CHANDLER, Ariz.- When Jane Poston first decided to run for Chandler City Council, she wasn’t looking for a long-term political career. Instead, a moment of frustration and a desire for change pushed her to take action.
Poston, who co-owns J2 Media, a local marketing and video production company, solidified her decision to run for office after working with the Chandler Law Enforcement Association (CLEA).
“Our city hadn’t hired a new officer for about 13 years, and they were getting beat up for it,” Poston said.
Before her term as a council member, Poston worked in the Communications and Public Affairs Office at the City of Chandler. Her office organized video production and news releases for various government offices in Chandler, such as working with the CLEA to address community relations and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There were some issues of transparency and issues of whether it was our elected officials or city management not putting the priority on some of those things that I thought should be put on there,” Poston said.
Poston’s focus on transparency and accountability shaped her role on the city council, especially regarding public safety. One of her most notable initiatives was her push for a city-run ambulance service, which ended Chandler’s reliance on private companies.
“It’s not going to cost our residents more, and it will allow us to ensure better service,” Poston said.
The transition to a municipal ambulance service came after years of delays and concerns about emergency response times, an issue Poston felt needed to be urgently addressed.
“There’s been a hard philosophical position that we shouldn’t be competing with private industry, but I believe we needed to prioritize the safety of our residents,” Poston said.
In addition to her work with ambulance services, Poston has also advocated for the health of Chandler’s first responders by playing a pivotal role in securing cancer screenings for firefighters, who face elevated risks due to their exposure to hazardous materials.
Beyond public safety, Poston has advocated for addressing Chandler’s housing challenges, including a successful push for creating a comprehensive housing plan to increase affordable housing options across the city.
“I want Chandler to be a place that my kids will come back to,” Poston said.
Poston also noted that her work with housing helped her understand the role affordable housing plays in uplifting the community, especially in supporting quality public schools.
Melissa Poure, who worked with Poston at the Chandler Education Foundation (CEF), praised Poston’s dedication to the city and work in public education.
“She genuinely cared about making a difference for students and ensuring they had access to the resources they needed to succeed,” Poure said.
Sophia Noriega, a Chandler resident who received scholarship funding from the Chandler Education Foundation, also spoke about Poston’s dedication to supporting students through her work with the foundation.
“A lot of Chandler High School students apply for scholarships at CEF. I know the scholarships I got made a big difference,” Noriega said.
As Poston looks ahead to the remainder of her first term, she remains focused on building a stronger, more connected Chandler.
Whether it’s through public safety improvements, housing reforms, or supporting small businesses, Poston’s guiding philosophy is clear:
“If you have the capacity, if you can, you should.”
