Teacher recruitment and retention, salary negotiations, educational programming and school taxes are a few of the hot-button issues being discussed by candidates running for election to the Robbinsville Board of Education this year.
There are seven candidates running for three open three-year seats on the board. Candidates include incumbents Christopher Emigholz, Kerri Fox and Lauren Paluzzi. The four other candidates running are Raghu Nandan, Peter Oehlberg, Jeffrey Pierro and Allison Prabhakar.
The Advance asked each of the candidates to provide biographical information and a statement regarding the reasons they are running for the board. Their answers are presented in alphabetical order below.
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Christopher Emigholz, 45, has lived in Robbinsville with his wife, Bonnie, for over 11 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University with a double-major in political science and history, and Master of Public Policy degree concentrating in education policy from Rutgers’ Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
He currently works as the chief government affairs officer for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. Previously, he held many positions within public policy and education including: budget/fiscal policy director in the State Senate; director of the Office of Legislative Affairs in the New Jersey Department of Education; director of education and workforce development policy for NJBIA, high school history teacher in Atlanta, Georgia, through Teach For America; community liaison/volunteer coordinator with Baltimore City Public Schools.
Emigholz and his wife have three children who all attend Robbinsville Public Schools—one in our high school and two in Pond Road Middle School. All three went to Sharon from kindergarten through 4th grade.
A member of the Robbinsville School Board since 2019, Emigholz is running under the slogan, “Students, Community, Balance.” He has been involved with Robbinsville youth sports for over a decade and coached his three children in softball, baseball, basketball, football and soccer. He served for several years on the Robbinsville Economic Development Advisory Committee before serving on the school board.
Emigholz’s statement: Thank you to the Robbinsville Advance for providing this service to the residents of Robbinsville, and thank you to Robbinsville Advance readers for taking the time to better inform yourselves about our school board candidates. Voters and everyone in our great community deserve more information, access and transparency, and publications like this help make that happen.
I want to begin with two points: 1. Thank you for voting for me three years ago, and I hope that I have served Robbinsville’s students, taxpayers and community well. Hopefully I have earned your vote and your trust so that you can support me again.
2. Before I tell you more about myself, I wanted to say that I am delighted to see seven different people running for the school board and wish every candidate good luck. I hope to run a positive campaign focused on my experience and the issues.
I believe I am the most qualified candidate for the Robbinsville School Board, and I hope to communicate that through this publication, the public forums in which I look forward to participating, my Facebook page—Emigholz for Robbinsville School Board—Students, Community, Balance, and members of the Robbinsville community reaching out to me with any question.
The four priorities for which I strive, and what you will get with my continued service on the Robbinsville school board, are: balanced and experienced leadership; quality choices and options to maximize opportunities for our students; high expectations and standards for our schools; and accountability to our taxpayers.
I currently, and hope to continue to, bring balanced and experienced leadership to the school board, and my balanced perspective and leadership experiences makes our school district better.
One of my strengths, and why I believe I am an important asset to any deliberative body like a school board is my moderation. I understand that we need to be balanced in our public policy pursuits. Policy solutions often come from a consensus-building approach that values and works with all stakeholders, and our school board is no different. I have spent a career working with both sides of an issue and finding common ground, and I believe that balanced experience serves a school board well. And in today’s too-often contentious times, we need that balance more than ever.
And beyond my focus on finding balance, I have experience being part of balanced solutions to many of the problems that Robbinsville schools face. Understandably in the middle of teacher contract negotiations and a national teacher shortage, we talk a lot about how important our teachers are, and I know this well as a former public school high school history teacher who has worked on New Jersey state policies to attract and retain teachers.
For years, we have all rightfully heard how our Robbinsville schools are under-funded, and I worked on the state law (S-2) and the subsequent state budgets that are finally beginning to provide our schools the state aid they deserve. We discuss giving our students the best options to make sure they are both college and career ready, and I have written and influenced legislation that would do just that. We talk about fiscal responsibility and taxes, and I have worked on many bipartisan efforts to try to control the scourge of New Jersey – our highest-in-the-nation and ever-increasing property taxes.
