Lawrence Township School Board member Shaila Mulholland was picked to fill a vacancy on the Indianapolis City-County Council for District 10 following last month’s resignation of former Councilor Ali Brown.
The district includes much of Lawrence on the northeast side of the city. Mulholland’s career spans work in higher education, research and nonprofits.
Mulholland was chosen by a vote of the Marion County Democratic Party precinct caucus Oct. 2. She beat out three other candidates: Karen Celestino-Horseman, John-Paul Cosgrove and Sean Johnson, according to the Marion County Democratic Party. Mulholland was sworn in as councilor Oct. 5
The Indianapolis City-County Council has 25 members representing districts across the county.
Mulholland was elected to the Lawrence Township School Board in 2024. After her appointment to the City-County Council, she submitted her resignation, the district spokesperson said.
“Lawrence has shaped so much of who I am, personally and professionally. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the City-County Council, Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration, Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield, and community partners to listen to residents, understand the issues before us, and serve our district well,” Mulholland said in a press release.
Mulholland currently works as the interim executive director of Arts for Lawrence, a performing and visual arts nonprofit organization in Lawrence. She previously worked for WFYI.
She is a graduate of Lawrence High School, has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. in education from New York University with a focus on policy, according to the release.
She plans to focus on getting up to speed on the business of the council.
“In the coming weeks and months, I want to spend time listening to residents, neighborhood leaders, business owners, educators and others who know and love this community,” Mulholland said. “Public service starts with understanding what people are experiencing and then working together to find thoughtful, practical ways forward.”
Mulholland plans to run for a full term to represent the council district in the 2027 municipal election.
She will attend the council’s Oct. 5 meeting and public hearing on Mayor Joe Hogsett’s proposed 2027 city-county budget.
The council faced another vacancy in August after former Councilor Joshua Bain, who represented District 21 on the southwest side, resigned and accepted an appointment by Gov. Mike Braun to serve as a commissioner on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The Marion County Republican Party appointed Josh Masquelier to fill that vacancy on Sept. 2.
Contact WFYI data journalist Zak Cassel at zcassel@wfyi.org
