Position/philosophy statement
Every child deserves a safe, supportive and high-quality education. My campaign promotes early childhood education, a reduction in carbon emissions from school buses, DPS buildings with no toxins and compliance with Plyer v. Doe.
Current Occupation
Assistant Attorney General
Campaign Phone
9192972093
I am a graduate of Durham Public Schools, former substitute teacher at Durham Public Schools, former PTA vice president, and current Assistant Attorney General. I have a B.S.B.A., J.D. and M.Div. with more than 20 years of corporate and law firm experience. Additionally, I have legal, government, education and business experience that would support my policies at Durham Public Schools. Throughout my legal career, I led complex negotiations, developed contracts, reviewed budgets, litigated disputes, and served as a mediator during conflicts. My background in law, chaplaincy and business prepares me to govern with transparency, accountability and ethical sufficiency.
The most important responsibility is to ensure students receive a high-quality education in a safe environment. This high-quality education includes recruiting and retaining the best classified and certified employees with competitive salaries. It also includes fiscal oversight and management of the budget for Durham Public Schools. The safe environment includes healthy and safe buildings that are conducive to student learning. Lastly, one of the most important responsibilities is to communicate with transparency, accountability and honesty with community stakeholders, students and employees of Durham Public Schools.
The school district requires budget transparency with a complete audit of budget funds. Durham Public Schools need safe and healthy buildings and the financial commitments to facilitate the repair of buildings. Durham Public Schools need reliable transportation systems with available bus drivers to transport students safely to schools. Durham Public Schools is dependent on state, county, and creative funding sources in order to maximize every dollar to benefit the students who are learning in the classroom. Therefore, fiscal management and board oversight are critical to the success of DPS.
Recruiting and retaining high-quality educators contribute to a healthy school system. I would support the current Meet and Confer policy and hold the Superintendent of Durham Public Schools accountable to improve the working conditions for classified and certified employees. I would advocate that the Superintendent develop a plan that addresses workload and class size concerns. I would support competitive, market-based salaries for all employees of Durham Public Schools, and I would support professional development incentives that provide employee job satisfaction. Overall, I would help to create an environment in which all employees at Durham Public Schools feel valued, supported, and respected.
As a teacher said, "high-quality early childhood education is the best investment a community could make to improve long-term academic and economic outcomes". I am a strong advocate of Pre-K education. The investment in a solid Pre-K program is the foundation for increasing overall high school graduation rates, increasing reading proficiency, closing math achievement gaps, and supporting socio-emotional development. Durham should expand its current Pre-K program to make it more accessible to the entire Durham community. Using some of the successful Pre-K programs in the country as a guide, Durham should invest in a strong Pre-K program, with certified Pre-K teachers, small classrooms, and a solid curriculum.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Position/philosophy statement
I am committed to fighting for budget transparency & accountability, student safety & wellbeing, and retaining & supporting our amazing staff. We must make changes at the system level to have a DPS that better serves our whole community.
Campaign Phone
919-408-7713
I am a lifelong Durhamite, a DPS graduate, and my daughters currently attend the same elementary school I did. With my deep roots and commitment to this city, I have the needed dual perspectives of DPS over decades and the current lived reality of the DPS of today. With my professional background in maternal-child public health, I bring systems-level critical analysis to this work: centering a clear understanding of the role of high-functioning systems and structures in order to keep the focus on the collective “health” of the school district as a whole. I understand the importance of gathering personal stories in conjunction with quantitative data to have a thorough picture, so that our choices for the district are effective and reliable.
The Board of Education holds the Superintendent and central office accountable for the commitments made to every DPS student, family, & staff and ensures that decisions, specifically tough budget choices, align with our vision and values. Members of the Board have a special responsibility, as representatives of the whole Durham community, to be advocating for the concerns and needs of the students, families, educators, and staff across the whole district. This means ensuring that DPS leadership proactively seeks out, listens and responds to community input.
Lack of adequate funds for our schools contributes to problems with staff retention, the transportation crisis, failing infrastructure, and critical classroom resources (both human and materials). We need far more robust budget transparency & accountability to make better use of the funds we do have, while also identifying alternative funding sources. Trust has been eroded by mismanagement. We must rebuild that trust and improve efficiency and democratic decision-making across the district. From fears about ICE, to bullying, to crumbling buildings, DPS has to address how it will keep students safe, both physically & emotionally at school, including protecting 4th amendment rights & expanding restorative justice practices.