I believe providing a broad array of quality choices and options to maximize opportunities for our students is critical to student success. Every student and family is different, and in embracing that diversity, we should offer a rich menu of options for them to be able to access so they all find some level of belonging in our schools.
That includes both high-level pre-college options like AP courses as well as expanding career and technical education options within and outside our schools. We should strive to give the students at Pond Road Middle School more class choices as we are already moving towards. We should ensure all students have robust extra-curricular and athletic opportunities in which to participate.
When I was a teacher, I was taught by some of my mentors the value of high expectations for your students. I believe that high expectations and standards for our schools can lift up the levels that everyone can reach – students, teachers, administrators and the whole community. For example, if we don’t expect that all children can read on-level by the end of 4th grade, which is a goal of the district of which I am proud, they won’t. There are always challenges to overcome for educational excellence, but the first step is to expect it.
Accountability to Our Taxpayers is an important part of service as a school board member. I will strive to find the right balance of making our schools as efficient and as effective as possible. The district has made great gains in recent years on this front, improving the business operations of the school district. This includes facility improvements and a better budgeting process that has NOT increased taxes by as much as possible but instead, only by as much as necessary. Being accountable to our taxpayers also means the constant pursuit of improvements in areas that need work. For example, the district can and should improve its communications with the public.
Behind this balanced experience and my goals for the district, is my love for education, for public service and for my wife and children who happily attend Robbinsville Public Schools. I am committed to making Robbinsville Public Schools better for all children including my own, and I ask for your support this November to get three more years to do that.
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Kerri Fox, 34, and her husband, John, have lived in Robbinsville since 2014. She holds multiple fitness and youth fitness certifications from ACE, AFAA and NASM, and she currently works as a business consultant—specifically with pharma and finance corporations. She is moving towards working exclusively with small businesses.
Fox was appointed to the board in July to fill the seat vacated by Jane Luciano. She is running on the “Prioritizing Our Students” slate with Lauren Paluzzi and Allison Prabhakar.
Fox and her husband have three children, and their oldest son attends Robbinsville High School. She is a member of the Robbinsville Recreation Committee and has volunteered with Meals on Wheels, the Food Pantry and Senior Center. She is also involved in many Chambers of Commerce and Women in Business groups throughout the state.
Fox’s statement: As a parent, I have been a familiar face at BOE meetings for many years. I am excited to be able to get a head start at serving on the board as a newly appointed member. I have always been a very vocal advocate of alternate routes for students. As we move on from COVID, I feel it’s imperative that Robbinsville schools start to promote options like work study, military service and vocational training more vigorously.
While moving on to college is the most popular goal and should be celebrated, children who don’t fit that limited mold should be empowered and celebrated as well. Re-framing the narrative that all post graduation paths are equally worthy will also aid in mental health struggles of kids who fall in the middle of the academic achievement spectrum.
I have lived in Robbinsville for eight years with my husband and three children. Over those years she’s been an avid volunteer around the community through the Senior Center, Recreation Committee and other various opportunities. Those experiences have shown me that the district and its budget affects all Robbinsville residents, not just parents and students, and I feel each and every home’s budget should be respected and considered when making fiscal choices. While my original background of dance and fitness is how my career path crossed with NJEA and NJAEYC in the past, I now work as a freelance Business Consultant throughout Mercer, Burlington, Middlesex and Monmouth counties.
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Raghu Nandan, 45, has lived in Robbinsville since 2007 with his wife Pushpa. A graduate of Bangalore University, India, he holds a computer science degree.
Nandan is currently a director at a pharma company and has previously worked as a senior technology and management professional with experience spanning 25-plus years in information technology.
Nandan is running on the “Keeping Children First” slate along with Jeffrey Pierro. He currently specializes in pharma and health sciences, with additional experience in financial services, banking, insurance, securities and capital markets. He is accountable for technology, strategy, architecture and delivery of a $150-million portfolio, and has experience conceptualizing, developing and implementing enterprise solutions in the U.S., Europe and APAC.
