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MEET THE CANDIDATES
New Leadership Dedicated to Delivering Results for Our Community
Dr. Kathleen Carroll
School Board Director Candidate
Hi, my name is Kathleen (Katie) Carroll and I am running to be an Upper St. Clair School Board Director. After completing my medical education and Residency at the University of Pittsburgh, my husband and I decided to make Pittsburgh our home. We chose Upper St. Clair in 2015 so that our children could attend the schools in this incredible district.
I am running for school board because I want to be part of ensuring that my children and all the children in this community continue to have the unique opportunities and experiences that we have all come to expect. As a full-time working mother of two active children with different strengths and interests, I am open-minded and will bring thoughtfulness to the board.
Dr. Sébastien Dubreil
School Board Director Candidate
Dr. Sébastien Dubreil is running to be USC School Board Director to serve the children of the Upper St Clair community and help them acquire the best possible education. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Modern Languages at Carnegie Mellon University, where he is also the Director of both the Modern Language Resource Center and of Online Language Learning. With over 30 years of experience in the areas of education and pedagogy, he brings with him broad and diverse experiences from multiple educational contexts including the US, France, Germany, and the UK. He has served as a teacher, a researcher, a curriculum designer and evaluator, and a program builder and program administrator. Sébastien has been involved in professional development, program evaluation, and accreditation processes.
Throughout his career, Sébastien has worked to create and sustain effective educational environments to help students successfully navigate their academic and personal lives and prepare for their professional careers. Over the last three decades, he has established a national and international reputation as a creative and innovative educator.
Sébastien is also father to a 10th grader and a 7th grader in USC public schools and has seen his children flourish through the wide variety of educational opportunities in academics, arts, and athletics in the district. He is eager to support and help further the mission of educational excellence that have long defined the USC Public School District. Specifically, he would like to contribute to the ongoing development of initiatives (from students, faculty, and administration), that foster inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and academic rigor. For having witnessed its benefits in higher education, he has a deep appreciation for the International Baccalaureate program and he hopes to advocate for the role of the arts as a complement to the schools’ academic and athletic programs so that all children can find a place to strive in their schools.
Chris Daley
School Board Director Candidate
Director, Digital Marketing, UPMC Health Plan
Executive Board of Directors at the Largest Cultural Campus for Children in the U.S., the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
Organizer and co-founder, TEDxPittsburgh
Hello, my name is Chris Daley and I’m excited to be running for Upper St. Clair School Board Director. We moved to Upper St. Clair with our two young and joyful children so they’d have access to a school district with a stellar reputation for continuous improvement through programs like the IB program, robotics, music, and more. I am committed to ensuring that not just my children but all children in our community are provided with the best education possible.
I’m a marketing leader at UPMC Health Plan and serve on the executive committee of the Board of Directors for the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, which is the largest cultural campus for children in the United States. Additionally, I’m the co-founder of TEDxPittsburgh, an educational platform serving over 4 million viewers and 10,000 attendees. For my commitment to the community, I have been recognized as one of Pittsburgh's 40 under 40 honorees.
I value finding creative ways to support experts doing their good work through funding, technology, and process improvement. I find purpose in using my award-winning marketing expertise to further the reputation of impactful institutions (like the USC schools). I put in the work to find consensus and balance on difficult issues by using data and evidence to make tough decisions. I’m running to bring a fresh, modern, and empathetic perspective to the table - whether it’s in my professional career or my extensive track record of serving the community - getting results for the greater good is part of my DNA.
Matt Kruk
School Board Director Candidate
Hi, I’m Mateusz “Matt” Kruk, and I’m the father of two young boys just starting their education at Streams Elementary School. I decided to run for School Board because I felt a strong need to give back to our community. In my opinion, the role of a School Board director is to be a non-partisan auditor, overseeing and evaluating the decisions made by the School Administration on behalf of the residents of the district. This is a role that demands unbiased and impartial judgements, as well as a strong code of ethics. With an Environmental Engineering degree from Columbia University, and having also spent the last 10 years working in the Oil & Gas industry, I know what it’s like to look at a controversial topic from various perspectives. In both my personal and professional life, bringing people together is one of the things I do best. If you vote for me, I’ll make sure everyone’s voice is heard so that together we can achieve what is best for our students.
