Nominations for PA Executive Board (One Year Term 2022-2023)
Co-President – Christine Kattan
My name is Christine Kattan, and I am the parent of a 10th grade Bronx Science student. It’s been a privilege to serve on the Bronx Science PA Executive Board as an At-Large member during the 2020/21 school year and as a Co-Vice President this year. I’ve contributed to a number of areas during my two years on the Executive Board, most notably as a member of the Transportation Committee and as a co-Webmaster. With this experience, I would be honored to serve the Bronx Science community next year as Co-President. This would continue my decade of work supporting my children’s previous schools. At PS/IS276, I was actively involved in the PTA for seven years, including three on the Executive Board and two as Treasurer. Currently, I also serve on the Executive Board at West End Day School, where I work with school administration and families to foster a strong community. Outside of these roles, I have served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of NYC Kids Project, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating children on differences and diversity. I hold a BS in Biology, an MBA, and worked as an IT business consultant.
Co-President – Jayesh Patel
My name is Jayesh Patel. Currently I am serving on the board as a Corresponding Secretary. I am providing zoom technical support for our PA meetings and in various other meetings. Besides that, my goal is to involve more parents in various activities and help our school for a better future for our kids. I see lots of good things going on in school with the help of the Parent Association, and I want to run for Co-President. I was a board member for another non-profit organization for more than 7 years and a volunteer for almost 15 years. My interest to serve Bronx Science PA as a board member is also encouraged by many of you. I request you to vote for me. Thank you very much!
Co-President – Elizabeth Polkovitz
My name is Elizabeth Polkovitz and I am a parent of Ian Polkovitz, who is a rising junior. I live in Rego Park in central Queens with my family. I have been active on Parents’ Associations at several schools since Ian was a first grader, and have served on the Executive Board at PS 174 and as a co-president at PS 144, where I was also on the School Leadership Team. Additionally, I have been active in the D28 leadership community, attending many district wide events and CEC meetings.
At Bronx Science, I have assisted with the transition to online elections, and have served as a member of the Transportation Committee. I bring a knowledge of central Queens, DOE rules and regulations, and the logistics of running a large, active Parents’ Association to the Co-President team, as well as a sense of what it’s like to be a new parent at Bronx Science in this post-remote period. I’m hoping to help us all increase our sense of community as we return to more in person activities, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve this fantastic community with Christine, Jayesh, and the rest of the board.
Co-Vice President – Jennifer Allen-Cheng
My name is Jennifer Allen-Cheng and my daughter is a freshman at Bronx Science High School. I also have twins enrolled in college. A lifelong New Yorker, I attended school on the Upper West Side after which I earned a BA in History & English and graduate degrees in Counseling Psychology and School Administration. I have been an educator for thirty-two years, serving as a high school social studies teacher, a guidance counselor and, for the past eighteen years, as a high school assistant principal and an elementary school principal.
With my children older and my career winding down, I am excited about becoming involved in my daughter’s school community. I believe in public education and it has been my privilege to support the growth and development of thousands of children throughout my career. I possess strong organizational and leadership skills and understand how schools function. As an administrator, I have successfully led schools for decades and believe that my experience as a parent and career educator will allow me to contribute to the PA, our students and Bronx Science’s administration and staff. I look forward to learning and contributing as much as I can to the entire school community.
Co-Vice President/Fundraising – Yan Yu
My name is Yan Yu, and I am Jeffrey Yang’s mother from Class A13. I am an at-large member of the Bronx High School of Science Parent Association. I hope to serve our Bronx Science community in the role of Co-Vice President for Fundraising.
I enjoy using my skills to contribute to the communities and people that are important to me. I am an associate professor and a graduate director at St. John’s University. I have previously served at state and national professional organizations in various roles, and I am an ad hoc reviewer for more than 15 peer-reviewed international journals in the field of cognitive neuroscience. My experience with community service targeted to help high school students, in particular, includes being a research mentor and being the co-founder of a free summer camp.
Fundraising activities are the blood vessels of our parent association. As Co-Vice President for Fundraising, I will devote my time and energy to the success of fundraising events under our parent association so that we can have a fully energized system to support our school.
Treasurer – Kai Lu
I’m a CPA with 20 years of related experience. I’m currently working as the controller of a fast-growing NYC manufacturing/retailing business. I have some auditing and tax experience. I also worked as a consultant providing accounting and finance service to various small and medium size businesses.
My wife and I are very happy and proud that our son was able to study at Bronx Science. We always admire the parents who contribute their valuable time and effort to be part of the PTA. I would like to contribute what I can by utilizing my accounting skills to make the school an even better place for the students to excel. Plus, my wife “encouraged/directed” me to run.