Nandan and his wife have a 15-year old daughter who is a sophomore at Robbinsville High School.
Nandan’s statement: I am running for the Robbinsville Board of Education to help our schools provide an excellent educational experience for our children and to attract, support, and retain the best teachers.
I am a first generation immigrant who came to the United States of America in 2003 to consult on technology for a big pharma company. I was soon recognized for my talent and hard work, which earned me employment with the same company.
Prior to this, I worked as a consultant in financial services, banking, insurance, securities and capital markets, where my biggest accomplishment has been to deliver a capability to help portfolio managers manage $300 billion in asset management for a German bank.
Overall, I have 25-plus years of experience in IT, management and finance. Currently I serve as a director at a Pharma company where I manage a professional team of 150-plus people and a portfolio of more than $150M to deliver capabilities that help patients fight serious diseases across the globe.
All my above accomplishments were possible because of the education I received by my teachers and parents back home in India. I believe teachers are the backbone of our society. They are the architects who shape our kids’ futures. Over the past two years, teachers have stood strong to manage both school and home when the entire world was fighting COVID-19. They are indeed the heroes of the society and deserve the respect of the community.
In my career, I have faced a variety of challenges that have provided me necessary tools to achieve success. This involves listening to and balancing the needs of a diverse group of stakeholders, managing expectations and communicating decisions before and after they are made. With a background in finance, I have experience managing large budgets with challenging priorities.
I also deal with conflict resolution on a regular basis and know how to work with a diverse set of people to accomplish common goals. I also have experience with collective bargaining and developing fair contract negotiations with both private and government entities. All the above are critical experiences that will help the board and the community.
I am running for the board with Jeffery Pierro. Together we can help our community and use our collective experience to serve the children and residents of Robbinsville. Our goals are to engage both teachers and parents in the best interest of our children, support our school system and bring the trust and confidence back in the BOE and the community.
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Peter Oehlberg, 40, and his wife, Annmarie, are 10-year residents of Robbinsville. The couple have a son who is attending Sharon Elementary School.
Oehlberg holds a master’s in pharmaceutical management systems and currently works as the associate director of technical operations at Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.
He has worked with Habitat for Humanity, Robbinsville Little League, One Project and the Robbinsville Clean Team.
Oehlberg’s statement: I believe in a public school education. It is important to preserve a school culture where every child, every staff member and every community member feels safe, valued, appreciated, supported and respected. I believe in taking a diplomatic, collaborative approach when communicating with school staff, students, families, and community members. I believe the ability to understand and accept the diversity in our community is vital to ensuring our schools are well run.
There are three main issues that I would address if elected to the Board of Education are staff retention, refocusing on education and community collaboration.
The Robbinsville staff must feel valued, appreciated, and respected. To accomplish this, we need a Board of Education that believes in public education, values and collaborates with the Robbinsville Education Association and administration. We must have stability in the educational leadership that provides enough personnel to carry out the schedule and understands the need for relief for our overburdened staff.
It is critical that class sizes conform to the BOE policy and best practices. Teacher leaves of absences require having sufficient coverage to not compromise special education and general education programs and services. A contract that honors the work of our teachers and staff.
As a result of events that have taken place over the past couple of years, messaging and public discussion in the district has strayed away from education. It is time to refocus the discussion back to the district’s core goal of education. To be clear, the district has not stopped educating Robbinsville children, but the conversation needs to return to its core mission. My goals, if elected to the Board of Education, would be to: recognize that teachers are the main implementers of educational programs; promote classroom innovations and celebrate educational successes at every level; report on programs for mental health initiatives; and highlight all post high school graduate opportunities.
It is important that the district is transparent and open with discussing these topics with the community, not just at the monthly Board of Education meetings.
Members of the Board of Education are elected by the community to represent the interests of the community. It is imperative that open dialogue between the Board of Education members and constituents be encouraged. What has been lost in recent years is transparency in reporting board committee discussions. Committee meeting minutes are no longer posted on the district website. It is understood that redaction is required for confidential discussions, such as personnel or contractual issues.
