Candidate Q&A

If experiencing a budget shortfall, my priority will be keeping resources as close to the classroom as possible. That means prioritizing teachers, instructional support, and student programs that directly impact learning. As a board, we should also be continuously looking for ways to improve our operational efficiency. We should be seeking out partnerships and looking for creative funding sources to stretch every dollar.

Academic success is tied directly to student well-being. In order for a student to come to our schools and learn to their fullest potential, they need to be well fed, feel safe, and have a sense of belonging. We need to do our best to address this at many different layers.

We need to make sure we have adequate staffing on counselors, psychologists, and social workers in our schools. Our current counselor ratio of 1 counselor for every 750 students is too high. Ideally it would be something close to half of that.

We have many partnerships for mental health for both in school and outside of school. We need to continue to nurture those relationships and find different ways to make sure that our students mental health needs can be met.

We need to continue to promote preventative measures to stop issues before they happen. This means trying to build strong school communities where students feel safe, valued, and connected. It also means giving students tools to help manage their emotions.

Every student deserves to be treated fairly and given the opportunity to learn from mistakes. Discipline should focus on keeping students engaged in learning, not pushing them out of it. We have 23 different schools in 21 different buildings. I would support doing a comprehensive review of disciplinary actions across all of our buildings to figure out what is working, what isn't, and what practices should be made standard across all of our buildings.

Strong schools require strong partnerships. As a board member, I will work with fellow board members, township officials, and state legislators by focusing on shared goals, communicating respectfully, and presenting a unified message about our district's needs.

One example where collaboration is essential is school funding and the current property tax crisis we have in Ohio. People shouldn't feel like they are renting their houses from the state, but we also need to be able to fund local services like schools, police, fire, roads, and other essential services. We need to work with our state legislators to advocate for fair and predictable school funding formulas that works to serve both goals.

We also need to work with township officials on issues like transportation safety, infrastructure, and economic development that directly affect our schools.

I would  continue to work closely with our superintendent and treasurer to make sure we are getting the best prices on our purchased services. If budget cuts need to be made I would make sure that programming would always be a priority.  Advocating at all levels of government for public education and the importance of funding schools in Ohio since 90% of Ohio children attend public schools would also continue.

In my last 8 years as a board member we have worked hard to prioritize mental health. We have mental health therapists in each of our buildings. We have peer to peer groups like Hope Squad and Sources of Strength at all grade levels. Another thing we have done is place therapy dogs in some of our schools. My goal in my third term would be to make sure to work with the superintendent to ensure we continue to support these programs I would also like to add more therapy dogs to our district. We have seen how they have helped our students.

I think it is important to have practices in place to prevent the behavior from escalating to the point where exclusionary discipline is needed.  Using PBIS strategies, building relationships between students and teachers and making sure expectations are clear are a few of the practices I would suggest. Also realizing that different students may need different strategies. You can’t have a one size fits all approach. Exclusionary practices should really be a last resort.

Regular communication with our local officials and legislators is key. We invite them into our buildings and to school events on a regular basis. Always reminding them that strong  schools make a strong community. We currently have a master facilities plan that requires us to have a bond issue on the  ballot in November.  We will be decommissioning some buildings and reducing our building footprint. We have been meeting with county and township officials to see how we may use some of the land we will have for a joint venture.  We have talked about things like a community center, fields for recreational sports teams and other options.  Having this type of collaboration allows us to get their support for the bond issue.

Here’s how I’ll lead through uncertainty: students first, transparency always, and dollars tied to results. I’ll start with multi-year scenario planning using our five-year forecast, enrollment trends, and likely state/federal shifts, so we act early—not with last-minute cuts. Priorities stay clear: protect classroom instruction (teachers, aides, reasonable class sizes), legally required special education services, student safety and mental health supports, and evidence-based learning like early literacy, STEM, and career pathways (CCP, apprenticeships).

To close gaps, I’ll bring my operations/logistics experience to drive efficiencies before touching classrooms: consortium purchasing, energy savings, smarter bus routing, shared services, and pausing low-impact spending or vacancies. Every program gets a simple “return on learning” review; duplicative or low-impact initiatives sunset so we can fund what works. We will not plug recurring costs with one-time money, and we’ll maintain a prudent reserve so a bad budget year doesn’t become a student crisis.

Revenue matters too: I’ll pursue grants, public-private partnerships, and philanthropic support aligned to academics—not pet projects. The process will be open: a community Budget Advisory Committee, plain-language budget dashboards, and equity checks to ensure decisions don’t disproportionately harm vulnerable students. Bottom line: keep politics out of the classroom, keep resources closest to kids, and balance the books with common sense and compassion.

I’ll treat student mental health as core to learning, not an add-on. First, we’ll strengthen Tier 1 supports—safe, welcoming school climates; age-appropriate social-emotional learning; advisory periods; and clear anti-bullying practices—so every student experiences belonging, including students with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ students.

Second, we’ll expand access to help: move toward recommended counselor and social worker ratios, add school-based therapists through partnerships, and offer telehealth so students can be seen without leaving campus.

