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District » Board » Board Members

Board Members

2023 Board Trustees

Name                                                    Email Address                Committees
Joseph Lewis  -  President                  [email protected]                 All
Lance Bartletta - Vice President        [email protected]          Operations
Enrico Bolognino                                 [email protected]        Governance
Kelli D'Addetta                                     [email protected]         Governance
Christina DeBari                                  [email protected]             Education
Leah Farinola                                       [email protected]             Education  
Alexander de Hombre                        [email protected]       Operations
Abigail Gonzalez                                 [email protected]          Education
Melissa Howard                                  [email protected]           
Kelli D'Addetta                                    [email protected] 
 

Board Trustee Bios

Mrs. Christina DeBari
Mrs. Christina DeBari
Mrs. Christina DeBari completed her Bachelors of Science in Biology and Cytology at the University of Connecticut and is both the Cytology Laboratory and Pathology Office supervisor at Holy Name Hospital.  She has volunteered in Milo, Haiti to develop a Cytology Laboratory and works to maintain its function.  Christina was born, raised and educated in Secaucushas volunteered with the Parent Teacher Organization, various town organizations and coached soccer/basketball. She and her husband Chris have two children, Ian and Alexa. Christina has committed her time with the intention of making our students and our community better and shares that same passion with her involvement in the Board of Education.  She joined the board in January 2023  and encourages communication and hopes to provide support to both parents and teachers in our community. 
 
Alexander de HombreAD
Mr. de Hombre graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in Biology and Economics. He currently works in the Pharmacy Department at Palisades Medical Center. Alex has resided in Secaucus for almost 20 years. He and his wife, Sylvia, have two sons, Nicholas and Nathaniel. Alex has always been involved in the community through various forms. Alex has coached baseball and basketball and is currently a Cub Scout Pack Leader for local cubs. He has always realized that a good education is an integral part of a child’s future success and decided to run for the Board of Education to help ensure that the children of Secaucus continue to get the best education possible. Alex would also like to be a conduit between the Board and any parents, staff, and students who have concerns or issues with any aspect that the Board oversees.
 
 

Leah FarinolaDr. Leah M. Farinola

Dr. Farinola completed her doctorate of Education at Seton Hall University and is a Chief School Administrator of a special education school and adjunct professor in the Education Department at Caldwell University. As a school administrator, her expertise includes educational administration and leadership, policy and budget development, and human resources. Leah and her husband Mike are lifelong residents of Secaucus and love their deep connection to this wonderful town. They live at home with their Sheepadoodle, Daenerys (Dany). As a Class of 2000 graduate of Secaucus High School, Dr. Farinola had exemplary experiences with the dedicated educators of our public schools that ultimately led to her decision to pursue a career in education. As such, she wants to give back to her community and ensure that the SBOE continues to ensure the success of students, families, and educators, while engaging in meaningful, open, and honest conversations and transparent, data-based decision-making. Dr. Farinola ran for the SBOE in 2021 with Ms. Gonzalez and Ms. Kish.

Abigail GonzalezAbigail Gonzalez

Ms. Gonzalez has earned a bachelor's degree from Montclair State University and is completing her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Kentucky. She is a Special Population Coordinator with the Town of Secaucus where she works with children and families to connect them to community driven resources at the local, county and state level in addition to coordinating inclusive recreation and summer programs. Along with Ruby, Abby founded the Secaucus Special Education Parents Advisory Committee (SEPAC) to provide parents with the voice they needed to address systemic issues in special education. Ms. Gonzalez’s family has been a part of the Secaucus community since 2008 and her children attend our public schools. With a background in social work, Ms. Gonzalez’s goal is to understand what our community needs and wants and establish effective ways to build a bridge to those resources.  Along with Ms. Kish and Dr. Farinola, Ms. Gonzalez has a goal of creating a Board of Education that listens to and engages with the Secaucus community through increased accessibility, involvement, and outreach.

                  

                                               
Melissa Howard                                                  
Melissa Howard 

Mrs. Melissa Howard completed her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting at Felician College (now Felician University) and Master Degree in Public Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Melissa is also Certified & Licensed as a Municipal and County Finance Officer, which is required for her job as the Treasurer of Bergen County and also possesses a New Jersey School Business Administrator license. Melissa was raised and educated in Secaucus since she was nine years old, has volunteered as a youth basketball coach, cheer mom, and class parent. She and her husband Willie have one child, Bryanna. Melissa is an advocate for education, and is committed to keeping an open dialogue with students, parents, educators and administration to ensure that our children are receiving a top tier education and receiving it in a safe and accepting environment for all

 
Kelli D'Addetta
Kelli D'Addetta

Kelli D’Addetta was raised in Secaucus and a 1990 graduate of Secaucus High School. Kelli currently runs her family business AMA Project Management. She and her husband, John, have three children Anthony (Ithaca College), Matthew (Seton Hall University), and Ava who is a current student at Secaucus High School. Kelli has spent the past 20 years volunteering in the community. She has served in various roles with Clarendon PTA, including President.  She also served as Hudson County PTA Vice President. Kelli was a softball coach and religion teacher for several years as well.  She has been a basketball coach for the recreation department since 2013. She was a trustee for the Secaucus Board of Education from 2012-2015. In her free moments Kelli enjoys spending time with her family and can usually be found at one of her children’s sporting events.