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To the editor:
I am running for the Marblehead Board of Health because I care deeply about the health, safety and well-being of our community. As an anesthesiologist for over 25 years, I’ve been focused on the safety of thousands of patients in the operating room during what are often the most stressful moments in their lives.
I find that successful outcomes take close collaboration with my health care colleagues and clear communication with everyone. Also essential is decision making guided by science, ethics, what’s practical and input from patients and their families.
As a board member, I will bring this kind of mindset for collaboration inside and outside the board and for decision making on behalf of all of us.
At the top of my priorities will be the mental well-being of our residents. I applaud the work of the current board on this front, which includes a recently completed wellness survey of our community. That survey showed mental health as a top concern across all age groups.
I am especially passionate about this priority given mental health challenges I have seen with my patients, friends and family, which has included depression, anxiety, dementia, bipolar disorders, loss of loved ones, substance abuse and more. I will be strongly committed to advancing the board’s work on community mental health.
Another priority is reinforcing public health vigilance and communication as new threats emerge For example, kratom, a potentially dangerous substance, has been making its way across Massachusetts with availability in convenience stores, gas stations and smoke shops. I believe Marblehead should regulate kratom, as many other towns are doing, and I will be a leader in bringing this before the board for review and action.
On a personal note, my family has lived in Marblehead since 2013. My husband and I are proud to have raised two children here, with our youngest graduating from Marblehead High School in 2025. We are familiar with difficulties adolescents and their families encounter, including mental health, academic stress, peer pressure to attend parties and the like.
I am grateful for this opportunity to introduce myself as a candidate for our Board of Health. I would be honored for your vote on June 9.
Further information is available at julieforhealth.com
Julie Selbst
Nanepashemet Street
