Jim’s story

Jim’s early connection with nature came from his time in the mountains of New Hampshire. Jim and Dana moved from Boston to Acton to help build a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood to live in, and be among trees again. They subsequently fell in love with Acton. Jim retired early to focus on his service work here. He has learned how to help groups of diverse people bring their thoughts and goals together for a common purpose to create lasting change. Jim sees being on the Board of Selectmen as the next opportunity for service to the town.

Service in and near Acton

• Acton Land Stewardship Committee: member for 20 years, chair for 10; continues as a leader in efforts to remove invasive plants from Town conservation lands
• Acton 2020: vice chair of Acton 2020 (Acton’s comprehensive community plan committee)
• Green Acton: founding member and current Clerk
• Acton Conservation Trust: board member and vice president
• Acton Commission on Disabilities: Associate member
• Community Preservation Committee: Associate member
• Acton Housing for All: participant in affordable housing advocacy group
• Acton Climate Coalition: Founding member and convener
• Acton Select Board: First term 2020-2023

Life Events

• Lived on the south side of Chicago; spent summers in New Hampshire’s White Mountains
• Majored in city planning (Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH), and in philosophy and psychology (Hampshire College, Amherst, MA)
• Worked in software development and management (Lotus Development Corp. and IBM)
• Married Dana Snyder in 1990; merged names to become Jim and Dana Snyder-Grant; assisted in the editing and production of Dana’s book, Just Like Life, Only More So, and Other Stories of Illness
• Member of First Parish of Concord, Unitarian Universalist; active participant and discussion leader on issues of racial awareness and racial justice; youth mentor in Coming of Age program
• Helped plan, develop, and manage New View cohousing, a consensus-run neighborhood condo association on Half Moon Hill, including 15 years on the budget committee

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