Matt Wynne
School Board Director Candidate
Hello, my name is Matt Wynne and I am running for Upper St. Clair School Board Director. I am a proud parent of 2 wonderful kids, a 3rd grader and soon-to-be kindergartener at Eisenhower Elementary School. My wife, Katie, and I moved our family to Upper St. Clair in 2019 from Seattle to be closer to our families. We chose USC solely based on the reputation of the school district and have not regretted it for a moment.
I am running for School Board Director to ensure that we continue to provide our kids a first rate, research-based education that prepares them for their future. I am committed to bringing us together in support of providing our children with the best possible education. Professionally I am a marketing executive for technology companies, having spent time at Amazon Web Services, Alexa, and currently Wrike.com. I also run a small consulting business that helps technology startups go to market. I earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science from The Ohio State University and I hold a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Washington Foster School of Business in Seattle.
I look forward to serving our students, staff, and faculty as an Upper St. Clair School Director.
Tom Garvey
Candidate for Ward 1 Township Commissioner
My name is Tom Garvey and I am running to be the Upper St. Clair Ward 1 Township Commissioner. I grew up in this community and made the decision to return here in 2011 so that my children could enjoy the same positive experience I had. I am running on a platform that emphasizes providing amenities and services USC families want and need while keeping an eye on fiscal responsibility in a time of ever-increasing budget challenges.
As an engineering manager in the space industry, creativity is often demanded in finding solutions to complex problems. I have the experience and ability to cast a fresh eye on how Upper St. Clair moves toward the future. We have entered an era of political extremism and instead of continuing to divide and pursue only political ideologies, I pledge to bring our community together to find practical and reasonable solutions for our township. Will you join me in guiding our neighborhoods into the future? Show your support with a vote for me as Ward 1 Commissioner on May 16, 2023.
Casandra Hrvatin
Candidate for Ward 3 Township Commissioner
Hello, my name is Casandra Hrvatin. Four years ago, my husband and I decided we wanted our son to be provided with the superior education offered by the Upper St. Clair School District. We consider ourselves fortunate to have found our home in a wonderful neighborhood in Ward 3. I am running for Commissioner because I want to be a part of policy making that will reflect current interests of residents in the community.
I attended the University of Pittsburgh obtaining my undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy and my graduate degree in Health and Rehabilitation Science. Over the past fifteen years I have cultivated a wide skill set including relationship building, quality improvement, and team building. My current role of Community Outreach Coordinator enables me to network and serve families in this and surrounding communities.
I believe I am the right choice to keep up standards and strive for more. I look forward to serving you to uphold traditions while continuing our standards of excellence as we move into the future. I would consider it an honor if you would choose me on May 16, 2023 to help Upper St Clair’s legacy of excellence continue.
Sam Guarino
Candidate for Ward 5 Township Commissioner
Hi, my name is Sam Guarino, and I am running to be Upper St. Clair Ward 5 Township Commissioner.
My wife and I chose to establish and raise our family here because of the excellent reputation of this community and its schools. As a lifelong resident of the South Hills, the growth and prosperity of our area is important to me. I am excited to have the chance to direct its progress and development while building a strong network in our community. Being a teacher and father of three young children, my vested interest is in the growth and future of this community. Leveraging my skill sets from working in the public sector with information science, business technology, and applied research, I will create more opportunities for our residents.
Taking on this leadership role and collaborating with elected officials will let me help drive Upper St. Clair forward. Your support with a vote for me on May 16th will make a true difference in the future of our community.
Samantha Rapuk
Candidate for Township Commissioner at Large
Samantha was raised in Upper St. Clair, in the same house in which her father was raised, near Eisenhower Elementary. She moved to Brookside Farms in 2017 after living for 6 years in Bethel Park. The move back to USC was an easy choice for Samantha and her husband, Mike, when deciding where they wanted to raise their three children, now ages 10, 8, and 3.
Samantha graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later attained her Master’s in Healthcare Administration in Management from the University of Pittsburgh. She has worked in long-term care for over a decade and is the Executive Director of a non-profit, Continuing of Care Retirement Community. She volunteers as a board member on the VNA Hospice Board of Directors and has lent her expertise in healthcare and long-term care as a guest speaker at Carnegie Mellon University.
Samantha volunteers as a coach for her children’s sports and as a Judge of Elections because she believes that being an active member in the community is an important responsibility.
Samantha is running for Commissioner at Large in the upcoming election because she believes that we have to be the change that we wish to see in the world. She believes that while Upper St. Clair is already a wonderful place to live and raise a family, we could all benefit from making it more accessible and community-focused while maintaining those same standards from which all of its residents benefit every day.
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