Heidi Frei, a Lansing parent and forest health specialist, is running for the Lansing School District Board of Education in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Five candidates are competing for three six-year terms in the nonpartisan contest, according to the League of Women Voters’ VOTE411 guide. Voters may choose up to three candidates. The other candidates are Aurora Lemieux-McKissic, Caitlin Cornell, Ramiro Garcia and Ryan Smith.
Frei responded to the Lansing Letter candidate questionnaire on Oct. 5. Unless otherwise noted, the information and responses below come from that questionnaire.
Asked why she is running, Frei pointed to her involvement in district schools as a parent, environmental educator and advocate for libraries.
“As a parent in the Lansing School District and environmental educator, I have been engaged with improving our schools for many years,” she said.
She described bringing Arbor Day and Earth Day education into elementary schools and organizing with students, parents and community members to protect library resources.
Candidate information
Occupation: Frei works as a forest health specialist protecting natural resources on Michigan’s public lands. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources identifies her as a forest health specialist in its Parks and Recreation Division.
She said her work involves collaboration, planning and methods such as using drones. Her previous experience includes serving as executive director of a small nonprofit organization.
Education: Frei reported earning a bachelor’s degree in forest conservation and a master’s degree in forestry from Michigan State University. She said her graduate studies included a focus on Latin American and Caribbean studies.
She also reported completing the America’s State Parks National Leadership Program and environmental education training.
Family: Frei said she and her husband have two children attending Lansing district schools, one in elementary school and one in middle school.
“Though not originally from Lansing, I have lived here longer than anywhere in my life and have decided to raise my family here,” she said.
Party affiliation: The school board election is nonpartisan. Frei said she is not seeking political endorsements for her candidacy.
Experience and public service
Frei reported serving as president of the MSU Forestry Alumni Association and as a Lansing Westside Neighborhood Association board member.
She said her professional work includes managing budgets, identifying problems, developing programs and bringing people together to implement solutions.
“I engineer solutions to complex problems and manage budgets daily,” she said.
Frei also cited her training as a wildland firefighter.
“As a trained wildland firefighter, I know how to think quickly and strategically as well as weigh risks in stressful situations,” she said.
Her school involvement includes environmental education, supporting athletics and advocating for libraries. Frei said she helped organize a 2024 effort to preserve librarian positions and central library spaces in new school buildings. She reported receiving recognition from the Michigan Association of School Librarians for that advocacy.
On the issues
Enrollment and school options: Frei identified declining enrollment and its effect on district finances as her most pressing concern.
“I will work to rebuild community trust and to create attractive options, including more offerings at Lansing Tech High School,” she said.
She said her background in science, technical training and hands-on work would inform her approach to career and technical education.
Libraries: Frei supports preserving school libraries and librarian positions. She said those resources support literacy and provide students with additional trusted adults in their school communities.
Athletics, arts and enrichment: Frei said she wants to reduce barriers to student participation and develop partnerships that expand opportunities.
“I will work to protect the gains we have made in addition to reducing barriers to participation and seek strategic partnerships to offer more positive outlets and engagement for our students,” she said.
She said these activities can strengthen student engagement, teamwork and connections with adults.
Teacher and staff support: Frei said retaining educators requires adequate resources, classroom assistance and protected planning time.
She supports sufficient staffing for mental health services, classroom aides and other student needs.
Balancing priorities: Frei said academic achievement, mental health, safety and teacher retention should be considered together.
“It is important to recognize that these priorities are less in competition than they are factors that combine to influence student outcomes,” she said.
She said budget decisions should remain focused on the district’s educational mission and the support students and staff need.
Endorsements
Frei said she has received support from SEIU 517M, along with endorsements from community members, students and educators. Her campaign materials also identify SEIU 517M as an endorser.
Advice that guides her
“To always be myself,” Frei wrote when asked about the best advice she has received.
She said her background and skills have brought perspectives that are not always represented in the workplaces and organizations she has served.
This profile draws primarily on Heidi Frei’s responses to the Lansing Letter candidate questionnaire, with additional information from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, her campaign materials and the League of Women Voters’ election guide. Responses have been excerpted and paraphrased; direct quotations retain her wording.
