Caitlin Gresham hopes to make a more lasting impression on her fellow Leetsdale residents than just with face paint.
“I really want to get the public in on Henle Park and Washington Street Park (projects),” said Gresham, 27. “(Find out) what they want and keeping them up to date and getting that going.”
The 2016 Quaker Valley grad’s latest opportunity to make an impact is as the newest and youngest councilperson.
Gresham was appointed to council via a 5-1 vote on Oct. 10. Councilman Benjamin Frederick dissented. He did not explain his vote.
Mayor Sandra Ford swore Gresham into her new role Oct. 14.
Gresham was selected out of two candidates for the seat vacated by former council president Patricia Lee, who resigned in September citing personal and professional circumstances as reasons to step down.
Lee was elected to her first four-year term in the November 2021 election. She served as council president in 2022 and part of last year.
She was a part of Leetsdale’s steering committee, planning the Sewickley Community Juneteenth Celebration and was on the Sewickley Community Center board for 10 years.
Gresham will serve the remaining of her term, which expires at the end of next year.
Gresham is one of the lead members of the parks and recreation board as well as the 4th of July committee, and has volunteered at multiple borough events including as a face painter last fall. She also helped organize the annual Easter Egg hunt and Halloween parade.
The other candidate for Lee’s seat was Tim Budacki, past president of the Leetsdale Planning Commission. He served on the commission for 25 years.
Council president Maria Napolitano said the appointment was a tough decision.
“Both candidates were experienced, and have great ideas on how Leetsdale can thrive in the future,” Napolitano said. “I am grateful to them for stepping up and look forward to working with them on council and out in the community.”
Graham grew up in Sewickley and moved to Leetsdale in 2003.
She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human services from Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County.
She works as a behavioral technician at The Watson Institute helping children with special needs.
This is the second council vacancy filled this year.
James DeGori, 42, was appointed in April to fill the seat vacated by councilwoman Beth Carroll, who stepped down March 15.
Gresham brings a lot of energy to council, several of her new constituents said.
She is its youngest member, with the others being in their 40s and older. The elder statesmen are vice president Osman Awad and councilman Roger Nanni, both 68, with the latter being an elected borough official for 30 years.
“It makes me feel very excited to work with our mayor and president Napolitano and everybody else on council and help make Leetsdale a better place,” Gresham said. “I want to be on council so that I can offer a different opinion and be a fresh voice.
“I’m very excited to bring a younger perspective to my counterparts to hopefully improve Leetsdale the best way I can and represent all of our constituents’ interests. I’m really looking forward to learning from them.”
Gresham is expected to take over for councilman Scott Zahner as parks committee chair.
Zahner also serves as chairman of council’s finance and organization administration committees.
“She’s been on my parks and rec committee for a couple years now, and I think she’s done a great job,” Zahner said. “She will be a natural fit to take over the committee and this will free up some of my time to concentrate on the finance and administration parts. She’s intelligent and I think she is going to do good things with the community.”
One of the first projects Gresham wants to propose is getting walking trails and fitness equipment for the parks.
“Up in Cranberry, they have a really awesome park that has a big pad of workout equipment, and I want to emulate that,” Gresham said.