Election: Seven candidates vie for three board seats

Seven candidates will vie for the three, three-year term seats on the Washington Township Board of Education in the Nov. 4 election.

Connie Baker and Julie Kozempel are incumbents, while Sean Lindsay, a former board member, is seeking another term; and James Masotti, Angelo Marano, Terri Schechter, Brandy Williams and Ben Smith are seeking their first terms.

The candidates were asked to complete a questionnaire. At press time, Baker, Marano, Williams and Smith had not responded. Answers have been lightly edited for space.

Name: Julie Kozempel

Age: 48

How many years have you lived in Washington Township? 39

Family: Children Erin, Steven and Kevin 

Education: Rutgers-Camden, M.A. in English, 1999; Rowan University, M.A. in Communications and Public Relations, 2000; Rutgers-Camden, M.A. in the Teaching of Literature, 2004; and Rowan University, Ed.D in Educational Leadership anticipated in spring of 2028.

Profession: English professor and department chair at Camden County College

Have your run for office before? Yes. I have served almost eight years on the board, and was president for three and a half.

Community involvement: Now that my children are older and in college and high school, my involvement has been the board. When they were small, I was a Girl Scout leader and coach as well as a PTO volunteer. 

Why are you running again?

I ran for a one-year term last year, so I am running again for a full term. When I was president years ago, we made a lot of progress, did not raise taxes, and had quick, efficient board meetings. There is a lot to fix, and I am always up for the job. Simply put, if you believe teaching is a profession and schools are places of learning, first and foremost, then I am your candidate. If you believe teachers are “glorified babysitters” and schools should be a place to advance political ideologies, then I am not your candidate.  

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if reelected?

I would concentrate on academics, since that is our mission as a public school and we owe that to our families. I also have spoken a lot about “getting off state aid” and how Washington Township needs to do so or we will lose local control or be taxed into oblivion. I understand school funding and budgets. I am VP of the Gloucester County School Boards Association and I am the alternate delegate from the NJSBA (New Jersey School Boards Assocation) County Association Leadership to the NJSBA board of directors. I want to use those county- and state-level positions to leverage the best experience possible in township schools.

Name: Sean Lindsay

Age: 40

How many years have you lived in the township? 20

Education: Deptford High School

Profession: Union electrician.

Have you run for office before? Yes. I have served on the board and am seeking another term.

Why are you running again?

I’m running for an elected seat because public trust has been eviscerated, infighting on the board has stifled positive growth for the district and I would like to get the ball rolling on ways to bring basic trades classes to our schools.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?

As stated above, public trust is a big issue that has plagued this district since last year. A goal of mine would be to bring as much information, as I’m legally allowed, to the public.

Name: James Masotti

Age: 39

How many years have you lived in Washington Township? 15

Family: My wife Kaitlyn and I have been married for 14 years and we have a daughter, Keira.

Education: Graduated from Millersville University in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with a degree in International Studies.

Profession: I spent the first 15 years of my career in supply chain and operations. I have since purchased two accounting firms. I am also a real estate investor and run a small property management company.

Have you run for office before? No, I am seeking my first term.

Community involvement: I am a coach for the youth bowling program at Westbrook Lanes. I also serve on the board of directors for the national nonprofit Healthy Kids Running Series.

Why are you running for an elected seat?

Our community and schools are struggling with both a lack of kindness and financial strain. I believe kindness and empathy are essential to healing our culture and creating the conditions for stronger academic performance. At the same time, my experience with budgets and financials, as a non-accountant, can help the district better communicate with stakeholders about the tradeoffs involved in passing a budget and creating a sustainable financial future. By combining compassion with transparency, I hope to foster a healthier, more collaborative environment for our schools and community.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?

After speaking with past board members, I’ve been advised to keep my objectives simple. If elected, my two goals are, first, to bring kindness and a calmer demeanor to the board; and second, to collaborate with the administration on a five-year budget that proactively involves the community. While I cannot implement this alone, I would work with fellow board members and administrators to increase public engagement. Our district faces many challenges, but we also have a passionate community ready to contribute, but only if we create the opportunities to include them.

Name: Terri Schechter 

Age: 41

How long have you lived in the township?: 16 years

Family: My husband and three daughters, 10, 8 and 3.

Education: Rowan University, BA in Communications, BA in English

Profession: Account executive, Disability and Leave, Employee Benefits Consulting

Have you run for office before? No. I am seeking my first term.

Community involvement: I’m the current board president of the Margaret E. Heggan Library and have served since 2020. I am involved in many local businesses and activities as a parent to three active girls. 

Why are you running for an elected seat?
I’m running because what happens in our schools matters now, for our kids today. As a mom of three and current board president of the Margaret E. Heggan Library, I’ve seen how clear planning, accountability, and respectful communication drive progress. Our district needs a long-term strategy, more transparent communication, and a focus on outcomes over conflict. I want to bring my experience in project management and governance to help rebuild trust, support our staff and ensure every decision is centered on students.

What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
I want to focus on stability. Right now, we’re still dealing with the impact of past boards putting off tough decisions, and that leaves layoffs as one of the only tools to balance the budget. There aren’t easy fixes, but there is a better way forward. By committing to a real long-term plan with clear goals and honest progress reports, we can stop reacting in crisis mode, make smarter choices, and keep the focus where it belongs—on our students.