Linnea Drew is Running for NK Families

On a Sunday morning, on the one day a week Linnea Drew doesn’t run, she and I talked about her North Kingstown Town Council (NKTC) candidacy. As she effortlessly calmed a restless daughter, her desire to “have someone on NKTC who represents a young family” became clear.

Born in Sacramento Valley, California, this valley girl came to Rhode Island to attend and play softball at Brown University. She received her B.S. in biology and “loved Brown so much I went back to graduate school there.” Linnea went on to earn a M.S. in Reproductive Sciences, with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and a M.S. in Medical Sciences from Brown University.

Linnea met her husband at graduate school and her Rhode Island roots were planted.

Currently a Clinical Research Manager at the Center for Melanoma Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, on many mornings, one may spy her on the Wickford Junction MBTA commuter train listening to podcasts and preparing for her day. “I love my job. I work with the best people. If I had cancer, I know that I would want to see these people,” Linneas said.

Linnea and her husband have two daughters, ages three and six. She is incredibly busy raising a young family and managing a career, but when Linnea learned that her friend Town Councilor Katie Anderson would not be seeking reelection, she knew she had to run. "I never intended to run for office, but not having someone on NKTC who represents young families puts the town at a disadvantage,” Linnea said.

Katie Anderson is one of Linnea’s biggest supporters. She recently shared her support for Linnea on social media and wrote, “Linnea brings a fresh perspective. It's important that working families have a voice in our town government. We don't always see ourselves represented.”

Advocacy runs in Linnea’s runner’s blood. She was a Girls on The Run coach and has been with Moms Demand Action since 2017. Linnea was recently named a 2024 Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate and shared, ”While most of the gun violence prevention measures must be taken at the state and federal levels rather than at the town level, this represents my commitment to community safety and the years I’ve spent working with Moms Demand Action advocating for common sense gun regulation in Rhode Island.”

As Linnea and I wrapped up our conversation, I peppered her with fun questions.

First thing she did when she got to Rhode Island? 

• Attended a WaterFire Providence.

What will she do on election day? 

• Spend time with her mother, who will be traveling a long way to cheer her on.

Does she have a favorite quote? 

• While she acknowledged that “quotes aren’t really my thing” she obliged with a kicker from “Ms. Marvel”: “Good is not a thing you are. It is a thing you do.”

It was a good time to wrap up and Linnea’s quote stayed with me throughout the day. North Kingstown residents have a professional, academic-focused, compassionate, and dedicated candidate to vote into NKTC this fall and I can’t wait to watch all the good she does.