25 Candidates to Run for the 2026 SBNC Nominating Committee

25 Candidates to Run for the 2026 SBNC Nominating Committee

Category: Schools

Published: Wednesday, 05 November 2025 17:04

Joanne Wallenstein

SHSEntry The 2026 School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) election will take place on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from 7 – 10 AM and 2 – 9 PM in the Scarsdale Middle School (SMS) Auditorium Lobby at 134 Mamaroneck Road. In the event schools are closed on Election Day, the election will be held on snow day #1 12/8/2025 and snow date #2 12/10/2025. Any Snow Date or Run-off election will be held in the SMS Auditorium Lobby at the same times given above.

A mail-in ballot is available for those who choose not to vote in person. Mail-in ballots and instructions are available to the public available at https://scarsdalesbnc.org/ and in hard copy at the Reference Desk of the Scarsdale Public Library. Hard copies will be available by or before Monday, November 10th, 2025.

Any resident of the School District who is (i) 18 years of age or older; and (ii) a resident of the School District for 30 days prior to the election (November 3, 2025) may vote in the SBNC Election.

Completed mail-in ballots must be sent to: SBNC Administrative Chair, PO Box 116H, Scarsdale, NY 10583H and received in the SBNC PO Box no later than 4 PM on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.

Residents who are unable to access a ballot by either of these methods may contact the SBNC Administrative Committee Election Chair, by email at [email protected] for assistance. For more information about the SBNC, please visit https://scarsdalesbnc.org/.

Listed below are the candidates from each neighborhood along with their biographies:
EDGEWOOD (3 open spots, 6 candidates)

EILEEN M DELUCIA: 6 Forest Ln. Length of Residency: 3 years
Occupation: Attorney
Education: B.A College of Holy Cross, J.D at Columbia Law School
Children’s ages (years): 12, 10, 6 and 3
Civic Activities: HSG Women's Affinity Network (current); Pro bono counsel to various underprivileged litigants (current); Edgewood Buddy Family (2023-2024); candidate for Eastchester Town Council (2021); EYSA soccer coach (2018-2019)

JÜRGEN SPIHLMANN FREIBERG: 983 Post Rd. Length of Residency: 3.5 years
Occupation: Attorney
Education: JD (2010, Universidad de Lima, Peru), Master of Laws (LL.M.) (2015, Columbia University,New York)
Children’s ages (years): 5 and 4 weeks old
Civic Activities: Multiple pro-bono legal representation and/or legal advisory matters (averaging 2 per semester) since 2016, and non-legal volunteering with Good+Foundation, Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Research Center and New York Cares during 2025; Regular New York Blood Center donor; Mentor under Unidos (Latino affiliation group at Sumitomo Mitsui BankingCorporation). Cultural Affairs Commission Director/Advisor to Accion Universitaria (pro-bono civil association in charge of organizing volunteer campaigns in different regions of Peru).

MARTIN KANG: 168 Bradley Rd. Length of Residency: 7 years
Occupation: Finance Professional
Education: MBA from Columbia Business School, BS from Columbia University
Children’s ages (years): 11, 6 and 1
Civic Activities: Volunteer at Feeding Westchester; Alumni interviewer at Columbia

SARAH RUBENSTIEN POLAK: 145 Lyons Rd. Length of Residency: 1 year
Occupation: Lawyer
Education: Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law – Juris Doctor; Florida Atlantic University - BA
Children’s ages (years): 4.5 and 2.5
Civic Activities: Provide pro bono services in the legal profession (currently 50 hours for 2025, 30 hours in 2024); Volunteer as a Class Parent for Preschool; Fundraise for Equal Rights Advocates (nonprofit legal organization); and Donate to various charities.

AMY SOFIA: 46 Hamilton Rd. Length of Residency: 24 years
Occupation: Real Estate
Education: B.A University of Dayton
Children’s ages (years): 11 and 6
Civic Activities: Edgewood Capital Planning Committee (current); Edgewood Spiritwear Co-Chair 2023-now; Edgewood Fair Committee (2024-now), Edgewood Fifth Grade Committee 2024-2025; Scarsdale Girl Scout Cookie Chair 2022-2025; Class parent for several years

DOUG STONE: 268 Nelson Rd., Length of Residency: 10 years Greenacres
Occupation: Software Engineer
Education: BA in Economics from Cornell University
Children’s ages (years): 10, 9, 6 and 4
Civic Activities: Scarsdale Little League Coach (2021-2024)

FOX MEADOW (3 open spots, 7 candidates)

YASMIN ALHASSANI: 4 Lorraine Place., Length of Residency: 1.5 years
Occupation: Life Science
Education: MIT Sloan School of Management – MBA
Children’s ages (years): 7 and 4
Civic Activities: PTA Secretary at Fox Meadow

