I am running because I believe deeply in our children and in the transformative power of education in all its forms. I also believe that inclusive, high-quality education must meet the needs of every learner. As a parent of two children in the district, one currently enrolled at Hillcrest Elementary and another with special needs placed out-of-district. I’ve experienced both the strengths and the challenges within our school system. Beyond our local schools, I’ve supported initiatives that help children in need of access to education, believing that every child deserves a chance to learn and thrive
Driven by my love for this community, I have served as President of the Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG), volunteered on township advisory boards, and consistently advocated for families across our district. Many parents encouraged me to run to help drive continued progress in academic excellence, equity, and transparent communication. I intend to be a proactive, collaborative partner on the board someone who listens, brings fresh ideas, and ensures that all students have the tools and support they need to thrive.
I bring over 17 years of leadership experience in strategy, operations, and project management. I currently serve as Vice President of the Literary Volunteers of America for Passaic & Essex Counties (LVAEP) and proudly sit on the Morris Township Economic Development Advisory Committee and Environmental Commission. As a former SEPAG president, I’ve been a consistent advocate for inclusive education and student support services. Professionally, I run a home health care franchise and consult with organizations on business growth and equity-centered strategies. I also hold a law degree and am completing my Executive MBA. These experiences have prepared me to build consensus, navigate complex challenges, and stay focused on delivering meaningful, student-centered outcomes.
Balancing these priorities requires smart, transparent budgeting and a clear focus on outcomes. We must invest in teacher support, including ongoing professional development, retention incentives, and wellness because great schools start with great educators. At the same time, we must ensure that programs are efficient, impactful, and aligned with district goals. Community input and data-driven decisions are key. I will advocate for strategic use of funds, grants, and partnerships to maintain high-quality education while being fiscally responsible and respectful of taxpayer concerns. I also believe in the power of communication between the school system, parents and the community.
I support strengthening academic rigor while expanding access to enrichment, mental health education, and inclusive content. I’d like to see more real-world learning opportunities, STEAM programming, executive functioning supports, and culturally responsive teaching. Our curriculum should prepare students not only for tests but for life. We must ensure every child, regardless of background or ability, can access a meaningful, challenging education. I would also support curriculum reviews that reflect community feedback and equip students with the tools to thrive in today’s world.
I am seeking a position on the Board of Education because I believe deeply in our shared responsibility to give every child the best chance to succeed. As a parent of two young children in the district, I am personally invested in the quality of our schools, not just for my own family, but for all families in our community. Growing up, I struggled with panic and anxiety, and I know how difficult it can be to feel unsupported in school. That experience motivates me to ensure no student is left behind and that every child has access to the resources and care they need to thrive. I also see the perspective of teachers every day through my wife, a dedicated educator. Through her, I’ve witnessed how the Board’s decisions directly affect both students and teachers. Strong, thoughtful leadership at the board level empowers educators to do their best work while ensuring students receive the support they need. My goal is to listen carefully, collaborate effectively, and work tirelessly to strengthen our district so every child, regardless of background or challenge, has the opportunity to succeed.
I believe my experiences have prepared me well to serve as a board member. I have worked in finance my entire career, building skills in organization, leadership, and accountability. As the husband of a teacher, I understand how board decisions directly affect educators, and as a father of two children in the district, I am personally invested in the quality of our schools. Growing up as the youngest of six in a big family, I learned the value of listening, compromise, and collaboration. Playing sports throughout my life taught me discipline, teamwork, and the drive to give my best effort in everything I do. Having lived in this community for over 30 years, I know its strengths and challenges and am committed to making sure every parent and teacher has a voice. My goal is to use these experiences to bring focus, energy, and dedication to the board so that together we can help every student and every school succeed.
Balancing these factors requires listening, collaboration, and thoughtful decision-making. As the husband of a teacher, I see firsthand how board decisions impact educators and the way they can do their jobs. Supporting and retaining great teachers is essential because they are the foundation of our students' success. As a parent of two young children in the district, I am equally invested in ensuring that every student—not just my own—has the resources and opportunities to thrive, regardless of their background. And as a taxpayer, I understand the responsibility we all share in contributing to this great town and the importance of being mindful of how funds are managed. I believe the best way forward is to give every parent and every teacher a voice, build open lines of communication, and focus on collaborative solutions. By working together, we can maintain high-quality education, support our teachers, and respect the community’s investment in our schools.
