nurse

I opened a local, private practice to pursue my passion, Holistic Health Care. This therapeutic approach looks at the “whole” person and considers multiple variables -- body, mind, spirit, and emotions. It incorporates complementary treatments from conventional medicine to alternative therapies. Conventional medicine is important, but we also must consider wellness and prevention, rather than just treating disease. I focus on identifying underlying root causes of health issues to help clients achieve optimal health.

I have over a decade of experience in patient care. I began my career in healthcare in 2009, as a Registered Medical Assistant and continued to become a Registered Nurse.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A - This is my first time running.

Campaign website

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/group...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running to serve on the Board of Health for the following reasons:

1.) Healthcare Experience – As a medical professional, I bring important insights and understanding to the Board. I’ve served a wide range of patients across a variety of healthcare settings; in education serving youth as a school nurse, in private homes caring for seniors, in hospitals within medical and cardiac care, and in a mental health facility. I understand the dynamics of health issues from both the patient, family, and provider viewpoint.
2.) Advocacy – As a registered nurse, I’ve spent my career advocating for patients and their health. I have seen the impact that is possible by moving beyond the bedside to help serve in a broader, more far-reaching capacity.
3.) Business Owner – As a small business owner, I know how hard it is to operate a business while maintaining the safest possible environment for my clients. It is important to also support our local businesses and small business owners.
4.) Service – As an active member of the National Medical Reserve Corps, the American Nurses Association and a church volunteer serving the homeless, I believe it is important to give back.
5.) Community – I want to be a voice for the community and work together with the residents to keep Tewksbury healthy.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are several pressing issues facing our community, these are three I intend to address:

Children’s Health
Health issues have been on the rise for our youth. Children have faced so much with not only the impact of Covid-19, but many lack healthy lifestyles, face enormous stress, and suffer from chronic illness (both physical and mental). I will work together with the Department of Public Health, school nurses and staff, and other town organizations to better serve our youth. We will identify ways to improve and educate on healthy food choices, promote physical activity, and emphasize stress management. This is a top concern for me because children really are our future.

Senior Health
It is important not to forget about our seniors and their health. The level of stress on the community due to lack of resources or limited access to resources is a cause for concern. For example, there is a 7-10 year wait for senior housing. I will work with local organizations to brainstorm and find ways to help our seniors and improve their quality of life, whether it’s access to healthcare, programs, housing, or prescription medications.

Hoarding
After speaking with the Tewksbury Police department, hoarding was an issue that was concerning. I would like to collaborate with both the police and fire departments as well as the family services officer on hoarding issues to create a plan of action to assist with this along with other mental health components that can lead to increased public safety concerns.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

1. Nursing Experience – I bring a variety of real-life medical experience to the table, working in multiple healthcare environments and serving a variety of patient populations.
2. Holistic Approach – I take a holistic approach to health both professionally and personally, which gives me a unique viewpoint and integrated approach. My goal is to always identify and treat the underlying source of a problem rather than putting a band-aid on the presenting symptoms.
3. Business Ownership – I’m the only candidate in the race who has both worked in the medical field and owned a small business.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

It’s easy to criticize an action following the outcome - as they say, “hindsight is 20/20.” Over the past two years, the Health Department constantly dealt with the ever-changing Governor’s orders when it came to dealing with COVID. For the most part, I believe that the Board of Health did the best they could with the information and guidance they had at the time.

The Board has also made some positive changes and notable improvements in the community. For example, they have successfully addressed past issues concerning health codes for tattoo parlors and microblading salons and up-keeping with the bylaws.

I do believe we can always to better and there are always areas for improvement. I want to focus on working together as a community by providing timely communication to the residents of Tewksbury, as well as providing tools, resources, and education to help improve the health of our community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I want to make the Board of Health more accessible and more responsive to the needs of our families and businesses. I will keep Tewksbury healthy by:
• Increasing access to critical resources to keep our families, businesses, and community healthy, from our precious youth to our respected seniors and everyone in-between.
• Working with local small businesses to ensure all health and safety measures are being adhered to and provide information and suggestions as needed for any improvements that will benefit both the business owner and safety of the community.
• Supporting an individual's rights when it comes to making medical decisions.
• Being a voice for all residents on the Board of Health.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have had leadership roles in my past occupations and as a current business owner. I am a good listener and work with people daily to understand and help with their concerns. I am involved with our “Serve the City” church group in which we provide the homeless community in Lowell with warm food, shoes, coats, clothes, etc. I also serve as a volunteer for the Burlington Reserve Corps and was recognized as “America’s Top Nurses for 2022: Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare.” I am also an active member of the American Nurses Association.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“Listen more than you speak and ask questions.”
This has helped me personally because in my current position people see that I care and am interested in them personally. As a nurse, people want people to feel heard, seen and understood. Being able to fully listen can ease anxiety, worry, and help find clarity in the chaos. The more I listen, the more I learn. I keep an open mind to understand what is happening around me. I can empathize with someone when I truly listen. It has helped me in my career in healthcare to expand my knowledge and be able to help people heal and feel better as a whole.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I promise to be a conduit for the residents to the Board of Health. I will be accessible and accountable, listening to your concerns – as well as your complaints. I will work to represent and advocate for you, not myself. I will be open, honest, fair, consistent, and straight forward, communicating with you and work to find answers to all issues. I will work with locally elected officials and organizations to keep Tewksbury healthy.

This article originally appeared on the Tewksbury Patch