Dr. Lakshmi Emory announced in early December her intention to run for Flossmoor mayor in the April 6 election and officially filed her nomination papers Dec. 14. She joins Michelle Nelson — who this summer announced her intention to run — on the ballot.
The April 2021 race for Flossmoor mayor is officially a contested one.
Dr. Lakshmi Emory announced in early December her intention to run for Flossmoor mayor in the April 6 election and officially filed her nomination papers Dec. 14. She joins Michelle Nelson — who this summer announced her intention to run — on the ballot.
Mayor Paul Braun is not seeking re-election, and Emory said she is hoping to fill the void he will leave in Flossmoor government with her brand of authentic and inclusive leadership.
“Service is in my DNA,” Emory said of her decision to run. “I intend to answer the call to leadership and bring a fresh perspective.”
Emory, 50, has been a resident of Flossmoor since 2012 but has lived in the south suburbs since 2002. She grew up in southwest San Diego, where her maternal grandparents owned a grocery store. Her grandmother, in particular, gave Emory some of her earliest lessons in what it means to be a leader.
“She showed me leadership is about taking care of people where you are with what you have,” Emory said.
Emory is a family physician, wife and mother with a child in Flossmoor public schools.
She serves as a health plan executive. She noted that experience includes managing large budgets and collaborating with stakeholders, which she said would benefit Flossmoor if she wins the job of mayor. She also has directed and managed infrastructure projects and established new health care centers.
Though she has not previously run for elected office, she has worked with the Illinois Lieutenant Governor’s Office to assist in creating Illinois’ health equity strategy to inform the Restore Illinois program. She also has served as a chairperson of a Superintendent’s COVID-19 Physician Advisory Panel that started with District 233 and now includes Homewood District 153, Flossmoor District 161, Glenwood District 167 and Infant Jesus of Prague School in Flossmoor.
She is an active board member for United Way of Metro Chicago – South-Southwest region; and an active member of the South Suburban Chicago Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., which collaborated with the Village on Flossmoor’s MLK Day program for multiple years during her tenure as vice president. She has also served on the board of the West Towns Chapter of The Links Inc.
Emory received her undergraduate education from Dartmouth College, and her medical and public health education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She completed her residency at Rush-Illinois Masonic Hospital.
In her announcement, she said she intends to focus on infrastructure projects, creating opportunities for local businesses to rebound and grow, and amassing the needed resources to keep the town safe. She also said she wants to attract new businesses, build regional collaboration, champion equity and inclusion, and add to community services.