School Committee member Holly Morand announced Friday night in an email that she is resigning as she has accepted a position with Hopkinton Youth & Family Services.

“It is with a heavy heart and mixed emotions that I write to tender my resignation from my position on the School Committee,” she wrote in the attached resignation letter dated Nov. 3.

“This wasn’t a choice I took lightly, and it was essential to keep it private until I was sure it was the right time,” her email stated. “However, life has a way of guiding us towards new opportunities and aspirations.”

The opportunity she referenced was “my dream job as a resource counselor/case manager for Hopkinton Youth and Family Services.” Morand previously served as a behavioral health research fellow at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, where she focused on patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease as part of her doctoral research.

Morand’s new job would be a conflict of interest to her School Committee service, which prompted her resignation. She explained in a follow-up message Friday night that it will not prevent her from fulfilling her role as chair of the new Commission on Disabilities.

“This new endeavor aligns with my long-term goals,” she explained via email. “[A]nd while it was a difficult decision to leave the School Committee, I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.”

In her resignation letter, Morand reflected on her past year and a half of service on the School Committee.

“Serving on the School Committee has been a significant and profound experience, and I am deeply grateful to the community for entrusting me with this opportunity,” the letter stated. “I have witnessed firsthand the unwavering commitment to our students and the values that underpin our educational system.”

She acknowledged that she worked in partnership with people serving in all facets of the school community, from “passionate educators” to nurses to therapists to those who keep the physical school buildings and their programming running.

“I have strived to bring about changes that I believed would enhance transparency, safety and accountability within the School Committee,” the resignation letter continued, “as well as advocate for the most vulnerable members of our community. However, my vision for achieving these goals better aligns with the position I have accepted with the Town of Hopkinton as a Resource Counselor, which I will begin on November 13.”

The new position will allow Morand “to support the community by helping stakeholders and neighbors directly, creating valuable resources, forging partnerships, and catalyzing systemic change to ensure our community thrives.”

She added that her decision was “made with the best interests of the community at heart.” Morand pledged “to always be available to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs assistance, whether it is simply a listening ear or help in navigating a complex issue.”

Morand also thanked everyone who supported her during her School Committee tenure, stating that their “encouragement, guidance and shared commitment to our community’s well-being have been invaluable.”

Morand won election for a two-year term to the School Committee in May 2022, two months after Joe Markey and Meg Tyler resigned.