Third, we’ll build a strong safety net: evidence-based screening (with family consent), small-group supports, crisis response teams, and staff training in trauma-informed care, suicide prevention, and de-escalation.

Families are partners. We’ll host parent workshops, provide multilingual resources, and use Family Resource Navigators to connect families to services. I’ll also back proven community partners—grief support through Companions on a Journey (already in all Lakota schools) and mentoring via Big Brothers Big Sisters—to surround students with trusted adults. Because stress doesn’t start and end at the school door, I’ll continue my work with city partners on safe routes to and from school and improve arrival/dismissal routines.

We’ll use data—attendance, grades, climate surveys—to flag concerns early while protecting privacy and equity. To fund this, we’ll braid grants, Medicaid-eligible services, and public-private partnerships before cutting classrooms. Bottom line: healthy students learn more. Our job is to make getting help easy, stigma-free, and part of everyday school.

Exclusionary discipline hurts learning and widens gaps. As a board member—and as someone who’s led curriculum and coaching—I’ll keep students in class, address root causes, and hold ourselves accountable with clear data.

1. Fix Tier 1 first. Every school will implement strong, consistent Tier 1 behavior expectations (PBIS), culturally responsive teaching, and de-escalation practices so fewer issues escalate. Staff training will include trauma-informed care, implicit-bias awareness, and supports for students with disabilities to meet IDEA requirements before discipline is considered.

2. Use an “alternatives before out-of-school” ladder. Require a pre-suspension checklist (parent contact, restorative circle, counseling referral, behavior supports) and central review for K–5 out-of-school suspensions. Expand in-school restorative rooms, short-term skill-building courses, and re-engagement conferences within 48 hours so consequences teach and relationships are repaired.

3. Wraparound supports that work. Scale partnerships that keep kids connected: Companions on a Journey for grief and loss (already in all Lakota schools), Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring, and school-based mental health with telehealth access. As someone who’s worked with the City of Cincinnati on student safety to and from school, I’ll also strengthen safe-routes and arrival/dismissal plans to reduce stressors that show up as behavior.

4. Radical transparency and equity checks. Publish a simple, monthly discipline dashboard disaggregated by school, grade, disability, race, and economic status. Principals will review hotspots with their teams, and we’ll set measurable reduction goals—with support, not blame.

Bottom line: safe, welcoming schools and fair, instructional discipline—so every student can learn, belong, and thrive.

Overcrowding is one of our district’s greatest needs. I’ll tackle it by planning together— not school by school. I will create a Growth Roundtable with fellow board members, the superintendent, township and county leaders, road and safety officials, and developers. Each quarter we’ll review a shared forecast of how many students are coming and a clear map of which buildings are full. Then we’ll line up housing growth, road projects, bus routes, and future school sites on a 1-, 3-, and 5-year timeline so we act before classrooms spill over.

On funding, I’ll work with state lawmakers to protect and expand state dollars for school buildings, allow towns to set aside part of new development taxes to add school seats, and expect developers to help pay for the students their projects bring—through land or direct contributions. Locally, I will support a building bond only when it keeps money closest to classrooms and pairs facilities with shared community uses—like recreation or health services—to stretch every taxpayer dollar.

For near-term relief, we’ll add classrooms where it’s fastest, use high-quality temporary rooms when needed, tighten schedules and room use, and—only if necessary—adjust boundaries through a fair, community-led process that minimizes disruption for early learners and students with disabilities.

Example: a large new subdivision. The Roundtable secures a school site, adds sidewalks and turn lanes for safe travel, schedules a classroom addition, refines bus routes, and jointly seeks state funds. Facts first, clear trade-offs, students at the center.

“For ourselves and our posterity…” This line from the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution has always jumped out at me. It speaks to the high ideals of who we are and what we will become. Our investment in educating the rising generation is one of the most impactful ways we carry this legacy forward.

As a board member I would ensure transparency, productivity, and accountability with our funds to ensure we are investing in what matters most — student outcomes and success. To that end, I would also prioritize teacher development and ensuring they have the tools, trust, and time to teach effectively.

Safety, facilities and transportation, extracurriculars, amongst others are also fundamentals which need attention. And given their high cost may require creative solutions and partnerships. I am committed to building transparent and collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the district — including state and federal representative — to ensure we find common ground and fiscally-responsible solutions which enable student success.

Education goes beyond the classroom. It includes the entire student experience - friends, teachers, environment, extracurriculars, etc. I believe every student belongs and needs to know they belong.

I support more free play and exploration in education, especially in younger grades. I also support a strong technology policy which limits or prohibits cell phone use during the day (with exceptions in cases medical or emergency situations). There is strong data to support these choices having a positive impact on student mental health and educational outcomes. (See “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt)

To see meaningful progress on mental health we also need to work with parents, school counselors, and other community officials to ensure we understand and are adequately addressing this in a holistic way across our community. This includes supporting and developing our teachers who are on the front lines with the students each day.

We have to start by ensuring our disciplinary policies are right-sized and consistently applied; including stopping unnecessary exclusionary discipline. This approach would benefit ALL students, including those who are Black or those are economically disadvantaged.