I think I can help keep clean and organized records of the PTA’s finance. By learning and working with the current treasure Ken Ho, I plan to move the PTA’s financial records online for better corroboration among the PTA leaders.
Thank you for your consideration and let me know if you have any questions.
Co-Assistant Treasurer – Li Ping Xu
As an undergraduate from Baruch College and a Graduate from Hunter College I want to put school knowledge into real practice. As a New York City employee, working in accounting areas I want to expand my governmental experience to a non-profit PA organization.
My past PA-related experience is as below:
2008-2009 PS2 Treasurer
2009-2011 PS2 SLT
2019-2020 Lab Middle Member-At-Large
2020-2022 Bronx Science High School Member-At-Large
2021-2022 East Side Middle Assitant Treasurer
As a liaison between Chinese parents and PA in the past year, I understand more about what parents care about the most and how to bring attention to PA and school administration. Now, I am glad to change my role to use my career background to assist the treasurer to keep the financial records correct in a timely manner.
Co-Assistant Treasurer – Ram Halder
My name is Ram Halder and I am an accountant living here in the Bronx with my wife and two sons, one who is a rising senior at Bronx Science. I served as a member at large for two prior terms. I also volunteer with the American Red Cross NYC, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), and community organizations. Now, I want to be more involved with the Bronx Science PA as I am filled with joy to work with such a great committee. My academic and professional background is accounts and finance related. So, I would be very happy to work as Assistant Treasurer. Please consider my application and I would definitely do great.
Corresponding Secretary – Dongli Huang
I am a mother of a 9th grader of our school. I have another son who is now a 7th grader.
I graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 2000, I have been working as a law professor abroad and an attorney of New York State. In 2014, I joined the PA of my sons’ school, PS334, the Anderson School. I took the position in Community Affairs for three years and SLT parent representative for two years.
I consider serving the school PA as a way that I can contribute to the society. I also consider it a way to show my gratitude to these who served before me. I would like to bring unity to our parent community of Bronx High School of Science if I would be elected.
Co-Recording Secretary – Sheila Drumm
Sheila has a Junior and Senior in Bronx Science, as well as 2 younger children in other schools in New York City. She has volunteered and participated on several committees with parent associations in elementary, middle and high schools. She has held various positions in school fundraisers and most recently, was co-recording secretary on Bronx Science’s Executive Board. Her involvement has given her the opportunity to recognize and support the school administration and their relationship with the parent community. Sheila is excited to be nominated again for this position. With her strong relationships and experience with the DOE schools, she is confident she will be able to add value and continue to make a positive contribution to the Bronx Science Parent Association.
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Sheila has been living on the UWS with her family since 2008. She was a senior HR professional for a US multinational healthcare company before moving to New York, and is currently working for 1stDibs in a people operations and office coordination role.
Co-Recording Secretary – Katia Kubicek
I am the mother of a current sophomore and, like most people offering to serve on the PA, a veteran of various volunteer-positions in by now multiple schools. Co-Recording Secretary would be a title I have not held, but what I might lack in direct experience, I will compensate for with thoughtfulness and attention to detail (the latter being one of my more pronounced traits– I proof-read menus reflexively). I am eager to help keep the lines of communication open among parents, administration, teachers, staff and (dare I add) students to maintain the warm and welcoming community at Bronx Science. Words and language are as important to me as numbers and science are to my child; I will listen, reflect and report as clearly and concisely as possible the contributions of all meeting participants. In my reports I promise much less alliteration than in this statement and no Oxford commas. I also vow no one will ever have to attempt to decipher my hand-writing.
Co-Recording Secretary – Dorie Lederfajn Paparo
Dorie is a native New Yorker, specialized high school grad, and the mom of a sophomore son. Her background is in publishing and content development*, and when she isn’t writing/editing, she spends way too much time on social media connecting people and information. Dorie has always been a super-volunteer at her kids’ schools, running benefits, spring picnics, fall festivals, book fairs, and once the PA itself. Before serving as co-recording secretary, she was a Downtown Freshman Parent Volunteer and worked on the 2021 Spring Gala committee. Dorie is also currently co-webmaster for the PA website and is working alongside the PA VP to facilitate a new BxSci website (launching this June).
*Dorie’s career spans Managing Editor at a local magazine to Copy Editor at Scholastic to Editor at Condé Nast to Copy Writer for hire to Director of Content at an interactive agency that specializes in pharma. But her absolute favorite and most rewarding role over the last decade-and-a-half is Type-A Mom, juggling freelance projects and volunteering at non-profits and scion-adjacent institutions of learning.
