Public service

A lifelong involvement in education

Edward’s mother was a teacher. She influenced his decision to enter the classroom, and she helped inspire and support his work to become an Eagle Scout and to earn a doctorate in education. That is the through-line: public service, not a sudden interest in school-board politics.

The dual lens

He is also a Bridgewater parent with three children — two in our public schools and one on the way. He does not look at board decisions strictly as an educator asking “Is this good instruction?” or strictly as a parent asking “Is this good for my child?” He looks at the whole picture: is it right for our children, is it financially sustainable, and can we explain the reasoning clearly to our community? How can we be better?

His career includes vast classroom experience in New Jersey and creating and delivering professional development for teachers nationally. In his current role at the Rutgers Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education — part of the Division of Lifelong Learning and Innovation — he trains thousands of educators from hundreds of U.S. districts annually. He wants to bring that knowledge home.

Path to this board

1. 2005 – 2013

   Eighth-grade science teacher & pre-service mentor

   Piscataway Public Schools

   Classroom teacher and clinical mentor. Fulbright Japan–U.S. Exchange Fellow for Education for Sustainable Development (2011). New Jersey Governor’s Teacher of the Year (2009).

2. 2013 – 2015

   Vice Principal / Supervisor of Instruction

   Frelinghuysen Middle School, Morris School District

   Ran a 350-student house and 37 faculty. Restorative justice work reduced racial disproportionality in suspensions by 27%. Led a 1,200-device 1:1 Chromebook rollout.

3. 2015 – 2019

   District Supervisor of Science, K–12

   Princeton Public Schools

   Led science curriculum, instruction, and evaluation across six schools. District STEM ranking moved from 94th to 54th nationally. Dual-language STEM pathways and $100,000+ in grants.

4. 2019 – 2021

   District STEAM Specialist & Grant Coordinator

   New Brunswick Public Schools

   Program coordinator for a multi-million-dollar Verizon Innovative Learning Schools grant. Urban PBL, blended learning, and SEL-infused maker curriculum.

5. 2021 – Present

   Associate Director

   Rutgers Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education

   Statewide educator PD, CTE, and STEM. Co-designed New Jersey’s only approved Maker Education Graduate Certificate. Trains thousands of educators from hundreds of U.S. districts each year.

How a board should work

Edward does not seek this seat with a rigid political ideology or a single-issue agenda. Complex district challenges almost never have one-size-fits-all answers. He has been the classroom teacher trying to make a new curriculum work, the building vice principal supporting staff, the district supervisor directing K–12 programs, the university professional, and the parent sitting on the other side of the principal’s desk. Those experiences taught him to listen carefully before acting.

School boards should not micromanage daily school operations — that is the administration’s job. The board should set clear direction, ask tough questions, provide accountability, and ensure wise spending of taxpayer dollars.