In order to foster a collaborative environment, consistent ongoing community working groups covering a wide range of topics mental health, literacy, diversity, and district capital improvements are needed. These topics have a direct impact on our students and community and all voices should be represented.
I am committed to embodying the Robbinsville core mission of providing an outstanding educational program for our students. This will promote a happy, focused, ready-to-engage environment where students inquire, discover, and cultivate a love of learning. I look forward to having the opportunity to serve my community as a member of the Robbinsville Board of Education.
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Lauren Paluzzi, 40, has lived in Robbinsville since 2016 with her husband, Neil. She is an incumbent and is running on the “Prioritizing Our Students” slate with Kerri Fox and Allison Prabhakar.
Paluzzi has a bachelor’s in finance, international business, and marketing and a master’s in business administration. She currently works for Johnson and Johnson as a finance director, and previously worked in the fashion industry for various companies, including three years when her job was based in Europe.
She and her husband have three children. Her youngest started kindergarten this year, and she also has two stepchildren who live and attend school in Northern Ireland.
In addition to serving on the School Board for a one-year term, she is also the lead for the Women’s Leadership Initiative Networking pillar and on the Open and Out Ally Employee Resource Group. She has previously volunteered for the Working Moms Club, EASEL Animal Rescue and was president of her neighborhood homeowners association.
Paluzzi’s statement: I have been serving on the Robbinsville Board of Education for a one-year term. I am Finance Director with 18 years’ experience across different industries and continents, and currently work in the healthcare industry supporting finance.
I have a master’s degree in business and a triple major in international, finance and marketing, which will bring a diverse experience to the table. I have learned what makes a diverse, collaborative environment: knowing when to lead and when to listen. I will be a fact-based leader that can make the tough decisions when necessary.
Given that all children are back in school after two years of on and off, I think special attention needs to be given on mental and emotional support for kids who need it, as it is a big transition. I also believe that standard guidance with protocols of how decisions are made for the safety and well-being of staff and children needs to be transparent and clear. I support our teachers and the need for balance and fiscal responsibility. While we are all working our way through very different times, transparency is key to success, while listening to all side’s opinions.
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Jeffrey Pierro, 43, has lived in Robbinsville with his wife, Amanda, since 2019. The two have 8-month-old twin girls, who they intend to send to Robbinsville schools when they are older in a few years.
Pierro is running on the “Keeping Children First” slate along with Raghu Nandan.
He completed his undergraduate studies at Seton Hall University majoring in secondary education and history. His master’s in education is from The College of New Jersey, and he earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Rowan University.
He works as the principal of Gateway Regional High School, which serves the communities of Woodbury Heights, Wenonah, National Park and Westville.
Pierro is an active member of NJSIAA and NJPSA, and has been participating in Robbinsville Clean Team cleanups.
Pierro’s statement: I’m running for the Robbinsville Board of Education to represent my community and use my vast experience in education to serve the children and residents of Robbinsville. I believe that Robbinsville must attract, support and retain its teachers, engage the community in the education process, and provide fiscal responsibility for taxpayer funds.
I completed my undergraduate studies at Seton Hall University majoring in Secondary Education and History. My master’s in education is from The College of New Jersey, and I earned my doctorate in educational leadership from Rowan University. I have presented at numerous state-wide conferences and have completed certification programs at Columbia University Teachers College: Reading and Writing Project, and Harvard University: Art of Leadership.
I have over 20 years of experience working on behalf of children. I have taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels. I have also been a coach for numerous sports including American Legion and varsity baseball. I have experience as a curriculum supervisor, and I am currently serving as a middle and high school principal for the last eight years. I also currently serve as a member of the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association’s executive board and as a New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association Leader to Leader Mentor.
I believe that teachers play a critical role in the development of our children. Over the past few years, teachers had to deal with seismic changes that have disrupted our education system. Unfortunately, this shift has led to many teachers leaving the profession in record numbers. Compounding this trend in Robbinsville, some of our best and most experienced teachers leave our district for surrounding areas.
