Occupation
Self Employed
Education
BA Xavier University
Endorsements
Democratic Party of Hamilton County, Matriots
I'm running for school board because I believe I have the ability to make our schools better. I am a CPS parent with a background in engagement, coalition building and systems change. Our schools need a clear vision for a positive, exciting future. I want to build that with our leaders and move forward with energy and focus to improve student outcomes and school culture.
We must make sure our neighborhood schools have all the resources needed to provide quality education. Our community learning center model is unique to CPS and helps ensure students have everything they need outside of school to be able to succeed inside of school as well. We need to ensure our students are able to get to our buildings safely and are excited to learn. They should be invested in their future.
My children attend a montessori program so I am a firm believer in the power of parent, teacher and student collaboration. Along with school administration, I think community partners should also be involved in school success. We need all members of our community to want our schools to succeed. This requires shared goals and clear metrics that show progress toward better student outcomes where everyone has a defined role. Mentor programs, career tech and tutoring are some examples.
It is clear our funding model is under attack. Public education must do a better job of creating new ways of securing resources for students. I think the other big issue is utilizing a curriculum that is engaging for students. We need to find a way to incorporate lessons that are relevant to student lives today. State testing has limited our teachers ability to connect with students. We need to pull back and find a way to balance these two important educational needs.
Occupation
Assistant Director in the Office of Equal Opportunity at the University of Cincinnati
Education
JD (2009) from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and BA in Economics (2006) from the University of Cincinnati
Experience
Serving currently in first term as a School Board member. Served as a past Vice President on the Board and was the prior Chair of the Budget, Finance, & Growth Committee. Additionally, Iave worked in Civil Rights
Endorsements
Hamilton County Democratic Party
Political Philosophy
Compassionate and responsible liberal
As a current board member, I have been able to work hard to build processes and help strengthen the opportunities we provide for students. There is still more that needs to be done. If re-elected, I will fight to grow opportunities for career technical education to prepare better prepare our students for their future. Additionally, the fight for fully funding public education continues to be a major concern that I am passionate about. If re-elected, I will continue to push our budget efforts.
In CPS, we have an anti-racism policy and have implemented several changes over the years to ensure that all students feel welcomed at our schools. But we are continuing to work to build greater equity in our delivery of programming to ensure students have access to programming that pushes them to achieve their life goals. As we continue to expand the growth plan efforts, I believe we have to ensure that we are expanding opportunities for academic programming also.
Since joining the board I have worked several community partners to broaden the districts ability to provide career technical education and potential employment possibilities after high school. These opportunities could be shared with parents and families by maximizing the work we do with our community learning center model. Additionally, the District has expanded our communication and outreach efforts so that parents and community members better understand district operations.
The biggest threat to public education currently is the effort to defund public education coming from the state and federal legislature. Despite the recent line item vetoes from the Governor, we continue you see some in the legislature attempting to money from our most vulnerable students. If we are going move forward in education, we need to fully fund public education. Limiting the means by which a school district can be funded is just another method of defunding education.
Occupation
Member of the Cincinnati Public School Board
Endorsements
Hamilton County Democratic Party, Cincinnati AFL CIO, AFSCME Local 8
After serving on the volunteer audit committee for the District, I was appointed to the Board in 2024, and have decided to run for re-election to continue to serve the students and teachers of the district. I am passionate about creating a high-quality educational environment for every student at CPS, and my experience as a business executive and accountant can help strengthen the district's financial future, making that possible.
When I was on the policy committee, we worked to revamp the performance review process for the Superintendent with a high level of accountability included for student outcomes, with an eye towards ensuring equitable access to education across all campuses. Beyond this, the board can and should advocate for the district to get more resources, IE, getting volunteer mentoring and tutoring for our students, or partnerships with nonprofits like the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative.
I am the liaison to the Business Advisory Council. We work to find internships, jobs and exposure to career pathways. Last year the BAC provided over 300 internships. I have visited over half the 63 schools in my first year on the Board. Every visit provides me with knowledge that I take back to the Administration for identifying gaps and suggesting improvements. Also, I started the Innovation Council to help the district funnel and vet new ideas for affordability and feasibility.
For public education, one of the biggest issues being faced is budgetary challenges due to the Ohio legislature's cuts to public school funding & instead sending dollars to vouchers & private charter schools. CPS has not been fairly funded for over 30 years. We need to support students with a variety of resources, including tutors, reading specialists, social workers & school psychologists. I will advocate for increased resources for the district, seek efficiencies, and explore innovations.
Occupation
Financial Services Professional: Licensed Insurance representative; Registered Representative and Investment Adviser Representative.
