Meet Aishwarya Balakrishna Naperville Park Board Candidate

Aishwarya Balakrishna is running for the Naperville Park District Board in the 2025 Naperville Consolidated Election.

Aishwarya Balakrishna is a public health official and advocate

I am an Indian American daughter of immigrants who grew up in Naperville and attended District 204 Schools, including being a graduate of Neuqua Valley High School (Go Wildcats!). 

I am a public health professional, currently focusing on health promotion and advocacy in the areas of substance abuse prevention and maternal and child health. I am a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, and I have a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Benedictine University. After completing my education, I have dedicated my professional career towards improving health outcomes directly in our communities. 

Outside of work, I am also a public health advocate, working with our elected officials on public health matters and educating them about the issues affecting our city’s residents. I have always enjoyed working with diverse voices to create meaningful change in our communities, putting my skills towards advocacy, collaboration, and leadership—all of which I will bring to the Naperville Park District.

Throughout my life, I have been the beneficiary of our city’s incredible parks and its programs, and I am running to make sure that they continue to be accessible, inclusive, and affordable for all of our neighbors. 

Balakrishna believes Naperville parks improve not only physical health but social, emotional, and mental health

I am running to be a Naperville Park District Commissioner because I see our parks and its programs as a way of improving not just our physical health, but also our social, emotional, and mental health. I believe my experience as a public health professional and community advocate will be a valuable addition to the Park District, and I will use my expertise to ensure our parks are improving the quality of life and the quality of health in our neighborhoods as much as they can.

Furthermore, if elected, I would be the first Asian American, and the youngest ever, Commissioner on the Board. I want to bring a fresh new voice to the Naperville Park District and have it better represent the diversity in our communities. We have so many young people living in Naperville and I am hoping to bring that perspective to the work of the Park District.

If elected, I want to build on the progress the Board has made, and help make sure that our parks are meeting the needs of all of our city’s residents!

Balakrishna’s top three priorities are health, accessible and diverse programming, and maintaining fiscal responsibility

Promote Community Health: Our community’s parks are a pillar of our community’s health. They are a way for us to promote not just physical health, but mental and emotional health as well. As a Park District Commissioner, I will use my years of experience as a public health professional to encourage physical activity and support mental well-being, and ensure our parks enhance the quality of life for all of our neighbors.

Make Programming More Accessible and Diverse: Our common spaces strengthen our common bonds. As a Commissioner, I will be committed to ensuring our city’s parks reflect our city’s diversity, and ensure that its programming meets the needs of all of our neighbors. From introducing new activities and new celebrations, to making sure that our programs are affordable for all of our residents, I am dedicated to making sure that every member of our community has a place within our parks.

Maintain Fiscal Responsibility: Our parks are an investment in our communities. They foster public health, strengthen our bonds, and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. That’s why I am committed to maintaining the financial health of our Park District system, and if elected, I will work with my fellow commissioners to ensure we make responsible investments in our communities’ common spaces. With the next iteration of strategic planning by the Park District coming up during the new term, I want to make sure our tax dollars are being used as efficiently as possible, and I will advocate for investments in improving public health through our parks.

A note from NCTV17

The written content above was submitted by the candidate. The video interview was produced by NCTV17 as part of the Meet the Candidates series. All candidates running for the 2025 Naperville Consolidated Election were interviewed using the same question format.

The placement of this interview on our website does not represent an endorsement of the candidate. 

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