endorsed SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR candidates
Joshua Hogan
Joshua Hogan is a community leader and outspoken advocate for individual rights committed to standing between government overregulation and the Pennridge community. A non-traditional student himself, Hogan is dedicated to expanding pathway options for Pennridge students and cementing the role of parent choice in educational decisions.
Together with his wife Kyrie, Hogan spearheaded the impactful county-wide grassroots movement ReOpen Bucks during the government mandated COVID lockdowns. As a critical thinker, he understands the importance of bringing together a team of people to accomplish a mission. Having met so many members of the Pennridge community, Hogan places a special emphasis on representing the family values that make the district special.
Hogan is a computer networking engineer with a degree in mechanical engineering from San José State University. He is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served in Force Reconnaissance and reached the rank of Sergeant. He lives in West Rockhill with Kyrie, their four young children, two dogs, and a small flock of chickens.
Jonathan Russell
Jonathan is a twenty-year resident of the Pennridge School District. As a husband and father of four, he has a vested interest in the success of our schools. As a trial attorney for the past thirty years, he knows how to resolve issues, even with his adversaries. He brings a logical, rational and reasoned approach to problem solving. It has been said that he is, “the opposite of what gives attorneys a bad name.” Given his professional abilities, Jonathan has been recognized as a “SuperLawyer” by Philadelphia Magazine for the past twelve years.
Additionally, Jonathan brings to the School Board over twenty years of experience in board governance with various non-profit organizations. As to his leadership style, he has a collaborative approach to board engagement which invites people to work with and not against one other. He understands that “the process” of reaching a decision can be as important as the decision itself.
Having been appointed as a Pennridge School Director to serve since 2021, Jonathan believes that our School Board’s primary purpose remains to develop policies which equip our students with the necessary foundational knowledge and skill sets to be productive members of our community. As a common sense conservative, he believes that the School District’s policies should be aimed at supporting parents, not assuming or subverting their role.
Bob Sellers
Bob is a Bucks County native and decades-long resident of Pennridge who is proud to live in a community rich in tradition and known for “neighbor taking care of neighbor.” After graduating high school, Bob went to work full-time at Merck & Co. and later enrolled in night classes at Penn State University earning his degree over a period of 10 years. He enjoyed a successful 37-year career at Merck working as a Team Leader in Marketing and Facilities Management, receiving over 30 awards for excellence for expanding services, streamlining processes and realizing cost savings.
Additionally, Bob brings to the School Board the ability to negotiate win-win solutions. He was involved in implementing self-directed work teams that fostered job ownership and improved work quality. As a result, he understands that any solution will be a better one when there is collaboration amongst the community and that the process of first listening to the community results in unity and strength.
Bob believes that Pennridge graduates should have the tools necessary to succeed in their chosen profession or trade, be able to establish families and give back to their community, whether it’s Pennridge or somewhere else in the world. As a common sense conservative, Bob believes the only way this can happen is when the primary role parents play in shaping their child’s education is respected. He also believes in a fiscally responsible approach to use of the community’s tax dollars, committing to ensure they are focused on both academic excellence and developing trade skills.
Barbara Vees
Barbara is a wife, mom and proud grammy. She grew up in Philadelphia and after living in surrounding areas for many years, came to Pennridge five years ago. She spent 35 years in the printing industry, traveling throughout the United States and Europe training others on pre-press computer systems. This experience taught Barbara to appreciate all types of people, from all walks of life and the need to assimilate with her environment in order to accomplish her training goals. It also cemented for her that America is the greatest country in the world.
At 52, when travel got to be too much, Barbara changed careers by attending community college and earning two Associates degrees in Exercise Science and as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Barbara applied her new skills to a group of young men with special needs who taught her to appreciate their uniqueness and saw that their individuality was so much more than the label of “special needs” could ever describe. She has since retired and dedicates herself to her husband, family and several local volunteer opportunities.
Barbara believes the role of a School Board Director is to provide students with the best opportunities for success. From attending School Board meetings and learning more about some of the issues facing the Board, Barbara believes a strong dose of common sense from all parties involved is needed to work through and resolve them. With such extensive real-life experience learning to work with a wide variety of people, Barbara knows that respectful, open discussion leads to better ideas. She brings a level-headed, common sense approach to tackling challenges.
Jim York
Jim is a graduate of Pennridge High School and a father of two. As a civil engineer, he has successfully managed and led teams in the heavy civil construction industry for 30 years. From this experience, Jim brings valuable skills in strategic planning, budgeting, and operations.
Additionally, Jim’s life journey is a story of victory over difficult circumstances, which has forged his character and molded his leadership style to meet challenges head-on, with a collaborative and pragmatic approach to a resolution. Jim seeks to use his life lessons by giving back to those who have also encountered difficult circumstances in life through involvement in prison support groups. And, because Jim believes in the greatness of America and the hope and opportunity it offers, he is a U.S. Constitution coach, facilitating Constitution classes in our region.
As a School Board Director, Jim will bring his distinctive combination of skills and experiences to positively influence the Board to lead our district into the future, resulting in productive long-lasting change for our community. As a common sense conservative, his focus will be on improving academic performance, expanding career pathways, improving civic responsibility, maintaining fiscal responsibility and ensuring parental rights are upheld.
MEET THE CANDIDATES for pa state courts
On November 7 the commonwealth will hold elections for a Commonwealth Court seat, two Superior Court seats and a Supreme Court seat.
Left to right:
Maria Battista for Superior Court
Judge Harry Smail, Jr. for Superior Court
Judge Carolyn Carluccio for Supreme Court
Megan Martin for Commonwealth Court