The 2022 School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) election will take place on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, 7–10 AM and 2–9 PM in the Scarsdale Middle School (SMS) Auditorium Lobby at 134 Mamaroneck Road.
Besides electing candidates, voters will also decide on the newly proposed amendments to the SBNC Resolution. View the amendments marked up in the original Resolution. View the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale Consensus Statement on the proposed resolution amendments.
In the event schools are closed on Election Day, the election will be held on the earlier of (i) Wednesday, January 12, 2022, or (ii) the next day school is in session. Any Snow Date or Run-off election will be held in the SMS Auditorium Lobby at the same times given above.
Any resident who is (i) a US citizen; (ii) 18 years of age or older; and (iii) a resident of the School District for 30 days prior to the election may vote.
For those who choose not to vote in person, mail-in ballots are available in electronic form, while hard copies can be found at Scarsdale Village Hall and the Scarsdale Public Library starting Wednesday, December 15th, 2021. Completed mail-in ballots must be sent to:
SBNC Administrative Chair PO Box 172H Scarsdale, NY 10583
and received in the SBNC PO Box no later than 4 PM on Tuesday, January 11, 2022.
Any resident who is unable to access a ballot may contact the SBNC Administrative Committee Election Chair, Laura Liu at SBNCElection@gmail.com for assistance.
Listed below are the biographies of the 2022 SBNC candidates from each neighborhood.
EDGEWOOD
4 candidates for 3 positions
Anne MCCOURT BATES (Tunstall Road)
- Occupation: Stay-at-home parent; Formerly High School Counselor
- Education: University of Rochester (BA in Health & Society); Hunter College (MS in Education & School Counseling); Scarsdale High School
- Length of Residence: 7 years
- Children’s Ages: 10, 7, 6
- Civic Activities: Edgewood PTA Secretary (Executive Board), Yearbook Co-Chair, Classical Café Co-Chair, Colonial Fair Co-Chair, Liaison to the Scarsdale Adult School, Class Parent
Frank MURTHA (Jefferson Road)
- Occupation: Psychologist, Financial Counseling Consultant
- Education: Villanova University (BA in English & Psychology); Boston College (MA in Counseling Psychology, Children & Adolescents); University of Buffalo (Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology); Scarsdale High School
- Length of Residence: 10 years
- Children’s Ages: 12, 9
- Civic Activities: Established Men’s Group at Church of Immaculate Heart of Mary; Coached Little League Baseball; Organized Edgewood Block Parties; Developed COVID Social Support Center for Adult Interaction during pandemic
Christine WESTON (Taunton Road)
- Occupation: Stay-at-Home Parent
- Education: Vassar College (BA in Psychology); Bank Street College of Education (MA in Elementary Education and Literacy)
- Length of Residence: 11 years
- Children’s Ages: 13, 10
- Civic Activities: Legislative Chair for SMS and Edgewood (2021-2022); Crane Berkley Neighborhood Association President, Vice President, Secretary and Board Member (2010-present); SMS House parent (2020-2021); Compact Committee to help plan Edgewood Centennial events (2018-2019); Chair, Edgewood Fair (2017); Secretary, Edgewood PTA (2014-2016); Edgewood Class parent (2013-2020).
Meng ZHANG (Clarence Road)
- Occupation: Physician (Internal Medicine/Palliative Care, Mount Sinai)
- Education: New York University (BA in Biology); Stony Brook University School of Medicine (MD); Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Residency in Internal Medicine, Fellowship in Palliative and Hospice Medicine
- Length of Residence: 7 years
- Children’s Ages: 11, 8
- Civic Activities: Edgewood Walking School Bus volunteer (2015-2021); Edgewood Book Fair Chair (2015-2016); Edgewood Multicultural Tasting volunteer (2016-2018); Edgewood Fair volunteer (2016-2018)
FOX MEADOW
3 candidates for 2 positions
Claudia GREEN (Butler Road)
- Occupation: Attorney (General Counsel at Hedge Fund)
- Education: University of New South Wales, Australia (B.A., LLB)
- Length of Residence: 6 years
- Children’s Ages: 14, 12, 9
- Civic Activities: Volunteer Legal Advisor on Voting Hotline; Fox Meadow Learning to Look Volunteer; Girl Scouts Leader; PTA Co-Treasurer at PS 452; Member of Strategic Planning Committee at Preschool in NYC
H. GITONGA KIARA (Paddington Rd)
- Occupation: Attorney
- Education: University of Virginia School of Law – LL.M.; Kenya School of Law – Dip. Laws; University of Reading (UK) – LL.B.
