Meet Monica:

Monica McNally loves Darien. She wants our town to thrive and continue to be an attractive,
secure, desirable place to raise a family and to enjoy retirement. McNally believes Darien will
continue to be a welcoming place for newcomers, and a home for all, by protecting our natural
resources and practicing fiscal responsibility to enable funding the level of education and
services our residents have come to expect.

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About Monica:

Monica hails from the Midwest. Born in Chicago and raised in a small town in Wisconsin, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a degree in Journalism and Advertising.

 

Post graduation, Monica spent nine years working in the financial services sector. Her work, as a financial consultant for Smith Barney focused on helping clients to define goals, establish budgets, personalize risk management, plan for taxes, tuition, home purchases, and retirement, and manage portfolios. She continues to research and track financial markets and economic trends, and uses that knowledge to execute intelligent investments.

 

Monica and her husband, Mark Filanowski, have been involved residents of the Town of Darien for the last 29 years and have raised two lovely children, Helen (27) and Stephen (25).

 

What Monica brings to the job:

Monica looks back on a tenure as Darien’s First Selectman filled with proactive and essential achievements. She stepped up during considerable challenges, notably spearheading efforts to manage the repercussions of the historic 2021 flooding, a move central to enhancing the town’s resilience. Equally significant was the strategic acquisition of Great Island, a project set to have long-lasting benefits for the Darien community. Throughout her time in office, Monica successfully oversaw the effective distribution of ARPA funds to spur sustained growth and responded sensibly to the COVID pandemic, including the essential distribution of test kits to safeguard community health. At every step, Monica was there, attentive to the daily concerns of Darien’s residents.

 

As the upcoming election nears, Monica is prepared to bring her wealth of experience to the Board of Selectmen, where she aims to concentrate on critical projects that promise to enhance life in Darien. Working with Jon and Marcy, she looks forward to building a united and thriving community.

 

Monica’s service history is robust and varied. Before her time as First Selectman, she held several key roles over an eight-year term on the RTM, including leading the Public Works Committee and actively participating in the Rules Committee, IT Committee, and Ethics Committee, while also serving as Vice Moderator. Moreover, her earlier stint on the Board of Selectmen afforded her a well-rounded understanding of community development and administration.

 

Monica’s roots in community service run deep, beginning with active volunteer work across a range of organizations. Now aspiring to rejoin the Board of Selectmen, Monica is poised to use her extensive experience and steadfast commitment to foster a supportive and prosperous environment for all in Darien, guided by her long history of dedicated service to the community.

 

Before becoming passionately involved with town government, Monica enjoyed volunteering for a variety of organizations:

 

● OPUS (Founding Member)

● YWCA Women’s Club (President)

● Tokeneke Association Women’s Club (President)

● Pear Tree Point School (Secretary)

● Greens Farms Academy (Fundraising Chair)

● Good Dog Foundation (Therapy Leader with Topper)

● Pegasus (Animal Therapy)

● Boys and Girls Club/Stamford

● Cub Scouts (Leader)

 

FUN FACTS:

Monica and Mark have tended an organic garden at their home for over 20 years. Monica enjoys canning the extra produce from the garden - especially tomatoes - as well as crafting jelly and jam. All year long, Monica enjoys cooking.