Vote in Westwood Town Election on Tuesday April 29th. Here Is Why I'm Voting Mike Derderian for Planning Board (And It's Not Just Because He's My Husband)

Westwood Town Election is this coming Tuesday, April 29th. I'm proud that my husband, Mike Derderian, has chosen to run for Planning Board (the only contested race this year). As my family is relatively new to Town (we moved here in 2021), and many folks may not know Mike, I thought I might provide some additional insight. I've spent close to the past 20 years with Mike—the past 10 as his wife and the 4 before that as his fiance (yes, Mike is very careful and deliberative when it comes to big decisions).

Mike and I met in law school. I walked into my criminal law classroom a few minutes early on the first week of school only to find Mike taking a call with a film director about a screenplay he had written—a story based on the life of Dr. Charles Drew, an African-American doctor that made groundbreaking discoveries in blood banking during World War II in an era of intense medical segregation. Nearly 20 years later, Mike is still working with his team to get this and other projects off the ground. When Mike is passionate about something, he does not give up. He's also not afraid to network, make connections, advocate on behalf of himself and others and persevere. (And of course, somehow despite moonlighting as an inspiring screenwriter, Mike still managed to graduate second in our law school class).

Beyond just being intelligent and a good multi-tasker, what I quickly came to see in Mike was that he was diligent, thorough and fair—always. After law school, Mike worked at several New York City law firms, but the work experience he found most engaging was the time he spent clerking in the federal judiciary (at various levels from a federal district court, to the U.S. Court of Appeals, to the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces). Through these experiences, Mike gained a deep appreciation for the skill of listening—and in particular listening with an open mind, without regard to personal viewpoints or preconceived notions. Being in any decision-making position is difficult, as oftentimes there will be at least some who will not like the outcome, but what Mike learned was that when each side feels heard and understood before a decision is made, the outcome becomes a bit more palatable. This is a skill I've seen Mike put into practice in his own life—dealing with our kids (and me), mediating an issue at the office, or even when working to suggest solutions to school or town issues. Mike is able to control his emotions and let reason prevail in a way I could only hope to (but which also, as his wife, I sometimes find infuriating).

Mike is also careful and kind with his words. He is genuinely a nice guy—without a bad word to say about anyone. In fact, he goes out of his way to find the positives in others. He wants very much to make each person feel seen. One of Mike's favorite volunteer efforts is coaching youth soccer. I remember the night before the end of season team dinner last year, Mike spent hours writing a 7-minute speech. He wanted to find just the right words so he could share something about every player, so that they would each individually know he was proud of them and that he appreciated their effort.

Perhaps Mike's biggest passion beyond screenwriting and soccer coaching is his interest in the intersection of health, wellness and community. Inspired by Dan Buettner's The Blue Zones of Happiness, which studies the places on Earth where people report the highest levels of fulfillment (and spoiler alert, it is not tied to economics), Mike has been determined to see Westwood make the next iteration of the list. Happiness, according to the book, is impacted in large part by individuals having identities outside of their family structures and occupations. In these "Blue Zones", individuals' self-perceptions involve their hobbies and engagement within their communities. Mike talks frequently of the need for "Third Places", areas within communities outside of work and home where people can gather and build rich and vibrant social networks, where they can develop these types of multifaceted and impassioned identities. Mike cares so deeply about making Westwood the very best it can be—to allow each of us to be the very best we can be.

Christine Amara