Ten candidates are vying for three seats on the Cherry Hill Board of Education in the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
In alphabetical order, they are Omar Alkahily, David M. Bercovitch, Kurt Braddock, Nouruz Chowdhury, Dean Drizin, Ava Friddell, Samia Mian, incumbent Quadsia Birat Niaz, Bridget Palmer and Harvey Vasquez.
Each candidate was asked to participate in a voter questionnaire. As of deadline, Alkahily, Nouruz Chowdhury, Palmer and Vasquez had not responded.
Name: David M Bercovitch
Age: 41
How many years have you lived in Cherry Hill? I like to tell people that I married into Cherry Hill. I have lived in the township for approximately two years, but my wife grew up in Cherry Hill. Her brother grew up in Cherry Hill. Many of her cousins grew up in Cherry Hill. And they all still live in Cherry Hill. There is no greater testament to the quality of life and education in Cherry Hill than the amount of people who grew up here and then look to start their own family in the township. Very beautiful.
Family: I am married. I have three children, ages 7, 4 and 3. My oldest is in first grade at Woodcrest. My middle child will start kindergarten there next year, unless that changes with redistricting.
School and degree: I have a degree in sociology from George Washington University and I obtained my law degree from Villanova University Law School.
Profession: I am a lawyer. I own my own law practice, which focuses on two practice areas, immigration and personal injury.
Is this the first time you have run for the seat on the board of education? Yes
What is your involvement in the community? Over the years I’ve been involved in a number of organizations and groups that give back to the community. Currently, I am a board member of Jewish Community Relations Council. In this role, I help the Jewish community liaison with other stakeholders in our community. I have held leadership roles in congregations and was a board member at Congregation Mikveh Israel, the Synagogue of the American Revolution. It is one of the oldest congregations in the United States. I am one of the “founders” at the Chabad of Fairmount. I had the privilege of assisting in the planning and construction of their new building by Eastern State Penitentiary. I have a leadership position in the local chapter of American Immigration Lawyers Association. I serve as the liaison to the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor for our chapter. In this role, we advocate for fair and equal treatment of foreign nationals in our justice system
Why are you running for an elected seat? My community involvement spans a number of organizations and groups that give back to the community. Currently, I am a Board member of Jewish Community Relations Counsel. Previously I held leadership roles in congregations. I was a Board member at Congregation Mikveh Israel, the Synagogue of the American Revolution. I am one of the “founders” at the Chabad of Fairmount. I had the privilege of assisting in the construction of their new building by Eastern State Penitentiary. For the American Immigration Lawyers Association, I serve as the liaison to the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor for our chapter.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Fiscal responsibility. The CHSD makes up over 60% of the Cherry Hill property taxes. The Board’s spending has a direct impact on your taxes. My top priority is to ensure tax payers do not have to pay more taxes because of the school district. We are fortunate enough to have an approximately $250,000,000 budget. There is room to analyze what programs are working and invest in those programs. At the same time let’s move on from areas that are not working. I am also running to improve academic achievement and communication.
Name: Kurt Braddock (no photo was submitted)
Age: 43
How many years have you lived in Cherry Hill? Almost five
Family: Married, one child, 7 months old.
School and degree: BA, business administration, from TCNJ, MA, communication
Profession: Assistant professor of communication
Is this the first time you have run for the seat on the board of education? Yes
What is your involvement in the community? I have given pro bono talks on extremism, hate and bias at the local, regional, national and international levels.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I would like to use the knowledge I have built as a communication researcher to (A) improve communication between the Cherry Hill BOE and the public (especially parents), (B) increase the efficiency of tax dollars spent in the Cherry Hill school district, and (C) ensure that all students in the Cherry Hill district can learn in an environment free of hate and bias. I also want to have an influence on the kind of learning environment that my daughter will be part of.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? I think our main priority needs to be the improvement of academics in the district. To achieve that, though, we need to have communication and transparency between the Cherry Hill BOE and parents and teachers. Only through cooperation and collaboration between teachers and learners can we optimize how education is delivered. So, I’d like to focus on communicating directly with the public; we should all be cooperating so our students can reach their maximum potential.
Name: Dean Drizin
Age: 40
How many years have you lived in Cherry Hill? Since June 2020
Family: Married with two children, ages 6 and 4
School and degree: Dartmouth College (bachelor of arts, salutatorian, class of 2006), The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (MBA in health-care management), University of Colorado School of Medicine (M.D.)
Profession: I lead the corporate development office at a national, nonprofit home health-care company. I also serve as a flight surgeon, (i.e., a primary care physician for pilots and naval aircrew) in the United States Navy Reserve.