One of the biggest challenges in the Morris School District is closing equity and performance gaps, especially for English learners, economically disadvantaged students, and others who may struggle to keep pace. Assessment data shows many of these students need extra support in core areas like math, ELA, and science, and our curriculum and resources must reflect those needs. Targeted intervention is essential. The district has shown, such as at Frelinghuysen Middle School, that equity-focused programs can improve outcomes, reduce disciplinary issues, and raise achievement for all students. We can't stop there. More work needs to be done.
I believe our curriculum should continue to evolve to meet diverse learning needs through personalized and blended models, expanded technology access, and support such as tutoring and enrichment. It is equally important to maintain a strong foundation in core subjects while fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. By listening to parents, teachers, and students, and by being intentional about equity, we can strengthen the curriculum so every child, no matter their background or challenges, has the tools to thrive.
There is no particular issue. I love this community and all its children. Every minute of free time I have is spent giving back to this community. I have been on the school board since 2018 and served as vice president one year and president for three which included the pandemic. Additionally, I have chaired four out of six of our committees. I know firsthand what goes into all of these roles. In the next three years, we will be losing 50% of the board as people’s terms are expiring and they roll off. I have the institutional knowledge that is vital to the board and its continuity. My goal is to help onboard the newest board members in the next three years and then pass the baton on. Someone might ask why are you continuing if your daughter graduated. The simple answer is that I didn't get on the board to make special requests for her needs. I did it for all of our children which is why my slogan is "For the Kids." Being a member of the board of education is a lot of work and a significant time commitment but I am committed to it. Additionally, I am supporting Diana Agu because I think she is a dedicated and involved parent and community member.
I have been serving on the school board since 2018 but being very involved in the community before I ran prepared me as did attending Morristown High School and living here for 20 years. I am a past President of the Hillcrest Home and School Association and a former trustee of the Morris Educational Foundation so I was very involved in the district before I was on the board. I also have a lot of experience in leading large teams. My corporate background is learning and development and human resources. This comes in very handy to me in my role as Chair of Human Resources. Diana was the President of the Special Education parent group coupled with her business experience I think she bring a lot to the table. She has also attended many board meetings since expressing interest which says a lot about her dedication.
I know first hand how difficult this is having served on the board since 2018. We raised starting salaries for teachers to keep us competitive. With a 2% cap, it will continue to be a challenge to manage these seemingly opposed factors. Having an excellent relationship with our teacher association is critical and we are united in the desire to make all of our children successful. Making sure we are spending our district dollars wisely is a top priority as well. Making sure we are applying for grant opportunities and creating new revenue sources is always important. Recent examples are the grants the district just received for trees at 3 of our schools and our annual Preschool grant. We have also secured contracts for busing for other districts as well as continuing to create opportunities for outside tuition students to name a few of the additional revenue sources. I am a parent and a taxpayer and these perspectives needs to be balanced. I firmly believe our entire community wants the district to be successful because great towns have great schools. The discount on property taxes for Seniors over 65 is invaluable as well.
Our Superintendent has implemented many changes in curriculum in her short tenure. This September many other changes will go into effect. We are doubling math instruction time at the middle school starting in September so that math is daily. We revamped the curriculum at the elementary school last summer and the math curriculum at the middle school was also updated this summer. Curriculum is a constant work in progress. There are changes to curriculum at the high school ever year. If you want to see something impressive, google "Program of Studies Morristown High 2025" and you will be absolutely blown away by what is offered at the high school. One of the big pushes last year was around AP testing and the results that were just published are exceptional. This was a direct result of changes made in collaboration with our truly amazing educators. Curriculum is a constant work in progress. Every summer there are many changes that are implemented and the board approves these changes. But curriculum is nothing without exceptional educators and ours are amazing.
