Zach Beaudoin is a veteran, husband, and father raising his family in Hamburg. He grew up in Angola, graduated from Lake Shore Central School, and has lived, worked, and built relationships throughout Boston, Collins, North Collins, Gowanda, Evans, Brant, Eden, Hamburg, and the rural communities that define District 11.
He is running for Erie County Legislature because the families and communities of District 11 deserve a representative who shows up, listens, and gets to work.
District 11 Is Home
Zach’s roots in this district are not political — they are personal. His family lives in Brant and Eden. He worked at Tops in Derby, Lowe’s in Hamburg, and Claddagh Commission (now SASi) in Derby, where he supported adults with developmental disabilities. He served eight years in the United States Army Reserves as an Interior Electrician Specialist.
He knows what it means to worry about property taxes, to depend on volunteer fire departments, to live in a community where the nearest services are a thirty-minute drive. He is not learning about these challenges for a campaign. He has lived them.
Military Service
Zach served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 2011 to 2019 as an Interior Electrician Specialist based out of Fairview, Pennsylvania. He managed younger soldiers, contributed to office systems and internal communications, assisted with transportation coordination and base planning, and helped create monthly Equal Opportunity training.
He is a disabled veteran. His service and his disability inform every policy he proposes — not as credentials, but as lived experience that shapes how he thinks about systems, access, and the obligations government owes to the people who serve.
Disability and Accessibility
Zach recently received his provisional certification as a Peer Support Specialist, allowing him to support individuals navigating mental health challenges, substance use, and trauma — drawing directly on his own lived experience.
He is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. At Claddagh Commission (now SASi) in Derby, he worked as a Habilitation Specialist, supporting adults with developmental disabilities in daily living, skill-building, medication administration, and advocacy.
This combination of professional certification and hands-on experience shapes every policy he proposes. Accessibility and dignity are not add-ons — they are built in from the start.
Education
Zach’s academic background spans conflict resolution, public policy, and equity — each focused on making systems work better for everyday people.
- M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Columbia University
- Dual B.A. in International Studies & English, SUNY Fredonia
- Certificate in Strategic HR Leadership, Cornell University
- Ph.D. coursework in Environmental Justice and Public Policy, Colorado State University
- Graduate coursework in Managing for Social Equity, University of Colorado Denver
- Kathryn Davis Fellow for Peace, Middlebury Language Schools
Professional Experience
Zach has worked in direct care, constituent services, education, and policy — always in roles that put people first.
- Habilitation Specialist, Claddagh Commission (SASi), Derby — supporting adults with developmental disabilities
- Legislative Assistant, Montgomery County Council (MD) — constituent services, policy research, human rights task force
- English as a New Language Teacher, Buffalo — serving refugee students K–8
- Restorative Justice Facilitator, Restorative Denver — community conferences and healing agreements
- Redistricting Administrative Specialist, Colorado’s Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission
- Communications and education roles at Columbia University and the University of Colorado
Policy Priorities
Zach has developed detailed policy proposals focused on the issues that directly affect District 11 families:
- Fiscal Responsibility with Moral Clarity: Every dollar should protect the people who need it most. Prevention saves money — erosion stabilization, workforce retention, and early intervention all cost less than emergencies.
- Rural Infrastructure First: Culverts, flood mitigation, waterfront erosion prevention, broadband expansion, and transit access for healthcare workers and seniors.
- Protecting Workers and Caregivers: A nursing home workforce framework that supports retention, safety, career pathways, and mental health for the people who care for our parents and grandparents.
- Housing Stability: A Countywide Manufactured Home Park Bill of Rights — habitability standards, fee transparency, anti-retaliation protections, and sale/closure safeguards.
- Veterans, Seniors, and Disabled Residents: Expanding VA services at the Springville clinic, building accessible paratransit, designing every program with disability access from day one.
- Transparent Government: Published votes, in-person events, public follow-up tracking, and a commitment to answering every question directly.
Community Roots
- Grew up in Angola; family in Brant and Eden; lives in Hamburg with his family
- Lake Shore Central School graduate
- Worked at Tops (Derby), Lowe’s (Hamburg), Claddagh/SASi (Derby)
- Active throughout Boston, Collins, North Collins, Gowanda, Evans, and communities across District 11
- Member, Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
- Board member, Chautauqua Citizens’ Response to Climate Change
- Student government president at Columbia (overhauled governance, co-founded food bank funding model)
- University representative and Chair of Sustainability, SUNY Student Assembly (64 campuses)
Why This Race, Why Now
District 11 is the largest geographic district in the Erie County Legislature. It stretches from the Lake Erie waterfront through small towns and rural communities that depend on county services — EMS, road maintenance, public health, social services, and veterans’ programs. These communities deserve a legislator who doesn’t just represent them at a desk in downtown Buffalo, but understands the daily reality of living here.
Zach is running because county government should fill gaps, not create them — and because stability for working families starts with a legislator who has lived the same challenges they have.
“The needs of working-class people transcend party.”
Get Involved
This campaign is about all of us. Whether you can volunteer an hour or support with a donation, every bit helps.