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WBJ asked 400+ of the most powerful people in Central Massachusetts who they believe are the most influential professional in the region. On top of the list of the top 15 votegetters, we asked those powerful people to write stories about one person they voted for.
Former state senator Jen Flanagan Long had always been a strong leader, someone who focused on the needs of her city, but also taking on the critical issues of mental health and substance-use disorder. Jen has a way of connecting people with concerns she saw in her district but, in reality, were statewide struggles.
Jen is someone who will let you know exactly what she’s thinking, but she will stop everything to help people in need. The compassion she put into helping people who struggle with mental health and substance-use disorder, and the strong will to help provide the tools necessary for them to succeed, was unmatched. Jen collaborated on both sides of the aisle, as she thought these policy areas weren’t dictated by political parties, but by a desire to get people to a place they were thriving. “People, not politics” is what she would say.
As one of the first five Cannabis Control Commissioners, Jen worked hard to uphold the will of the voters to stand up the adult-use cannabis industry while putting balanced regulations in place to ensure consumers were safe. The work she did at the CCC helped build a multi-billion dollar industry.
Story by Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson
