Candidates for Board of Education
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Four candidates will be elected to the board at the annual district vote on May 16, 2023:
- The three candidates with the highest number of votes will serve a three-year term beginning July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026
- The candidates with the fourth highest number of votes will serve a one-year term beginning May 17, 2023 through June 30, 2024
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Information about each candidate is listed in ballot order. Click on the name to view the information provided by candidates that details their experience and interest in serving on the board.
Additionally, introduction of the candidates for the Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 in the Gates Chili Professional Learning Center (GCPLC). The event will also be streamed live on the district's YouTube channel and is embedded below.
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Kathryn (Katie) Davis
"Katie Davis is presently serving her first year on the Gates Chili Board of Education. She is a Gates Chili alumna and has been a member of the community for a total of 30 years. Over the years that her own children have been students, she has been passionate about staying engaged in the district. Her involvement includes serving on the District Improvement Team and as President of the Paul Road School and Family Association, as well as participating in the district’s superintendent search. She is also a Girl Scout leader to a group of amazing young women. Katie holds a B.A. in Sociology from Syracuse University and has been employed by The Hartford for 20 years, currently as a Customer Support Specialist. She and her husband Shawn have two daughters currently attending Gates Chili in 11th and 7th grade. Katie is a strong supporter of public education and all that it offers to students of various backgrounds, abilities and interests. She understands the importance of being fiscally responsible while providing an equitable education for all students and hopes to continue the district’s work through her role on the Board of Education."
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Linda Palmer
"Linda Palmer has been a Spanish teacher in Brighton Schools for 25 years. She holds a BA in Spanish from Nazareth College and an MA from SUNY Brockport. In the course of her career, she has served on curriculum review committees for English, Special Education, and World Languages, among others. She has also participated in Brighton's strategic planning committee and Teachers' Center Policy Board as well as numerous hiring committees. Linda served in a leadership role in Cub Scout Pack 100 and was active for several years in the Neil Armstrong PTO. She organized and currently facilitates a support group for caregivers of students with school-related anxiety in Brighton. Linda and her husband Steve have lived in Gates for 23 years. Their eldest son graduated from Gates Chili in 2018 and is currently pursuing a psychology degree at SUNY Brockport. Their youngest is a student at Gates Chili Middle School with promising future in writing and illustration."
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Scott Bubel
"Scott Bubel is a Senior Quality Control Engineer with BCC Software and holds a B.S. in History from SUNY Brockport and a Liberal Arts degree from Monroe Community College. He has been a member of the High School Music Boosters as a part of the pit crew for 6 years and has also served as a chaperone for the music department. He also works as part of the leadership committee for ROCLug, the Rochester Lego User Group which organizes regular meetings and public events. Previously he worked with several public volunteer organizations in both a volunteer and leadership capacity. Scott and his wife of 12 years have two daughters. His oldest is a graduate of Gates-Chili class of 2020 and is attending SUNY Brockport. His youngest daughter is currently a student at Walt Disney Elementary School and will attend middle school in the fall of 2023. Mr Bubel grew up in the town of Gates and graduated from Gates Chili class of 1998. He and his family have lived in the district for the last 13 years."
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Robert Long
"Rob was elected to the school board June 2020. Rob is a 1998 graduate of Gates Chili and serves on the Safety/Security Committee. He is employed by the Town of Gates Police Department holding the rank of Police Chief. Robert serves as the Vice President of the Gates Chili Community Connections (GC3) and is on the Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Criminal Justice advisory board. Robert holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Gannon University."
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Catherine (Katie) Coffee
"Katie Coffee is finishing her second term as a member of the Gates Chili Board of Education. Katie is currently serving as the president of the BOE. She is an active participant in the District Improvement Team, District Equity Team, Finance and Facility Committee, and Education Foundation. She participates in the Middle School Equity Team and has also served on the Ad Hoc Committee and Policy Committee. Katie is committed to growing and learning to support the students of the Gates Chili community through engaging in book studies, trainings and workshops through the Monroe County School Board Association. Katie and her family have lived in Gates for eight years. Katie is a Special Education teacher in a local public school district and is completing her studies in educational leadership through the University of Rochester. Her children are students in the middle school and Florence Brasser Elementary which serves to strengthen her commitment to the continual success and improvement of the Gates Chili Central School District."
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Michelle Jennings
"Michelle Jennings serves as the Associate Director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Michelle’s educational journey has successfully allowed her to acquire a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from SUNY Buffalo State University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Medaille College. She serves on the Parent teacher association at Florence Brasser Elementary School as well as Gates Chili Jr. Spartan Basketball Team Mom. Over the years Michelle has consistently served her community through various volunteer activities: The American Heart Association- Heart walk, The American Cancer Society- Breast Cancer Walk, Trillium Health- food pantry, The Episcopal Church Home- resident companion, just to name a few. Michelle also serves as a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc® a service organization whose mission is to be of ‘Service to All Mankind’. When Michelle is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, trying new recipes, visiting museums, vacationing and serving her community. Michelle was born and raised in the Rochester, New York area and currently resides in Chili, NY with her high school sweetheart, their two children and one dog."
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Jahmar Elliott
"Jahmar Elliott is a seasoned Human Resources professional with over 12 years of experience in high-paced environments. He is a passionate humanity advocate for public education and a trained servant leader. Jahmar has successfully led and supported some of Rochester's largest employers, earning recognition as an Emerging Leader, an African American Leadership Development Program (AALDP) graduate, and a Causewave Community HR Superstar. He currently serves as the Assistant Director of Talent Acquisition & Staff Diversity Outreach at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he also earned his degree from the Saunders College of Business. In addition to his professional work, Jahmar has served on various community boards and currently sits on the Advisory Board for the Westside YMCA and has participated in numerous committee and subcommittee initiatives. Jahmar is also a small business owner of Elliott Lawn Care & Landscape Group. As Spartan parents, He and his wife Marina, along with their two sons (soon to be three), reside in the town of Gates."