Is this the first time you have run for the seat on the board of education? Yes
What is your involvement in the community? Active, lieutenant commander (O-4) in the United States Navy Reserve, volunteer service (e.g. such as planting American flags in honor of 9/11)
Why are you running for an elected seat? I am deeply invested in the success of our school district, as my children are early in their educational journeys and my family values education. My Mom served as principal of a public elementary school for over 25 years, ultimately leading her school to achieve recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School. I witnessed how my Mom’s hard work, commitment to data-driven continuous improvement, and tireless support of her teachers contributed to the school’s success. If I can serve on Cherry Hill’s Board of Education, I similarly commit to working hard and collaboratively to support our students, teachers, and administrators.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? If elected, one area I would like to concentrate on is academic preparedness in literacy and mathematics. The upcoming election is particularly important for Cherry Hill, as next year’s board of education will be responsible for setting the school district’s five-year strategic plan. None of the school district’s current (i.e., 2024-’25) goals focus on academic excellence (Source: CHPS District Goals 2024-2025). If elected, one of my top goals would be to focus on developing and implementing targeted strategies to boost reading and math proficiency, including supporting the Cherry Hill School District’s professional staff and providing culturally relevant instruction.Â
Name: Ava Friddell
Age: 19
How many years have you lived in Cherry Hill? 19 years
Family: Younger sister, 15.
School and degree: I have a diploma from Cherry Hill High School West and will graduate from Rowan College of South Jersey with an associate’s degree in psychology this spring. I will continue my education at Rowan University.
Profession: I currently teach swim lessons to typical and neurodivergent children, most of whom are students in the Cherry Hill school district.
Is this the first time you have run for the seat on the board of education? Yes
What is your involvement in the community? Growing up I was involved in Girl Scouts, I have assisted my mom in various collections, such as school supplies and food drives. I have volunteered at 5Ks handing out water to participants. I have also worked as a lifeguard at local pools for the last three summers, and for the last two years, have taught swim lessons year round.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I am running for an elected seat to be a part of the change I want to see in the district, as well as to hopefully provide a new perspective as a recent graduate that our current board members and other candidates don’t have.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? There are many areas I would like to concentrate on if elected, but if I had to pick one it would be inclusion. To ensure that all students have the opportunity to take honors and AP classes and that their families are listened to when it comes to a student’s academics.
Name: Samia Mian
Age: 44
How many years have you lived in Cherry Hill? 11
Family: Married, three children, 14, 12 and 9
School and degree: University of California, Irvine, bachelor of science, Ross University School of Medicine – M.D.
Profession: Physician and professor of medicine
Is this the first time you have run for the seat on the board of education? Yes
Why are you running for an elected seat? As a mother of three whose kids have attended Cherry Hill schools for 11 years, I appreciate the need for quality public school education. I will bring an evidence-based approach to decisions on the board, a skill I have developed through my 16 years of work as a physician serving the Cherry Hill and broader community. I look forward to promoting safe technology access to our kids, promoting arts and reading programs, and parental engagement, all of which are critical to student achievement.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? I feel strongly about implementing safe use of technology, especially in elementary schools. Technology access for our kids should be judicious and intentional. Similar to an evidence-based approach used in scientific studies, I would promote the need to consider goals for usage and whether it provides functional improvement to a learning task. While utilization of technology is the demand for our times, we need responsible technology access for our kids.
Name: Quadsia Niaz
Age: 31
How many years have you lived in Cherry Hill? 19
School and degree: I have a master’s in public administration with a focus on community development from Rutgers-Camden.
Is this the first time you have run for the seat on the board of education? No. I am a board member for the Cherry Hill schools running for a full term.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
I’m running for an elected seat to ensure every student, regardless of background or ability, receives a high-quality education rooted in the basics—Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Growing up with a disability, I faced challenges in a school system that wasn’t always inclusive, which drives my passion for equity in education. I believe all students deserve access to strong academic foundations, along with the support to excel. My goal is to promote policies that foster inclusion, accessibility, and core academic growth, preparing all students for success inside and outside the classroom.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? I will concentrate on strengthening the fundamentals of education, while ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have access to the support they need to succeed. By promoting diversity and equity, I will work to create an inclusive environment where every student, from all walks of life, can excel in these core areas. I believe that a strong foundation in academics, coupled with a commitment to fairness and opportunity, is essential for preparing our students for future success.
To learn more about the candidates, see the Candidate Forum posted on the District’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCEo63wNw8M&t=1680s.
This article was updated on Oct. 16, 2024 to correct the Dean Drizin and David Bercovitch’s responses.
