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Krista Vince Garland Seeks First Term on NT School Board
Krista Vince Garland is a professor in Exceptional Education at SUNY Buffalo State and was recruited to the western New York area in 2012 from Orlando. Before she moved to New York, Krista was a middle school education teacher. Her husband Dennis is a professor in Exceptional Education at Niagara University. Krista and her husband are homeowners in the second ward of North Tonawanda and have enjoyed learning about the history and resilience that unites residents of North Tonawanda. Both believe that NT is on the cusp of renaissance and are excited to be a part of that progress.
Krista believes that vigilance toward school safety and climate should be a top educational priority for the district. School safety is more complex today than ever and it is imperative that our schools are well-prepared for all kinds of safety incidents. There is a need for a continuous district-led effort that is protective, preventative, and proactive. This effort should be ongoing and never become a part of status-quo operations. The district has absolute responsibility to provide our schools with a system that immediately responds to student incidences and works to prevent crises before they occur. This is not an ‘ask’- it is an ‘absolute’ that must be effectively met.
Attending to a finically judicious budget that reconciles longer-term financial responsibility with positive student outcomes is another priority for Krista. Krista states that she is committed to collaborating with the district, city, businesses, and community services and states that she is comfortable in this arena, having strong experience in managing and directing numerous educational and research grants. Krista reports that she has gained skill in leadership over the last six years at Buffalo State as a College Senator, member of the College Budget and Staff Allocations Committee, College Curriculum Committee, and the Buffalo State Grant Allocations Committee.
Krista and her husband Dennis have been married for over 23 years and share their home with Dennis’s father and three dogs- Stella, Molly, and Lemon. Stella is a registered therapy dog. Krista and Stella volunteer service weekly at schools and skilled nursing facilities. Other areas of community service for Krista include volunteering with the Buffalo Polar Plunge, Special Olympics, Say Yes Buffalo, VOICE, CHANT, and Best Buddies. Krista has been endorsed by the North Tonawanda United Teachers (NTUT), and The Women’s Taking Action in Politics (TAP) Fund.
Erik Herbert Seeks First Term on NT School Board
Mr. Herbert is an active duty veteran of the United States Marine Corps where he served honorably from 2004-2008. He then graduated of NCCC with an Associate’s degree and later transferred to Buffalo State College where he completed his Bachelor’s degree.
Mr. Herbert served as the North Tonawanda modified wrestling and assistant varsity coach for 5 seasons under coach Dan Fire. During that time, he also served as the NT Wrestling Hall of Fame chairman.
Mr. Herbert is currently a North Tonawanda police officer where he is assigned to the day shift patrol.
He lives in Wurlitzer Park with his wife Diana and their 8-year-old son, Caleb, who attends Ohio Elementary School.
Mr. Herbert “wants to serve as an advocate for school safety in our district and on our School Board.”
You can find out more by visiting Erikherbert.com.
Erika Robinson Seeks First Term to NT School Board
Erica Robinson is a lifelong resident of North Tonawanda. Upon graduating from North Tonawanda High School, she went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Niagara University. Currently, she works in Credit Risk Management for Arbor Realty Trust, a commercial mortgage company in Depew, New York. She and her husband reside in Wurlitzer Park with their two dogs and will be welcoming their first son in August. Erica believes she can bring an academic approach, combined with a local and homegrown perspective to the board.
When elected to the School Board, Robinson plans to concentrate on school safety as a priority. With recent events, she believes this is an opportunity for the district to examine current safety measures and make appropriate improvements to ensure the utmost safety for students. Robinson feels our schools are what shape our children’s future, and should be a place to focus on education rather than feeling unprotected.
In addition to school safety, with Robinson’s thorough finance background, she will make sure taxpayers’ dollars are used to improve the education system currently offered in North Tonawanda. As a homeowner in the city, Robinson says a budget should be fiscally sound but should also be reflective of strong performance results.
Erica Robinson is committed to the success of students of North Tonawanda and will be dedicated to being the voice of the community to the district.
Chery McMahon Seeks Re-Election to NT School Board
Cheryl McMahon, a 25-year resident of North Tonawanda and current Vice President of the school board, is running for her second term in office.
McMahon has a background in social work, earning her bachelor’s degree from Empire State College in human resources and a master’s degree from Canisius College in community and school health.
McMahon has said there are a number of projects that, if re-elected, she would like “to follow through on.”
“We’re starting a whole new chapter in the North Tonawanda district,” she said. “With changing our middle schools and elementary schools, and there’s a lot of great things happening in those areas, so I’d like to follow through with all the new changes and happenings.”
“This is the first time in a long time where we can really start putting programs back in place, which I’m very excited about, and put a concentration on things our children need for mental health which, is really dear to my heart.”
Enhancing the classroom experience for special education students across the district is another issue McMahon is dedicated to seeing through.
Additionally, McMahon hopes to continue her push to bring back music and art programs for the young students.
“I always like to see the big picture,” said McMahon. “There’s an issue for children that are being bullied and there’s an issue for kids that bully.”
“It all comes down to what’s happening in their life at the time. I see a lot of things in my job that I know can be corrected and helped by people caring and trying to work with outreach and different services that people need.”
McMahon believes that “school is the epicenter of your community” and “would like to see a lot more community involvement” in the future.
Mario Gregori Seeks Election to NT School Board
Mr. Gregori, his wife, and two children are life-long residents of North Tonawanda. His oldest is in 7th grade at North Tonawanda Middle School, with the youngest in 6th grade at Ohio Elementary.
Aside from his general law practice based in North Tonawanda, Mr. Gregori also works in the Niagara County Conflicts Office handling a lot of family law cases including abuse, neglect, and custody and visitation.
According to Mr. Gregori, there are a number of reasons he would like to continue on as a member of the board of education.
“I have two children that will both be in middle school next year,” said Gregori. “I feel like now I have some time to devote to the community, and I think it is a good time to get involved since we’re getting to the point where we need to get serious about their education, and figure out where they want to take it. I also think we’ve reached a point where we need to find some solutions to the bullying and safety issues in our schools. Lastly, this year brings about new challenges and opportunities for the district due to the Capital Improvement Project reconfiguration of the schools.”
