About Ann
A lifelong passion for Burlingame
As a thirty-four year resident of Burlingame, I care about our city. I have lived in Burlingame for most of my life, starting off as a child in my parent’s house, going to school in the city, as a Burlingame Planning Commissioner, City Council Member and most recently your Mayor.
My civic involvement in Burlingame started at an early age, when I was just starting in the sixth grade. My mother and father, Katie and Denis O’Brien, both exuberant participants in Burlingame’s history, would take me to city council meetings. I, being a quite precocious 12 year old, thought the meetings boring and in so many words, told my mother so. My mother answered that you can never complain about your community unless you plan on doing something about it, and the way to do something about it was through city government. And that’s how it all started. I’ve realized that city council activities and meetings, while maybe not exciting for 12 year olds, are often lively and the decisions made by city council are what most impact our day-to-day lives in Burlingame. As my parents taught me so many years ago, if you’re going to complain about something, you better do something to fix it, and ever since, Burlingame has been a part of me, and I’ve been a part of Burlingame.
Growing up in Burlingame
After my primary and secondary education in Burlingame, I attended the University of San Francisco and graduated with a B.S. and M.S. in Nursing with an emphasis on Nursing Administration. 
I worked as an RN and clinical educator. My husband Sean works in San Francisco. My daughters Kerry, who is 14, and KateRose, who is 7, both attend school in Burlingame.
Commitment to Service and to Burlingame
My commitment to and engagement with the children and other residents of Burlingame extends beyond city government. I have been an ardent supporter of our schools, I have coached basketball for 3 years, and I have helped with a variety of school festivals and school fundraising dinner-dance auctions. I served for two years on the board of the Burlingame Mothers Club, an organization with over 500 families. I volunteered as Financial Secretary and also served as the “in-a-pinch” coordinator, responsible for logistical meal planning for expectant mothers and families with special circumstances. I also volunteered in the school library and continue to use my nursing training, assisting in the school’s health office.
As part of my community involvement, I was nominated to participate as one of 30 people in the county in the city leadership program sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce organizations of Burlingame San Mateo, Hillsborough, and Foster City. Through the program, I’ve had the opportunity to build relationships with leaders from across the county and consider solutions to challenges facing our neighboring cities. As part of this program, I worked to help increase student awareness of college and career options at a San Mateo Elementary School where students currently have little awareness of their life options. In March 2009, Ann was recently the recipient of the Mayors Award from the Leadership organization.
Serving Burlingame as Mayor
Ann Keighran, Burlingame Mayor, has been a resident of Burlingame for over 30 years. She worked as a Registered Nurse at Sequoia Hospital for nine years. She also worked as a Clinical Instructor at the College of San Mateo and the University of San Francisco.
Ann Keighran was elected and had the honor of being the highest vote getter in the 2005 City Council election. Her council duties include overseeing the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and Human Resource budget. Ann serves as the City Liaison to the Burlingame Elementary School District and Airport Land Use Commission. In addition, she is the liaison to the Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Safeway subcommittee. In 2006, Ann created the Downtown Business District Cleanup Committee which implements various projects throughout the year to beautify our downtown.
Ann is currently working on the subcommittee that is working on the Process for Preparation of Scope of Work and Request for Proposals for the Burlingame Downtown Specific Area Plan. Ann also has been invited on behalf of the Board of Supervisors to participate on the first-ever countywide Blue Ribbon Task Force on Adult Health Care Coverage Expansion. This organization will bring recommendations to ensure health care access by many of our most needy community members. She is also the city’s alternate on the Airport Round Table Commission and Grand Boulevard Task Force and serves on the Economic Development Committee, Airport Landuse Committee, and Housing Endowment and Regional Trust Committee. Ann was just recently appointed to the advisory board of CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse) as of July 1, 2009.
Ann has worked actively with the Broadway merchants and City Chamber of Commerce to improve the vitality of Broadway. She has worked with the Chamber to establish concierge tours for both business downtown areas twice a year. In July 2009 the Chamber and Ann will be conducting their first concierge tour at the Burlingame Plaza. This program educates the concierges about the various businesses which exist in Burlingame and encourages them to promote business in our local town.
Married and the mother of two daughters, Kerry and KateRose, she is actively involved at Our Lady of Angels School and Church. She has served on OLA’s Mothers Club Board from 2003-2005 as the board’s Financial Secretary. In addition, for the past nine years, she has volunteered in OLA’s classrooms, library and health room, has coached basketball and has assisted in various fundraising events, such as the Fun Faire and Dinner Auction.
Ann previously was involved with the 550-member Burlingame Mothers Club and served on its board for two years as the organization’s In A Pinch Coordinator. Her responsibilities included coordinating meals for expectant mothers and families experiencing difficult times.
Ann graduated from the University of San Francisco with master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing and science, with an emphasis in Nursing Administration. She graduated from the Leadership Class for San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame and Hillsborough sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce last year.
Ann served as Planning Commission Chair in 2002 and has served on a number of the commission’s subcommittees. Her involvement on the Neighborhood Consistency Subcommittee was instrumental in implementing design review and evaluating ongoing development of an effective architectural review process for the City of Burlingame. Burlingame’s design review process has been copied by other cities on the Peninsula.
Ann’s focus is to ensure that Burlingame will be a great place today and for future generations to come. Her focus is also to ensure that Burlingame maintains its character and charm so that our residents and businesses remain in our city.
Representing all of Burlingame on City Council
In 2005, citizens and business owners asked me to become a City Council Member in order to establish their voice and address their concerns on city council. Previous to serving on the City Council, I served as Planning Commission Chair, have served on the Neighborhood Consistency Group, and worked on the Specific Area Plans for both the North End and Bayfront. My passion for Burlingame and vision for the city extend beyond just its homes and buildings.
As a lifelong resident of Burlingame I am committed to its citizens, businesses, and the city as a whole, so that Burlingame will continue to be a great place for our generation, for our children, and for their children as well.
This is an all-too brief overview of who I am, how I got here, and why I feel strongly about Burlingame’s future.
Ann Keighran
