Pembroke Select Board · 2026
Tara
Gendreau
(Lenaghan)
Rooted in community. Ready to serve.
Rooted in community. Ready to serve.
Pembroke deserves leadership that brings real-world experience, fiscal discipline, and a genuine commitment to the people who call it home.
Born in Boston and raised in Watertown, Tara Gendreau (Lenaghan) has spent her entire life in Massachusetts communities — and her entire career building something meaningful within them. From an early age, her passion for connecting people with the resources and support they need became the foundation of everything she does.
After returning from a decade spent managing pet businesses across Eastern Canada, Tara brought 25+ years of operational experience, team leadership, and community focus back to Massachusetts. In 2024, she became District Manager at Dogtopia — a dog daycare, boarding, and spa serving hundreds of South Shore families.
More than a business, Dogtopia actively raises funds to sponsor service dogs for veterans — a cause close to Tara’s heart and a reflection of her belief that business and community responsibility are inseparable.
At the center of everything Tara does is family. She and her husband are proud to call Pembroke home, and the question of what kind of town we leave behind for the next generation is never far from her mind. Every decision she’ll make on the Select Board — on wages, finances, growth, and accountability — comes back to that same conviction: the choices we make today should make Pembroke a better place for the kids who will grow up here tomorrow.
Pembroke’s greatest asset is the people who keep it running. Tara will push to replace ad-hoc raises with a structured step-and-grade wage scale — one that is fair to employees, responsible to taxpayers, and transparent to everyone. A predictable structure means the town can plan ahead, residents can see exactly how compensation dollars are allocated, and employees have a clear path forward. Done right, fair pay and fiscal discipline aren’t in conflict — they go hand in hand.
Retain good people. Build a stronger town.The Select Board’s job is to set the vision and make sure it gets executed. Tara believes in clear performance expectations for town leadership, transparent oversight of labor negotiations, and active oversight of the grant process — ensuring Pembroke is pursuing every funding opportunity and that those dollars are managed responsibly. A Board that stays focused on accountability serves every resident.
Clear expectations. Real accountability.Investing in people and infrastructure at the same time takes discipline. Tara will work to protect Pembroke’s fiscal reserves while closing the gap on deferred capital needs — making sure that doing right by town employees never comes at the expense of the roads, facilities, and services residents depend on.
Invest in today. Plan for tomorrow.Towns that grow thoughtfully don’t need to ask residents for more — they build a tax base that works for everyone. Tara believes Pembroke can attract the right kind of growth while protecting everything that makes this town worth living in. That means being good stewards of development, preserving the character and charm of our neighborhoods, and making sure that rising costs never force our seniors — the people who built this community — out of the homes they’ve lived in for decades. Smart growth isn’t just economic policy. It’s how we take care of each other.
Grow wisely. Protect everyone.
Have a question about Tara’s platform? Want to get involved or show your support? Reach out — Tara would love to connect with fellow Pembroke residents.