Facts First.
Who I’m Not.
I’m not an educator.
We're so fortunate to have a board filled almost completely with people who have extraordinary experience in education. I'm looking forward to learning and weighing in where appropriate.
I’m not an aggrieved parent.
I'm a caring and conscientious parent. I'm paying attention. I'm happy with what I see in the district, but of course there’s room for growth. I have no interest in pressing an overarching agenda onto the board or community.
Who I am.
I am a strategy consultant.
There's almost nothing worse than having a consultant who doesn't know anything show up and tell you you're wrong, but I know my limitations. For example, I know I'm not the person you want designing next year's curriculum. But I have a perspective that may be useful: facts first.
I take a fact-first approach to almost everything.
Of course education isn’t just facts and data - it’s deeply personal and requires more than numbers to fully understand. A fact-first strategy balances data and all the intangibles. In an emotionally-charged time, this is critical. A school district is not a business. It's not supposed to make money. But we can apply some strategic principles to make improvements.
My Platform.
I believe a different perspective will help the board and administration make even more improvements, particularly to budget and efficiency. We do well here. I suspect there are ways we can get an even better value.
I believe there are opportunities to better support students and staff in extracurriculars - music, sports, robotics…we’re good at these things. Let’s see how we can do better.
I believe we can keep the education community open to all viewpoints while still keeping a safe environment. We’re trying to promote learning, and part of learning is listening. We’re better together.
How The Facts First Approach Works.
Let’s cover each of the three above points in a bit more detail:
Budget and Efficiency: I can look at a budget and dig in to the right spots. Of course we'd all like to save money, but no one wants their favorite thing scrutinized. How can we calculate or intuit a cost-benefit when examining different programs and initiatives that will help us make a decision based on facts, not just feelings? Feelings matter. So do numbers.
Extracurriculars: I believe, but can't prove, that there are ways to strengthen our extracurricular programs. One may be making them more available to students regardless of privilege. They're amazing opportunities for personal and community growth, but I'm worried that access isn't equal. What can we do to get the facts, develop a plan, and prioritize appropriately? Where am I wrong, and how can we use this discussion to improve?
Open Discussion: if we value facts, we need facts from everyone, from any background. We need to find a safe and productive way to receive feedback from our constituents. We can't make good decisions without comprehensive feedback.
What now?
Vote.
The vote is on May 20, 2025.
Go to the Penfield High School Gym any time from 6:00am to 9:00pm and cast your vote.
The budget vote is at the same time.
There is much more information here at the district website.
Get In Touch.
A third of my platform is about open discussion, so you know I’m going to be accessible. We can text. We can email. We can talk on the phone. We can meet in person. It’s up to you.
Interested in voting for me but don’t know how? Get in touch.
Interested in distributing campaign flyers but need a stack? Get in touch.
Want to learn more about Facts First and how it can benefit Penfield? Get in touch.
Hate the approach and want to share your feedback? Get in touch.
From local media and want an interview? Get in touch.
Want to talk for any other reason? Get in touch.