Member-at-Large – Weili Fang
My name is Weili Fang, I am the mother of 2 boys who went through the New York City public schooling system. My older son went to Stuyvesant, and my younger son is currently an 11th grader at the Bronx High School of Science.
I work for the City of New York in the social services department.
Currently, I am on the Bronx Science translation team. For the last 2 years, I have been helping out translating weekly PA e-news and the Week in Preview.
I had served in the secretary position on the PA executive Board for a year while my son was in middle school. During that time, I helped other parents coordinate with the school administration, helped raise money at all of our fundraisers, and I recruited the next generation of PA members.
As a mother of 2 public school children, I am intimately familiar with the system, I have no end of patience, and I am always willing to help out; for those reasons, I believe I suit this position.
I am looking forward to contributing my experience and passion toward our school community as a member-at-large.
Member-at-Large – Ellen Goldberg
Ellen A. Goldberg, MA, CCC-SLP currently serves as Member at Large of the PA Executive Board and hopes to continue in this role for the 2022-2023 academic year. This year, Ellen contributed to the PA Executive Board planning and decision making, worked on reviewing/revising the Bronx Science PA Bylaws, and participated in all PA sponsored events. She enjoyed learning about the intricacies of the PA and the many ways the PA helps to make Bronx Science an amazing place. As the parent of a junior, she has also been an active volunteer parent judge for the Bronx Science Speech Team since fall 2019. Additionally, Ellen volunteers on the Education Board for the conservative synagogue in Riverdale (CSAIR), co-chaired the CSAIR annual gala virtually in 2020 and 2021 and regularly visits with homebound adults in the community. Professionally, Ellen manages 32 therapists in the Speech Language Pathology Department at NewYork Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and has received specialized training focused on staff engagement, team building, operational/financial acumen and unconscious bias training in addition to her professional degrees and certifications. Ellen is a proud member of the Bronx Science parent community and is committed to serving the needs of our school.
Member-at-Large – Abhilasha Mahan
Our family moved to New York from Singapore in 2018 and our kids joined UNIS.
I have volunteered with the PA at UNIS and am currently the Co-chair for the Social Responsibility and Cultural Committees. I have volunteered and tried to give back to the school community at every school my kids attended – serving as the PA President at the Swiss School, also on the PA Board of the German International School in Singapore.
I was born and raised in India. I obtained my Masters at the London School of Economics and worked as a Deputy Director with the Government of India. Later, I worked at Goldman Sachs in Zurich. In Singapore, I trained to be a docent, guided at the Asian Civilisations Museum and Chinatown walking trails.
My son is a freshman at Bronx Science, and I would love to be a part of the community here. I love reading, hiking, cooking and history. Most importantly, I am a full time Mom to my boys.
I hope to bring my experience of having lived, studied and worked in different cultures and countries in Europe, Asia and now the US to Bronx Science.
Member-at-Large – Dr. Novelle Maxwell-Sinclair
I am an accomplished Information Technology (IT) professional with over 20 years in the field. I reside in the Bronx and currently work at Microsoft as a Cloud Solution Architect Manager. I hold a Master’s in Information Systems and a Doctorate in Computing. An immigrant, mother, wife, professor, mentor and leader, I realized my dream of working for one of the top technology companies in the world through perseverance and hard work.
My interest in a Member at Large position lies in my strong passion for helping and guiding students to take a proactive approach in navigating their career paths. I have also been a college professor and mentor to high school students taking college courses. I am extremely passionate about education and learning, which is evident in my educational background.
Being an immigrant, I epitomize the success story of what it takes to remain focused, hard working, and following your dream(s). I believe that my journey, background and experiences can bring great value to the PA board. Having navigated my career path without any of the resources available today, my goal is to ensure that students remain informed of opportunities to maximize their potential and academic success.
Member-at-Large – Mimi Yee
My name is Mimi Yee, I have a Junior at our school. I have been in awe and feel so fortunate to be a part of the Bronx Science community. I have a strong passion for education and service. I would like to contribute in the member at large role. I believe that it takes a village to raise a child, that village is our school community. Our family has been a part of the NYC public school system for 13 years. I have always been an active parent collaborating and supporting our teachers and administration team to create and deliver a successful school culture for our kids. I have served as SLT member or in an active advocate parent role. It would be an honour and privilege to serve as your member at large representative. I thank you in advance for your consideration.
Nominations for School Leadership Team (2-year Term, 2022-2024)
Parent SLT Representative – Open