Annalise Cottone Ferrara - Board of Finance Candidate Profile

Party: Republican¹ Position: Board of Finance (To Fill Vacancy - 2 years)² Election Date: November 4, 2025² Current Status: Board Member (appointed September 24, 2025 to fill vacancy)³

Biographical Information

Annalise Cottone Ferrara is a retired attorney and Weston resident currently serving on the Board of Finance.³ She was appointed on September 24, 2025 to fill a vacancy through November 11, 2025,³ and is now running for a 2-year term in the November 2025 election.²¹

Residence: Weston, CT (10+ years)⁴ Previous Residence: Brooklyn, NY⁴ Background: Moved to Weston approximately 10 years ago (circa 2015)⁴

Family

Husband: Frank (retired)
Son: Computer engineer, lives in Cambridge
Daughter: Works in financial oversight, lives in Weston with 3 children (Ferrara's grandchildren)

Professional Background

Legal Career - Retired Attorney

Over 25 years of experience trying criminal and civil cases⁴

Former Prosecutor⁴
BS in Accounting⁴
Juris Doctor (JD)⁴
Practiced law in Brooklyn, NY before moving to Weston⁴
Brings both legal and accounting expertise to fiscal oversight

Current Professional Status

Retired - Now focusing on community service and volunteer work, including Board of Finance service.

Areas of Expertise

Legal & Analytical

Legal analysis and reasoning
Policy evaluation
Regulatory understanding
Advocacy and argumentation

Community & Education

Education advocacy (through Mock Trial coaching)
Youth mentorship and development
Competitive team coaching

Board of Finance Service

Appointment History

September 24, 2025: Appointed to fill vacancy³
- Appointed per Town Charter Section 7.6(b)³
- Term: September 24, 2025 - November 11, 2025³
Email: aferrara@westonct.gov³

Current Responsibilities

Participating in FY26 budget implementation and oversight
Contributing legal and analytical expertise to board deliberations
Engaging in financial policy decisions and town fiscal management

Community Involvement

Weston High School Mock Trial Team

Coach (at least 2019-2020, possibly longer)⁵

Coached successful competitive Mock Trial teams⁵
2020 Achievement: One team named co-State Champions⁵
Demonstrated commitment to education and youth development
Applied legal expertise to student mentorship⁵

COVID-19 Response (2020)

Mock Trial team under her coaching donated to coronavirus relief efforts⁵
Showed community engagement during crisis

Environmental Advocacy

Tree Preservation & Environmental Issues

Raised concerns about Eversource tree removal practices in Weston⁴
Specifically advocated for protection of trees in historic Bradley Edge Tool Factory District⁴
Called for better environmental practices and vegetation management⁴
Demonstrates interest in environmental policy and historic preservation

Policy Positions & Campaign Platform

2025 Campaign Focus

Primary Focus: Taxes

Making tax policy and budget transparency her central campaign issue
Bringing legal and accounting expertise to fiscal analysis

Key Campaign Objectives:

Legal Expertise in Budget Analysis
- Apply 25+ years of legal experience to analyzing town budget
- Use accounting background (BS in Accounting) for financial oversight
- Review town spending with legal and analytical lens
Increase Transparency in Budget Preparation
- Make budget process more accessible and understandable to residents
- Ensure clear communication of fiscal decisions
- Promote accountability in town spending

Campaign Philosophy

"I know there is a need for a dedicated member, so I am volunteering my time"
Self-describes as "honest" and "reliable"
Motivated by community service and applying professional skills to public benefit

Other Known Positions & Interests

Environmental Conservation

Advocated for responsible tree management and environmental protection
Concerned about impact of utility work on historic and natural resources
Interest in balancing development with environmental stewardship

Education Support

Demonstrated commitment through Mock Trial coaching
Investment in student success and competitive achievement
Support for educational excellence

Community Character

Concern for historic preservation (Bradley Edge Tool Factory District)
Interest in maintaining Weston's character and natural environment

Board of Finance Candidacy

Election Details

Position: Board of Finance to Fill Vacancy (2-year term)²
Endorsement: Endorsed by Weston Republican Town Committee on July 15, 2025¹
Term if elected: November 11, 2025 - November 11, 2027
Advantage: Currently serving in appointed capacity through election³

Qualifications for Board Service

Relevant Strengths:

Legal training: Analytical skills and policy evaluation expertise
Community knowledge: 10+ years as Weston resident
Education advocate: Demonstrated commitment to schools through coaching
Environmental awareness: Track record of environmental advocacy
Current service: Already serving and familiar with board operations
Advocacy skills: Legal background in presenting and defending positions

Applicable Skills:

Legal analysis of contracts and agreements
Policy review and evaluation
Public advocacy and communication
Attention to detail and compliance
Strategic thinking and problem-solving

Political Involvement

Republican Party Engagement

Endorsed by Weston Republican Town Committee (July 15, 2025)¹
Running as Republican candidate for 2-year vacancy term²¹
Currently serving as appointed Republican member³

First Electoral Campaign

This appears to be first candidacy for elected office in Weston
Has been involved in community issues and advocacy
Transition from community volunteer to elected service

Weston Tenure & Integration

Long-term Resident (10+ years)

Moved from Brooklyn to Weston circa 2015
Raised family in Weston
Children attended/attend Weston High School
Community connections through school involvement

Community Engagement

Active in education through Mock Trial⁵
Engaged in environmental and preservation issues⁴
Participated in local discussions and advocacy
Established community presence

Education

Specific educational background not available in public sources, though legal career requires:

Undergraduate degree
Law degree (JD) from accredited law school
Admission to bar (likely New York and/or Connecticut)

Background & Personal Journey

Brooklyn to Weston Transition

Practiced law in Brooklyn before moving to Connecticut⁴
Made deliberate choice to relocate to Weston⁴
Integrated into suburban Connecticut community
Brings urban/suburban perspective

Campaign Context

2025 Election

Running for 2-year vacancy term²
Competing with Democratic candidate for this seat²
Currently serving in appointed capacity (advantage of incumbency)³
Part of Republican slate for Board of Finance¹

Potential Appeal to Voters

Legal expertise and analytical skills⁴
Long-term Weston resident with community ties⁴
Demonstrated community service (Mock Trial coaching)⁵
Environmental advocacy track record⁴
Already serving and familiar with board responsibilities³
Education advocate with school involvement⁵

Age & Life Stage

Based on timeline:

Likely in 40s-50s (practiced law in Brooklyn, moved to Weston ~10 years ago, children in/graduated from high school)
Established professional with community roots
Active in community and family life

Contact Information

Board of Finance Email: aferrara@westonct.gov³

Notes for Voters

Considerations:

Brings legal analytical skills to financial oversight
10+ years of Weston residency shows community commitment
Demonstrated civic engagement through education and environmental advocacy
Currently serving in appointed capacity (learning curve already addressed)
Legal background useful for contract review and policy compliance

Questions for Candidate:

Specific fiscal policy positions and priorities
Views on capital budget planning
Position on education funding levels
Approach to balancing taxes with services
How legal background will inform financial oversight
Specific platform beyond general qualifications

Available Public Statements

According to Weston Today and Patch:

Ferrara has shared her case for election with local media
Specific published statements not yet widely available in search results
Campaign communications likely forthcoming as election approaches

Sources

Profile compiled: October 15, 2025 Election Date: November 4, 2025 Note: This profile is based on publicly available information and official town records. Specific campaign platform details and policy positions may be updated as they become available closer to the election.

"Republicans Endorse Slate," Weston Today, July 15, 2025. Available at: https://westontoday.news/articles/250715-republican-slate ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶
"Weston, Connecticut Municipal Election November 4, 2025 - State of Connecticut Sample Ballot," Connecticut Secretary of State, accessed October 16, 2025. Available at: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sots/electionservices/town_ballots/2025/november-2025/ct-municipal-election-251104-sample-ballots/weston-sample.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷
"Board of Finance - Town of Weston, Connecticut," Official Town of Weston website, accessed October 16, 2025. Available at: https://www.westonct.gov/government/boards-commissions/elected/board-of-finance ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹²
"[OPINION] Tree Trimming Is Overly Aggressive, Environmentally Unsound," 06880 Dan Woog (Westport/Weston community blog), March 13, 2021. Available at: https://06880danwoog.com/2021/03/13/opinion-tree-trimming-is-overly-aggressive-environmentally-unsound/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷
"Weston High School Mock Trial Team Donates To Coronavirus Relief," Patch, June 12, 2020. Available at: https://patch.com/connecticut/weston-ct/weston-high-school-mock-trial-team-donates-coronavirus-relief ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

Annalise Ferrara