Keep Sarah Kepple On Lakewood City Council

Councilperson Sarah Kepple with family

Hi neighbors! I’m your friendly Lakewood City Councilmember at Large Sarah Kepple, and I’m running to continue to make your local government accessible and responsive to you. I was honored to be unanimously appointed to complete the term vacated by then newly elected Mayor George. I felt called to serve then as I am now because my experience and expertise as a small business owner, volunteer community organizer, and longtime public servant working for and with diverse populations make me uniquely suited to unite our community to take on the challenges facing our city together.

I began my career in public service at Lakewood Public Library where I met my husband Andrew Harant. At the Cuyahoga County Public Library, I worked in a number of communities throughout the county, and I had the opportunity to notice that children attending lower funded schools were not getting enough access to vital technology skills to help them prepare for 21st Century higher education and job markets. I began teaching technology classes for kids and eventually moved to the Library’s Administration building where I developed curriculum, trained staff, and coordinated county-wide efforts including coding camps, robotics classes, and music and video recording studios. Having experience connecting people through technology was extremely helpful in my first term on council during the global pandemic! I wrote my first ordinance less than a month after being sworn in to allow council to meet remotely to continue the people’s work, and I worked with our IT department to enable and encourage public participation through new and convenient technology such as our eComment platform. I also kept residents informed via timely video updates and social media posts.

Being a small business owner myself, puts me in a unique position to understand the struggles that many of our small businesses have faced during this time. I launched my business, Gigalearn, in 2014 to bring technology literacy to more people in more places, and this pandemic period has been one of the hardest challenges we’ve had to overcome. As an entrepreneur, I bring an unmatched perspective to council and have been working diligently to help transition Lakewood’s economy and technology for a post-Covid world. I serve as Council’s liaison to the Mayor’s Small Business Task Force and work closely with LakewoodAlive, the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, and the Merchant Associations. I helped champion expanded outdoor dining and initiated Curbside Express Parking, a convenience to both businesses and busy families that not only helped us weather the pandemic, but also responds to nation-wide consumer trends to keep our local shops competitive and make their services and goods more accessible.

Like our shops and restaurants, our government must be more than just available--it must be accessible. In both my career in public service and my work as a lead organizer of Action Together Lakewood Area, I’ve seen first hand how critical it is for the people affected by decisions to have a voice in making them. That is why I work tirelessly to proactively invite everyone in our community to the table and welcome and encourage public comment and participation. I serve as the Council representative on the Americans with Disabilities Act Task Force, work closely with the AntiRacism Task Force, and engage with community members on social media, at block meetings, neighborhood events, in their businesses, and through calls, texts, and emails. 

When I was sworn-in, Council President O’Malley noted that though many qualified candidates applied for the appointment, “Sarah's business, nonprofit, and community experience really stood out. She has a special ability to bring people together to work for the common good.” I want to continue to bring our community together. I hope you’ll join me. Please visit KeppleForCouncil.com to learn how to get involved and vote to #KeepKeppleOnCouncil this fall.

Sarah Kepple serves all residents as Lakewood City Councilmember at Large. She is the owner of Gigalearn, LLC and led Action Together Lakewood Area for many years. She and her husband Andy live on Summit Ave with their recent Lakewood High School graduate Emma and their two cats. Reach her at sarah.kepple@lakewoodoh.net or 216.200.5050.

Sarah Kepple

Sarah Kepple serves all residents as Lakewood City Councilmember at Large. She is the owner of Gigalearn, LLC and led Action Together Lakewood Area for many years. She and her husband Andy live on Summit Ave with their recent Lakewood High School graduate Emma and their two cats. Reach her at sarah.kepple@lakewoodoh.net or 216.200.5050. Visit keppleforcouncil.com to learn more or sign up for updates.

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Volume 17, Issue 12, Posted 1:55 PM, 06.16.2021