Candidate Statement
Stephanie Braden is a registered nurse, Army Reserve Master Sergeant, mother of five, and dedicated community volunteer who has proudly called the HSE community home for more than a decade. With over 16 years of healthcare leadership experience and more than 27 years of military service, Stephanie has built her career on service, integrity, accountability, and bringing people together to achieve common goals. As a parent of children who have attended and thrived in HSE schools, she understands firsthand the vital role public education plays in preparing future leaders for success. Stephanie is committed to supporting teachers and staff, maintaining academic excellence, promoting innovation and opportunity for all students, and ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. She believes strong schools are built through collaboration, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and a shared commitment to putting students first. Her vision is simple: preserve what makes HSE exception
Education
BSN
Occupational background
BSN- Nursing and Senior Non-Commisioned Officer in the Army Reserves
Political Office(s) Held in the Past
none
For more than a decade, I have demonstrated leadership and commitment to the HSE Schools community as a parent of five, volunteer, and engaged community member. I have served as a room parent, math tutor, Destination Imagination coach, robotics supporter, recreational basketball coach, football parent representative, and High School PTO volunteer. Through these roles, I have worked collaboratively with students, families, educators, and community members while helping create meaningful opportunities for student growth and success. I have also attended district meetings and forums to stay informed about the challenges and opportunities facing our schools.
Supporting my children from elementary school through graduation has given me firsthand insight into the experiences of students, families, teachers, and school leaders. These experiences have prepared me to serve on the school board with a strong understanding of community needs, and shaped my priorites.
My leadership experience includes more than 27 years in the military and over 16 years as a registered nurse, including roles as a charge nurse, preceptor, and patient advocate. Both careers have taught me to lead under pressure, manage complex situations, communicate effectively, and make sound decisions while remaining accountable to the people I serve.
As an Army Master Sergeant, nurse, mother of five, and longtime HSE parent and volunteer, I bring proven leadership, compassion, collaboration, and a strong commitment to service. I know how to listen to different perspectives, work through challenges, and lead with integrity while keeping students, educators, and our community at the center of every decision.
As a military leader, I have spent much of my career working in an organization funded by taxpayers, which has taught me that public dollars come with a responsibility to use them wisely, transparently, and for their intended purpose. As a parent of five who has chosen and supported public schools, I believe our community deserves that same level of accountability from its school district.
My priorities would be protecting the classroom, supporting and retaining quality educators, maintaining safe schools, and ensuring students have the resources necessary to succeed. I would not identify areas to increase or decrease spending without first thoroughly understanding the current budget, how funds are being used, and the measurable outcomes of that spending. Good stewardship means asking questions, examining the data, eliminating unnecessary or ineffective spending when identified, and being transparent with taxpayers about where their money is going and why.
I believe people deserve to know what success looks like before they are asked to be accountable for it. In my leadership experience, I have evaluated others by setting clear expectations, providing honest feedback, measuring performance, and addressing problems before they become patterns.
I would bring that same approach to evaluating the superintendent. The board should establish measurable goals around student achievement, fiscal responsibility, staff leadership, school safety, and community trust, then consistently evaluate progress. Accountability should be fair, transparent, and ongoing, not something that happens once a year. The superintendent is accountable to the board, but ultimately, all of us are accountable to the students, families, and taxpayers we serve.
To me, transparency means the community should never have to connect the dots to understand what the school board is doing. Families and taxpayers should know what is being considered, why it matters, how decisions are reached, and how they can meaningfully participate before those decisions are made. Decisions should not be made in a vacuum.
I would advocate for timely, plain-language communication, greater access to board information, and genuine opportunities for community input. I also believe board members should be willing to explain their votes and respectfully answer for their decisions. This is critical to transparency.
We may not always agree, but people should never feel shut out of the process. My goal would be to replace the perception of decisions being made in silos with a culture where people feel informed, heard, and respected. Transparency is not simply sharing information; it's how you earn and maintain public trust.