- Length of Residence: 1 year
- Child’s Age: 12
- Civic Activities: University of Virginia School of Law – Dean’s Council, Associate Member; Pro Bono Legal Services; Actively support non-profit organizations involved in education, healthcare, civil rights, nutritional support; Condo Board Member (2014 – 2020, Battery Park City, Manhattan).
Jennifer ZOLA (Carstensen Road)
- Occupation: Stay-at-home Parent; Previously Senior Partner, Advertising Director
- Education: Duke University (BA), UCLA Anderson (MBA)
- Length of Residence: 9 years
- Children’s Ages: 13,10
- Civic Activities: Scarsdale Youth Soccer Club (SYSC) Board Member 2019–21 and Parent Team Manager 2016–21; PTC Nominating Committee SMS Representative 2020–21; SMS Butler House Parent 2020–21; Scarsdale Youth Basketball (SYB) Parent Co-Manager 2019–20; SUFSD Fox Meadow Principal and Assistant Principal Search Committees Member 2019; Fox Meadow PTA multiple roles: VP of Technology (Executive Committee Member) 2017–19, Directory Chair 2016–20, Yearbook Co-Chair 2019-20 and 2021-22, Lunch Co-Chair and Coordinator 2015–20, After School Clubs Treasurer 2016–17, Library Services Co-Chair 2015–16, Fox Meadow Compact Committee Member 2015–16, Fox Meadow Playground Renovation Committee Member 2014–15, and Class Parent.
GREENACRES
4 candidates for 3 positions
Kim GREENE-LIEBOWITZ (Walworth Ave)
- Occupation: Physician
- Education: Cornell University (BA, Biology/Biochemistry); The George Washington School of Public Health (MPH, Epidemiology); Temple University School of Medicine (MD)
- Length of Residence: 16 years
- Children’s Ages: 15, 13
- Civic Activities: Scarsdale Buddies Initiative co-founder (2020-21); Celiac advocate (2019-present); Greenacres class parent (2018-19) and parent volunteer (2013-19); Temple Israel Center of White Plains Gala – Tribute Committee (2018); Solomon Schechter Lower School – School Board (2011-17); Hadassah– Young Women of Westchester Fundraising Chair (2009-13); Temple Israel Center Nursery School – School Board (2008-13)
Allison KAHNER (Donellan Road)
- Occupation: Clinical Psychologist
- Education: SUNY Stony Brook (BS Psychology); School of Psychology at Florida Tech (Psy.D.)
- Length of Residence: 6 years
- Children’s Ages: 15, 13
- Civic Activities: SMS Bowling Night and 6th Grade Rec Night volunteer; Greenacres Talent show Co-Chair for two years; Greenacres School Fair and Zany Olympics committee volunteer; Greenacres Pizza Wednesdays volunteer every week for 2 years
Seth MORGULAS (Valley Road)
- Occupation: Colonel, United States Army
- Education: The Johns Hopkins University (BA); The University of Chicago Law School (JD); The United States Army War College (MSS); Scarsdale High School
- Length of Residence: 6 years
- Children’s Ages: 14, 12
- Civic Activities: Military Service 1991 to present.