Further I think we have to invest in developing our teachers and providing them the tools, trust, and time to teach effectively. This includes reducing class sizes and ensuring our teachers and staff understand implicit bias. It also requires that we have strategies and systems in place to ensure the success of all students.

I also believe in the power of listening and learning. I would sit down with those who are disproportionately impacted by exclusionary discipline to find the root causes and ensure we are addressing the underlying systems to drive higher student outcomes and success.

I believe we don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are. Successfully ensuring student outcomes requires the coordinated involvement of many stakeholders. As such, the ability to listen, learn, and find common sense solutions is imperative for a school board member. I refuse to be boxed into extreme positions, and commit to listening with the intent of learning and then working to find common ground solutions which benefit our students.

I am an HR executive with 13+ years experience doing this type of work in high-stakes situations and I have confidence I can use these skills to benefit the students and families of Lakota. I commit to open dialogue, to prioritize policies that benefit all students, and to collaborate with all stakeholders to build better schools.

We are living in an era marked by contentious debates over parental rights, DEI, and educational policies. Lakota is also navigating a significant master plan and levy issue. All of these topics are important and complex. Our district deserves someone with the maturity and independence to break through gridlock and act with the best interest of students foremost in mind.

I have four children in the district (3 current, 1 future) so I have an immediate feedback loop and am vested in bringing stakeholders together for these conversations to ensure the long-term health and wellbeing of the district.

I’d be honored for your vote and to represent you with a voice of reason on the Lakota School Board.

As a very large school district, the funding per pupil has helped us remain competitive and receive state funding.  We have strong enrollment, and we are, for now, financially blessed.  However, we're chasing students away.  We are the 8th largest school district in the State of Ohio and yet the 4th largest user of EdChoice vouchers.  Something is wrong when we have so many students living in our district yet not choosing Lakota.  By borrowing from examples and curriculums of non-traditional schools, we can enact meaningful change in Lakota to make our district attractive to families, thereby increasing our student body, and increasing our overall funding.  What should be absolutely prioritized is student safety.  When students do not feel safe, they cannot be asked to learn, so any budgetary commitments in that regard should come first.  Further, our teacher salaries need to be prioritized if budget concerns fall on our district.  If we cannot provide job security for some of our biggest assets, we cannot attract quality teachers who want to pour into our kids.

As the son of a mental health practitioner, I know better than most that mental health leaves people desperate for solutions.  What happens however is that they may look to temporary solutions with no long-term benefits and, in many ways, adverse harmful effects.  We have a culture that overmedicates kids; this for ADHD, that for ADD, but we need to give kids something to do and guide them towards a purpose that inspires the passion within them.  Taking away phones, cracking down on substance abuse as it relates to middle school and older, these are two constructive ways in which we tackle problems, but we need to go further.  I think, above all else, kids talking with one another and finding friends they can trust and vent with is a great way to really fight this mental health crisis.  So, increasing opportunities, when appropriate, the points of contact or bringing in more group activities with their peers can build much needed interpersonal skills of students and improve their mental wellbeing.  This would, however, be a more involved solution that requires encouraging our teachers to engage in this manner.

There are people born into economically challenging situations, but we cannot forgo discipline as a form of providing equity.  Make it very clear what is right and what is wrong, how to and not to behave, and encourage each and every student to not allow their circumstances define them.  We do not have to throw the book at the kid, but discipline has to remain consistent.  It would be even more disproportionate, and frankly inappropriate, to deny enforcement of rules, simply because of a student's race.  In this country, we judge based on the content of character.  My dad had to learn English, he had to work hard, he could not just say, "my home country fell to communism and we grew up poor so that's how I'll live my life".  No, he had an unyielding commitment to striving for better, to ensure his kids would not grow up knowing poverty, hunger, or the bare minimum.  All this to reinforce the fact that how you start should not dictate how you finish or how you move forward.  How I'd address this in my district, I'd make it very clear: your teachers will be a resource to you, they can build you, grow you, and will certainly pour into you, but if you want to disrespect them, hinder the execution of their job or the integrity of the classroom, then disciplinary action is something you worked for and no one's fault but your own.

I will work with my fellow board members in a way that reflects the office they hold.  If you are voted on to deliver for your constituents, they have faith in you and delivered a mandate that they want their voices heard through you.  Disrespecting fellow board members is on par with straight up disrespecting your constituents so I am ready and willing to work with anyone.  As for cooperation with local township officials and state legislators, I have relationships with these local office holders, I have their support in many cases as well.  These are people who know me, and I know them.  I also share their values and speak their language.  This is imperative because it allows me to be an extremely effective member of the school board where the rest of the candidates cannot.  Our local officials have felt disrespected by the current board and by many of these candidates.  What's best for the district is having someone who can mediate and effectively bring support for our district by building on these relationships.  An example of this collaboration is safety first and foremost.  We've had multiple instances of students being hit by vehicles in our parking lots but our board has been lacking in pushing for much needed legislation (Aspen's Law).  Having someone who is passionate and shares the values of our districts legislators makes me an effective advocate for issues like student safety among many other interests.