Education
B.S. Computer Science - University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign); Masters Certificate in Project Management- George Washington University; Professional Licensure: Life Insurance, Annuities, Series 6, 63, 65, and 26
Experience
My 23-year career in Information Technology, Business and Project Management, 20 years in faith-based and education non-profits, 20 years in Financial services and over 30 years of contributions to the CPS district as an engaged, parent and community leader have made me uniquely qualified to serve as a school board member. I have worked to develop policy, participated in strategic and budget committees, trained parents, served on Local School Decision Making Committees (LSDMCs) and actively supported every school levy including the initiative to provide access to high quality preschool to boost academic outcomes. My 3 children are CPS graduates from 3 different high schools with college degrees and successful careers.
Endorsements
None at this time
Affiliations
Currently, I serve on the Gamble Montessori Elementary Local School Decision Making Committee, Cincinnati Preschool Promise Board of Managers, the Cincinnati NAACP Education Committee, the League of Women Voters, and as an elected Hamilton County Democratic Party Precinct Executive and Ward Chair. I am a former parent leadership trainer and board member for Parents for Public Schools and alum of School Board School. I am also a proud Life member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and charter member of the Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter.
Political Philosophy
I believe in representative government that supports the will of the people it serves and promotes a healthy middle class so citizens can enjoy their chosen careers and lifestyles.
Our school system is responsible for preparing our students for their chosen careers that are rewarding and lucrative. Regardless of their choices, our students must graduate being able to read, communicate, and equipped to make life decisions. This is not happening for all CPS students. I am running because we must eliminate all barriers to success and be accountable for better academic outcomes, support for family and community engagement, and a rewarding work environment for our educators.
I am concerned about the acceptance of mediocrity for the academic achievement for students of color and those economically disadvantaged with little expectation that they can do better.
I will promote high expectations for our students and for investing in improving their academic outcomes. The first step is to embrace academic data and understand what it is telling us about the inequities and barriers to success. Then we should bring our best resources to bear to eliminate them.
I support the LSDMC governance at the school building level as an effective partnership among parents, teachers, students, administrators, and COMMUNITY. It is most effective when there is an active, inclusive parent organization at the school. A high functioning LSDMC will effectively raise academic achievement and foster an effective learning environment for students and educators.
The major challenge in public education is the systemic reduction of financial resources from the federal and state levels that are desperately needed to improve academic outcomes. To address this, the Board and district administration must focus budgetary priorities on academics, safety, and transportation. The budget process should promote continuous communication with parents and community stakeholders to get their input and support.
Occupation
Realtor
Education
PhD in Education, MA in Education Foundations, BS in Natural Sciences, AAS in Chemical Engineering Technology
Experience
Current President of the CPS Board of Education
Endorsements
Democratic Party, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, Women's Political Caucus
Affiliations
I am deeply connected across education, community, and civic spaces. I am the current President of the CPS Bd of Edu and I am a Trustee with the Ohio School Boards Association, where I collaborate with leaders from more than 30 districts across SW Ohio and the state to advocate for CPS students. I am a proud graduate of School Board School (class #1-the best 1), School Board Partners, a Leader in Educational Equity (LEE) fellow. I am a proud Lighthouse Board member
Political Philosophy
My philosophy is rooted in equity, accountability, fiscal responsibility & community partnerships—because kids succeed when we ALL show up for them.
I’m running for re-election to the Cincinnati School Board because every child deserves a safe, supportive, high-quality education and I want to continue to fight for our students, support our staff and connect the community to education. As Board President, mother of three Withrow graduates, and grandmother of three CPS students, I bring experience and heart to this work. I will continue to fight for equity, innovation, and accountability so every student, every day, is supported and educated.
The School Board ensures equitable access by investing in equitably funded schools, addressing opportunity gaps, and prioritizing student needs over politics. This means expanding career, work and college pathways, strengthening mental health supports, enforcing accountability in resource allocation, and engaging families and communities. Equity requires innovation, collaboration, and the courage to ensure every student, in every neighborhood, receives the high-quality education they deserve.
I support all programs that expand awareness, communication, and engagement for parents, families, staff, and the community with our district. Partnerships grow when all voices are invited in. If an effective program doesn’t exist, I support creating new opportunities tailored to meet the unique needs of our students and families so that collaboration between parents, teachers, students, and administrators is consistent, meaningful, and impactful.
Public education’s biggest challenges are underfunding, inequitable resources, and external policies that threaten its future. To address these, we must fully fund schools, expand mental health and academic supports, strengthen career and college pathways, and ensure that equity guides every decision. Collaboration among families, educators, and communities is essential so every student has the tools, opportunities, and safe environment they need to thrive.
