Three run unopposed for board of ed seats

Three candidates are running unopposed for seats on the Haddonfield board of education in the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Name: Steph Katsigiannis Benecchi

Age: 41

How many years have you lived in Haddonfield? Eight

Married? Children? Married with two children, 9 and 6  

School and degree:  Columbia University, B.A. in psychology, 2005, Fordham Law School, Juris Doctorate, 2010

Profession:  Lawyer in private practice, adjunct professor

Is this the first time you have run for a seat on the board? No. I am running for a second three-year term. 

What is your involvement in the community?  In addition to serving on the school board, I previously served on the boards of the Haddonfield Newcomers Club and the Haddonfield Friends of the Library. I also volunteer as an official for USA Swimming and Tri-County Swimming.  

Why are you running? I’m running for reelection because I believe strongly in our public schools and wish to continue to serve this community.  As an incumbent, I have the benefit of one term of institutional knowledge from which to build. I also bring the lived expertise of a parent of small children in our community, including as one of several families displaced from our neighborhood school due to over-capacity issues.   

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? For many families, including my own, full-day kindergarten is a necessity. In a September 2024 board presentation about a proposed referendum, the (school) superintendent showed how many more thousands of minutes could be devoted to math and literacy, and equally importantly, to the addition of structured play, which research overwhelmingly indicates is crucial to long-term academic success.

Name: Meg Hollingworth

Age: 46

How many years have you lived in Haddonfield? 11

Married? Children? Married, with two children

School and degree: Master’s in social work, University of Pennsylvania. Attended Randolph-Macon College in Virginia for an undergrad degree with a focus on English literature and sociology.

Profession: Project director. After completing my graduate degree, I worked at Northeast Philadelphia High School and then the city of Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless and Housing Services, I realized I wanted to make change and impact health care in a more systemic way. I joined a health insurance company and worked in numerous areas supporting expanding access to health care, population health management and clinical-program development. As a product director, I manage virtual primary-care solutions to expand member access nationwide. Everyone deserves access to high-quality, affordable and more convenient health care, and that is my guiding focus every day.

Is this the first time you have run for a board of education seat? No. I was successful in the November 2021 board election, and have served one full term thus far.

What is your involvement in the community? With young children and their extracurriculars, a demanding job and a busy life, I wish I had more time to become involved more locally. I am on the PTA, work closely with the South Jersey chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense and support alumni relations work with my high school, Moorestown Friends. And every July 4th, you’ll see me, my family and my wonderful Roberts Avenue neighbors marching – usually dancing, too – in the parade, bringing our long-standing tradition of camaraderie to life once again.

Why are you running for an elected seat? We have an incredible school district here in Haddonfield. But even wonderful things can be improved. My aim is to bring an inclusive and thoughtful perspective to the decisions and challenges our school district must address. Our schools are and will remain the bedrock of our town. I grew up in a family of doers – active in their communities, churches, schools, clubs and more – who stepped up when they saw a problem and raised their hands to get involved. My Quaker education instilled a focus on community service; it’s not only a privilege, but an obligation to serve when you are able. Improving our schools to support the education, growth, safety, and success of every student is my goal.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? As chair of the board curriculum committee, I believe academic rigor and excellence is paramount to our continued success. Additionally, we must adapt to address new challenges, technologies and academic methods that our students will need in future. I will continue to focus on enhancing the culture and climate of our schools. Developing the physical spaces our 3,000 students occupy is one essential element of helping them to learn, grow and thrive. Promoting kindness, inclusion and tolerance for others must also be reinforced in our schools by partnering with students, parents and the community to teach, model and support kids to be their best selves.

Name:  Matt Ritter

Age:  54

How many years have you lived in Haddonfield?  11 years in Haddonfield and 16 years in New Jersey

Married? Children? Yes, to Megan Ritter, one daughter, Finnley Ritter (age 15) a sophomore at HMHS.  

School and degree: Colorado State University with a bachelors in business administration/marketing

Profession: VP, Eastern Region for Subaru of America

Is this the first time you have run for a seat for BOE?  No, I last fulfilled a three-year term for the Haddonfield BOE from 2017 to 2020.

What is your involvement in the community? I am a trustee for the Haddonfield Educational Trust, supporter of HMHS athletics, and I’m a frequent visitor to Gracie’s Ice Cream. 

Why are you running for an elected seat? There is nothing more rewarding than giving of your time to your community, and in my opinion serving on the Board of Education provides unique opportunities to ensure Haddonfield schools remain among the very best and most respected in the state and in the country. The work of the board isn’t easy, but it’s important.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?  There are many priorities, but I am hopeful Haddonfield voters will approve the proposed school referendum to provide broadly needed improvements for all of our schools.  If it’s approved in December, I intend to assist with the successful implementation and communication of these improvements to ensure a superior educational experience for our students and teachers well into the future. Additionally, student safety remains a top area of interest for me.