© 2024 KPCW

KPCW
Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center
PO Box 1372 | 460 Swede Alley
Park City | UT | 84060
Office: (435) 649-9004 | Studio: (435) 655-8255

Music & Artist Inquiries: music@kpcw.org
News Tips & Press Releases: news@kpcw.org
Volunteer Opportunities
General Inquiries: info@kpcw.org
Listen Like a Local Park City & Heber City Summit & Wasatch counties, Utah
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Air Force veteran and mom of four runs for Park City school board

Meredith Reed, an Air Force veteran, is running for the Park City Board of Education. She says she’ll focus on valuing diverse voices in the community and bring a fresh approach to the board. 

Meredith Reed has spent a life in service and comes from a multi-generational military family. After getting her Master’s degree in Divinity from Vanderbilt, she worked overseas as a Chaplain in the Air Force right after 9/11 and says she felt a deep sense of service and giving back. Reed’s husband, now a retired officer in the Army after 32 years of active duty, was stationed in Utah in 2009 and after a few years overseas, they’ve called Park City home ever since.

“I just have always been obviously deeply devoted and motivated to serve my community, you know, in a variety of ways," she said. "And when there's a need that's identified, I haven't been one to say, I think somebody else will take care of that. If it's something important, and that needs to get done, then I'm not going to try to run away from that.”     

After Reed left the Air Force she went to work for the Department of Defense as a project manager in Strategic planning and communications for the Wounded Warriors program. She has served the community in a variety of volunteer roles including former Chair of Summit County Democratic Party and the Post Commander for the Park City American Legion Post 14. She also served on the board for the Salt Lake League of Women Voters as Vice President of outreach.

Reed is 48 and lives in Jeremy Ranch. She’s running to replace Kara Hendrickson, who’s not running for re-election. Reed has three children at Jeremy Ranch elementary and one at Park City High School.

She says the last two years have been incredibly challenging.

“But that some of the ways that the board has responded to meeting some of those challenges was either defensive or dismissive. And I'm not sure that that's really constructive, and really listening to what concerns are being brought forward in the community.”

She also mentioned the recent at Park City high school involving a swastika drawn in a Jewish teacher’s classroom. She said the board and the community need to come together to address discrimination and bullying.

“One of the things I would like to accomplish is making sure that behavior that makes children feel threatened or unsafe at school is addressed in our community, and specifically, the issue that happened recently with the swastika under the teacher school desks that was horrific.”

The race for District 4 is one of two seats up for election on the board. Erin Grady, board president, is seeking reelection and running against Nick Hill in District 5.

Reed’s up against Josh Mann and Mandy Pomeroy. Ed Panos withdrew from the election Wednesday morning. The remaining three will head to a primary June 28th.