CLAUDIA FREEDMAN: 9 Paddington Road. Length of Residency: 4 years
Occupation: Pure Barre instructor; stay-at-home-mom; former elementary school teacher
Education: MS - Education; BA - Journalism, Strategic Communications, Radio/TV/Film
Children’s ages (years): 1.5
Civic Activities: President - Fox Meadow Neighborhood Association; Mazel Tots Class Parent; Event Planning Committee - Stardust Fertility Foundation
ZACHARY JACOBS: 5 Highland Way. Length of Residency: 6 years
Occupation: Corporate Attorney
Education: B.A (Cornell) J.D(Columbia)
Children’s ages (years): 6 and 11
Civic Activities: N/A

JENNIFER KAHAN: 54 Butler Road. Length of Residency: 12+ years
Occupation: Stay home mom, community volunteer
Education: J.D. Fordham University; B.A. Emory University
Children’s ages (years): 17, 15, 13
Civic Activities: Upper School V.P. for the Leffell School P.T.O. (August 2025-Present); Volunteered as Co-Executive Director for Westchester Resettlement Coalition for 2.5 years up through January 2024;Volunteered as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children in Foster Care) through Greater Mental Health of New York (formerly The Mental Health Association of Westchester) for 5 plus years ; involved in numerous PTA volunteer roles while kids at Fox Meadow Elementary

MINJIE (ELAINE) KANG: 231 Fox Meadow Rd. Length of Residency: 8 years
Occupation: Finance
Education: Graduate Degree (Master's Degree at Columbia University)
Children’s ages (years): 6 and 2
Civic Activities: Fox Meadow Classical Café co-chair; Fox Meadow Sustainability Chair; Fox Meadow Multicultural China Table; Fox Meadow Book Fair

AMANDA ZAITCHIK: 8 Tory Lane. Length of Residency: 13 years
Occupation: Summer Camp Advisor for Summer365
Education: Undergraduate at University of Pennsylvania, Masters from Columbia Teachers College
Children’s ages (years): 14 and 17
Civic Activities: SHS PTA Hospitality Chair/Teacher Appreciation Committee; Member of the SBA; Actively involved in Sunrise & UJA, SMS PTA (2 years); FM PTA (2 terms - 4 years)
KEVIN ZIEGLER: 24 Fenimore Rd. Length of Residency: 2.5 years
Occupation: VP, Global Distribution, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Education: BS Journalism, Ohio University. MBA, Northwestern-Kellogg School of Management
Children’s ages (years): 7, 4 and 2
Civic Activities: Scarsdale Little League coach; Fox Meadow Neighborhood Assoc member

GREENACRES (3 open spots, 3 candidates)

JOHN BUMGARNER: 17 Sage Terrace. Length of Residency: 3 years
Occupation: Corporate Attorney
Education: BS Business Administration (UNC – Chapel Hill); JD (Vanderbilt University)
Children’s ages (years): 6 and 4
Civic Activities: N/A

HANNA ROBINSON: 31 Claremont Rd. Length of Residency: 6 years
Occupation: Attorney
Education: J.D Brooklyn Law School, B.A Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College
Children’s ages (years): 8, 6 and 2
Civic Activities: Co-Chair Greenacres PTA Book Fair; Volunteer Attorney, Her Justice (While at Davis Polk)

QUAN ZHOU: 118 Walworth Ave Length of Residency: 3 years
Occupation: stay-at-home parent, Previously: Survey researcher/Project manager
Education: Master’s
Children’s ages (years): 8 and 3
Civic Activities: Multicultural night, volunteer; Book fair, volunteer; Artful looking, volunteer; School library, volunteer

HEATHCOTE (4 open spots, 5 candidates)

ANDREA BURINESCU: 6 Obry Drive Length of Residency: 8 years
Occupation: Education Consultant; former teacher
Education: B.A., University of Richmond; M.Ed., Boston College
Children’s Ages: 11, 9, 6
Civic Activities: Co-Chair, Learning from Our Differences – Heathcote (2025-2026), Co-Chair, PTA Community Service – Scarsdale Middle School and Heathcote (2025-2026), PTA President – Heathcote (2024–2025), Co-Chair of CHILD for the district (2021–2022)

SARAH DESATNIK: 130 Carthage Rd. Length of Residency: 2 months
Occupation: Fundraiser
Education: University of South California
Children’s ages (years): 22 months old with another baby on the way
Civic Activities: N/A