Eva ROMAS WILSON (Garden Road)
- Occupation: Nonprofit Advisor
- Education: Harvard College (BA); Scarsdale High School
- Length of Residence: 20 years
- Children’s Ages: 20, 18, 16, 13
- Civic Activities: SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College (2019-present); Maroon & White Board (2015-present); SMS PTA Board Member (2015-19); SMS Nominating Committee (2020); SHS Nominating Committee (2019); SMS Principal Selection Committee (2017); SMS Vice Principal Selection Committee (2019); Greenacres Community Service Chair (2013-17); Greenacres PTA Treasurer (2012-13); Greenacres Class Parent (2013-18); Scarsdale Lacrosse Board (2014-17)
HEATHCOTE
3 candidates for 3 positions
Kimberly MILLER CHAMPLIN (Wynmor Rd)
- Occupation: Stay-at-home parent; Formerly Account Executive/ABC Television Network Sales 1999-2017
- Education: Bucknell University (BA in English)
- Length of Residence: 9 years
- Children’s Ages: 10, 8
- Civic Activities: Heathcote Yearbook Committee; Heathcote PTA Executive Committee-VP of Afterschool Clubs; Heathcote PTA Nominating Committee; Heathcote Benefit Committee; Heathcote Class Parent
Dianna COHEN-IROM (Duck Pond Road)
- Occupation: Marketing, American Express
- Education: University of Pennsylvania (BA)
- Length of Residence: 60 days
- Children’s Ages: 6, 5, 6 months
- Civic Activities: Volunteer, Heathcote School Class Parent & Book Drive Coordinator; Volunteer, Brooklyn Community Bail Fund
Sarah HOPKINS (Birchall Drive)
- Occupation: Genetic Counselor
- Education: Washington University in St. Louis (BA); New York University (MPA in Health Policy); Sarah Lawrence College (MS in Human Genetics)
- Length of Residence: 16 years
- Children’s Ages: 19, 15, 12
- Civic Activities: Breast cancer peer advocate, 2013-present; Weill Cornell COVID Biobank Project Coordinator, 2020; Heathcote school play volunteer, 2018; Heathcote private bus coordinator, 2016-18; Co-chair of 5th Grade Community Service Committee, 2014; Learning-To-Look volunteer; Guest speaker on genetics; Class parent, Edgewood 2013-14; Class parent, Alcott School, multiple years
QUAKER RIDGE
2 candidates for 1 position
Lisa GANS (Harvest Drive)
- Occupation: Attorney / Travel Advisor
- Education: Emory University (BA in Business Administration); Georgetown University Law School (JD)
- Length of Residence: 14 years
- Children’s Ages: 17, 14, 10
- Civic Activities: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Board Member (2008-18); Scarsdale Schools Education Foundation Board Member (2016-18); Quaker Ridge PTA Executive Committee VP Communications, VP After School Clubs.
Alexander WOLF (Harvest Drive)
- Occupation: Attorney
- Education: Amherst College (BA); Cardozo School of Law (JD)
- Length of Residence: 3 years
- Children’s Ages: 14, 12
- Civic Activities: SMS Multicultural events volunteer; volunteer real estate educator and activist in opposition to Freightway redevelopment project.
About the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC)
The SBNC is a committee of citizens elected from across the Village for the purpose of nominating candidates to fill vacancies on the Scarsdale Board of Education. Members are elected from each of the five elementary school districts to serve a term of three years on the Nominating Committee and two additional years on the Administrative Committee.
The Administrative Committee would like to encourage all Scarsdale residents to support the SBNC by
voting in local elections, considering a candidacy, and making a contribution. The SBNC Administrative Committee runs the annual SBNC elections financed entirely by community support. Any contribution is greatly appreciated. Contributions may be made via PayPal online. Checks may be made payable to the “SBNC Administrative Committee” and mailed to
P.O. BOX 172H SCARSDALE, NY 10583
SBNC Continuing Members
Edgewood
Cecilia Anon-Kowalski (Term Ends 2022)
Alan Meizlik, Valerie Phillips (Term Ends 2023)
Fox Meadow
Swapna Kanekar, Jonathan Lemle (Term Ends 2022)
Zachary Altschuler, Lauren Kitain (Term Ends 2023)
Greenacres
Deborah Jeanne Skolnik, Cindy S. Yau (Term Ends 2022)
David Fenigstein (Term Ends 2023)
Heathcote
Claire Ying Yang (Term Ends 2022)
Lauren Hammer Breslow, Jennifer Goldfarb (Term Ends 2023)
Quaker Ridge
Susi D’ambra Coplan, Purnima Srivastava (Term Ends 2022)
Stephanie Israel, Stacey Strauss, Mauri Zemachson (Term Ends 2023)
SBNC Administrative Members
Sarah E. Bell, Resolution Vice Chair (QR); David Benderson, Resolution Chair (EW); Ruth Berkowitz
(EW); Felicia Block (EW); Todd Cohen (GA); Jordan Copeland (EW); Lara Chassin (SNAP
Representative); Timothy Dunne (EW); Jennifer Fischer (GA); Laura Gelblum, Election Vice Chair (FM);
Kathleen Gray (GA); Nikki Hahn (QR); Kerry Hayes (HE); Jennifer Hong (FM); Marisa Jackson
(QR); Seema Jaggi, SBNC Chair (FM); Amy Lewis (GA); Jing Li (HE); Laura Ying Liu, Election Chair
(HE); Chris Marks (HE); Ekta Sahni (QR); Amy Schiff, SBNC Vice Chair (EW)
For additional information, please contact Laura Liu, SBNC Election Chair at SBNCElection@gmail.com.
Scarsdale SBNC 
Pingback: Upcoming SBNC Election and Resolution Amendment Vote | LWVS