Robbinsville must invest in attracting, supporting and retaining the best teachers in the area. We should not be losing great educators because of compensation and working conditions that impact morale. Rather Robbinsville should be a destination for an elite education in Mercer County. In order for this to happen, Robbinsville School District must develop a competitive salary guide that attracts teachers to the district and rewards them for staying.
Unlike other professions, teachers tend to stay in their district after their first five years once they have developed relationships with students, administrators and the community. It is highly unusual to have so many teachers leave a district for another one in the middle of their career. I believe that an effort should be made to reestablish positive relationships with Robbinsville teachers. This relationship has been damaged by rhetoric during the negotiation process.
Although Robbinsville is not immune to national trends, we are a highly successful community with the resources to compete for the best and brightest educators in the area. Teachers spend a great deal of time with our children in the classroom and during extracurricular activities. A priority must be made to attract, support, and retain our valuable teaching staff.
I also believe the way forward for Robbinsville is to ensure and promote an environment where all voices are represented. My dissertation was about promoting the concept of distributed leadership. Distributed leadership champions the idea that the smartest person in the room is the room.
By engaging the community we tap into the collective intelligence of all of Robbinsville, which allows us to access a vast array of ideas and resources. In addition, by engaging the community, we can develop partnerships with area businesses to promote opportunities to ensure that our students are ready for their future college and career endeavors.
I have experience in leading a nationally recognized career preparation program that connects students to business and trade leaders. This program has been featured on Classroom Closeup which promotes innovative educational programs in New Jersey. This program allows students to gain real-life experience in the workforce. Using the vast resources of our community allows students to gain the knowledge and skill needed to follow their passions in the future.
I further believe that school boards must practice fiscal responsibility and accountability as stewards of public money. School budgets reflect the district’s priorities. It is important that finances are allocated to areas that promote student learning and ensure that students are given opportunities to develop the skills needed to be successful in the future.
I am running with Raghu Nandan. Together we can bring the improvements that Robbinsville School District needs. We know our duty is not to run the district, but rather to make sure that it is well run by implementing a sound strategic plan, budget, performance oversight, and setting policy. We look to achieve these goals by listening, researching, and using our experiences to support our students, faculty, and the residents of Robbinsville.
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Allison Prabhakar, 49, has lived in Robbinsville for 14 years with her husband, Avinash. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Thomas Jefferson University. Prabhakar is running on the “Prioritizing Our Students” slate with Kerri Fox and Lauren Paluzzi.
She is currently an oncology nurse practitioner working for Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, and she has 27 years of experience as a nurse with most of the years being in oncology.
She and her husband have a 12-year-old son who attends Pond Road Middle School, and a 5-year-old daughter who attends a parochial school.
Prabhakar is a member of the national and the local chapter of the Oncology Nursing Society.
Prabhakar’s statement: I am running for the Robbinsville Board of Education because I believe I can add a balanced and moderate voice to the Board. My interest in running began when, as a working mother, I witnessed the struggles of students, parents and teachers during remote learning. It became my passion to advocate for the return of students to full day in-person learning.
As a nurse practitioner, I understood that this could be accomplished safely and that it was essential, especially for our most vulnerable students who were missing critical PT, OT and speech therapy. With the recent increased incidence of anxiety, depression and isolation amongst school age children, my focus will be expanding mental health services and addressing learning loss.
At work, I spend much of my day listening to patients and families. Shared decision making and collaboration are attributes I will bring to the Board. The ability to critically assess a situation and evaluate potential consequences are skills I practice daily. I absolutely believe that getting to know members of the community, hearing their concerns, and finding common ground is the foundation for working well together. While we may not always agree, we must be respectful in our interactions.
Finally, I understand community concern regarding teacher retention. This is an issue impacting many professions currently and we need creative solutions. As a district, we want teachers to feel fairly compensated, valued, and fulfilled.
However, this must be balanced with the ability of all members of the community to withstand potential tax increases. I moved back to Robbinsville in 2011 for the diverse community and the schools. As a board member, I will cultivate relationships with all stakeholders to ensure Robbinsville Schools are highly regarded as an esteemed place to learn and to work.
Kerri Fox,
Raghu Nandan,