GAYLE HELMAN: 62 Birchall Drive. Length of Residency: 8 years
Occupation: Pharmaceutical Strategy and Analytics (Retired)
Education: Bachelor of Science from Emory University
Children’s ages (years): Twins - 13
Civic Activities: Heathcote Pizza Chair; Class Parent for 6 years at Heathcote Elementary
EMILY SHTEINHAUZ: 12 Cushman Rd. Length of Residency: 7 years
Occupation: Former hedge fund trader
Education: Lafayette College
Children’s ages (years): 13 and Twins - 11
Civic Activities: SYSC Board. Co-President; UJA Scarsdale Board Co-Chair

YUANYUAN (TANIA) YUE: 135 Cashman Rd. Length of Residency: 7 years
Occupation: Banker
Education: Master Degree
Children’s ages (years): 11
Civic Activities: Young Writer Workshop volunteer 2024-2025; Young Writer Workshop Heathcote representative 2023; HXGNY volunteer 2023-now; Heathcote School Play Co-Chair 2023; Heathcote Class Parent 2021-2022

QUAKER RIDGE (4 open spots, 4 candidates)

ERIK AVNI: 5 Westview Lane. Length of Residency: 8 years
Occupation: CPA
Education: BBA - Accounting Hofstra University
Children’s ages (years): 15 and 11
Civic Activities: Volunteer Firefighter - Scarsdale Co. 3 (active -12 years); Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance EMT 6 years

NATASHA BEG: 37 Wildwood Rd. Length of Residency: 3.5 years
Occupation: Strategy Consultant
Education: Cambridge University, UK (MPhil); Manchester University, UK (BSc)
Children’s ages (years): 8 and 5
Civic Activities: Board of Education Budget Liaison for Quaker Ridge (2 years); QRS Library Gift Program (2 years); Class Parent QRS (2 years); Class Parent JCC (2 years); Lead Ambassador- Giving Back Program at Alvarez & Marsal (2 years); Volunteer - Birch Family Services (1 year); Volunteer - School Supply Drive, P.S. 35 Manhattan High School (1 year)

JUN (JAMES) JIANG: 372 Heathcote Rd. Length of Residency: 1 year
Occupation: Retired University Professor; currently a board member of a financial company
Education: PhD in Finance
Children’s ages (years): 6
Civic Activities: Participated in the campaign for Brooklyn Assemblyman Colton with his re-election (2024); Helped Chinese-American New York City Councilmember Susan Zhuang with her council election campaign(2023-2024). Multi-volunteering in the community when we lived in North Carolina(2016-2022).

WENDY WAXMAN: 20 Vernon Rd. Length of Residency: 3+ years
Occupation: Mother; Downtown Capital Inc., Real Estate Management
Education: Bank St College of Education, MSEd, Columbia University B.A
Children’s ages (years): 13 and 10
Civic Activities: All School VP; The Leffell School Parent Teacher Organization; Member, Scarsdale Forum Member; Secor Fams Neighborhood Association

About the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC)
The School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) is a committee of residents 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 Zelle ([email protected], Administration) and checks made payable to the “Administrative Committee” and email the SBNC Administrative Committee chairperson at [email protected] to coordinate pick up or mail the check to:

Scarsdale SBNC
P.O. Box 116H
Scarsdale, NY 10583H
(note: be sure to add the “H” to the zip code for mailing)

For more information please visit https://scarsdalesbnc.org/please-donate/
SBNC Continuing Members (Nominating Committee)
Terms Ending 2026 (3rd year)
Edgewood – Mimi Robinson
Fox Meadow – Adam Hellegers
Greenacres – Amadally Hosseinbukus, Lisa Purcell, Kristen Zakierski
Heathcote – N/A
Quaker Ridge – Alissa Baum

Terms Ending 2027 (2nd year)
Edgewood – Jason Andrus, Boning Liu
Fox Meadow – Elaine Wan, Wenchun Wu
Greenacres – N/A
Heathcote – Cynthia Xiaoyue Li, Joel Steinhaus
Quaker Ridge –Jaye Weisbrod

SBNC Administrative Committee Members
Terms Ending 2026 (2nd year)
Edgewood - Anne McCourt Bates, Christine Weston, Meng Zhang
Fox Meadow - Claudia Green, Jen Zola (SBNC Vice-Chair & Webmaster)
Greenacres -N/A
Heathcote -Kimberly Miller Champlin
Quaker Ridge - Lisa Gans
Terms Ending 2027 (1st year)
Edgewood - N/A
Fox Meadow - Kevin Chen, David Kirshenbaum (Treasurer), Susan Lee Foley
Greenacres - Arthur Rublin (Resolution Chair), Molly Tu (Secretary), Jocelyn Gibian Zoland (Admin Committee Co-Chair / Election Co-Chair)
Heathcote - Jake Adlerstein
Quaker Ridge - June Deng (Admin Committee Co-Chair / Election Co-Chair), Jenny Simon Tabak (SBNC Chair)