We need higher pay and fairer working conditions to recruit & retain qualified educators. This includes paying classified staff a minimum wage of $25/hour & compensating staff appropriately based on their work experience, even if that experience was outside of DPS or North Carolina. We must curb the relentless cycle of turnover that negatively impacts consistency for students. We need to provide all staff clear written contracts, predictable schedules and hours, longevity pay, paid training, & advancement opportunities. I will prioritize these kinds of investments in the budget, track implementation, & hold the district accountable to improving working conditions. Critically, the BOE needs to further support Meet and Confer implementation.
I am passionate about expanding Pre-K options throughout DPS. Pre-K supports children’s learning outcomes and supports working families as a whole. Ideally, every elementary school needs to have a Pre-K program on campus. My daughter was able to participate in a Pre-K program at a DPS elementary school and it was an incredible experience. She learned and grew so much that year and as a neurodivergent child, her transition to kindergarten would have undoubtedly been more difficult without the experience of a year in Pre-K. This firsthand experience supports what data shows overwhelmingly: access to universal Pre-K correlates to short and long term improved outcomes, from increased early literacy to increased rates of high school graduation.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Position/philosophy statement
I am running for the Durham Board of Education to bring practical leadership and stronger oversight to Durham Public Schools.
Current Occupation
Home Builder
Age (optional)
40
Campaign Phone
9194523092
I am a licensed home builder and small business owner with hands-on experience managing large budgets, negotiating contracts, and overseeing major capital projects. That background gives me a practical understanding of facilities, construction costs, and financial oversight—areas that make up a significant portion of the school board’s responsibility.
I am also a product of Durham Public Schools, an immigrant raised by educators, and a parent of two young children I plan to send to DPS. In addition, I serve as First Vice Chair of the Durham Democratic Party and State Chair of the Armenian Assembly of America (nonpartisan), where I’ve built coalitions and worked across differences to solve complex problems.
The most important responsibilities of a school board member are setting clear policy, overseeing the district budget, holding the superintendent accountable, and making decisions that keep students at the center. The board must ensure public funds are used responsibly, schools are safe and well maintained, and educators have the support they need to succeed. A strong board also listens to families, staff, and students, balances different perspectives, and focuses on long-term outcomes rather than short-term politics. Ultimately, the role is governance and accountability, not day-to-day management, with the goal of improving student success across the district.
Durham Public Schools’ most critical needs are retaining teachers and staff, maintaining and improving school facilities, and providing reliable transportation. Staffing stability directly impacts student learning, so competitive pay and better working conditions must be a top priority. The district also needs strong oversight of capital spending to ensure facilities are safe, efficient, and built to last. Transportation requires operational improvements and better planning so students can get to school consistently. With limited state and local funding, the board must prioritize investments that directly affect classrooms, use realistic budgeting, and ensure every dollar is tied to clear outcomes and accountability.
Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers starts with better pay, predictable working conditions, and respect for educators’ time and expertise. DPS must prioritize competitive salaries, clear career pathways, and support that reduces burnout, including manageable class sizes and strong administrative leadership. The district should also strengthen teacher pipelines through partnerships with Duke and NCCU to recruit and develop local talent. Clear communication, stable school environments, and well-maintained facilities help teachers stay. When educators feel supported and valued, retention improves and student outcomes follow.
Pre-K is one of the most important investments a school district can make because it helps children start kindergarten ready to learn and reduces learning gaps before they grow. Strong early childhood programs improve long-term academic outcomes and support working families. DPS should continue expanding access to high-quality Pre-K while partnering with community organizations and existing providers to increase availability. Early intervention also helps identify learning or developmental needs sooner, allowing schools to provide support earlier and more effectively. Investing in Pre-K strengthens the entire education system by building a stronger foundation for student success.
Public education shaped my life. I am a product of Durham Public Schools, an immigrant, and the son of educators, and I now have two young children I plan to send to DPS. This work is personal to me because the decisions made today will shape the schools my own family and neighbors rely on tomorrow. My background as a licensed home builder and small business owner has taught me the importance of accountability, careful budgeting, and long-term planning. I believe strong schools are built through trust, transparency, and listening to the people closest to the work. I want to help create schools where educators feel supported, families feel heard, and students are prepared for whatever path they choose after graduation.
