Board Members
Mrs. Gini Varghese
President
Term Expires 12/2026
Gini Varghese and her husband have lived in Hillsdale for fourteen years. She has two children-a daughter who is a Freshman at Pascack Valley HS and a son who is in middle school.
Gini was raised in Bergen County and graduated from Teaneck High School. She has two Bachelor’s degrees in Science – one in psychology and one in nursing. She also has a Master’s degree in Science as a nurse practitioner. Gini has been a family nurse practitioner for twenty years and she currently works in primary care for Valley Medical Group while also serving as their certified diabetes educator. Gini has always taken an active interest in being involved with her children’s activities. She was a Girl Scout leader for six years, has coached both her children in various recreational sports, has been a class parent numerous times and has also served as corresponding secretary for the George White Faculty and Family Association.
Ms. Elizabeth Calderone
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2025
Elizabeth A. Neve-Calderone is the Deputy Director of Personnel at the County of Bergen. She specializes in working collaboratively with all departments and C-level executives. She is responsible for educating all employees new and old about what benefits the County has to offer; she wears many hats and deals with many other facets of Personnel. Elizabeth has a magnetic presence in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and energy to encourage all who work with her to do the best they can. Elizabeth was educated in the United Kingdom and is inspired daily by her husband and their four sons, three have graduated from PHHS and one who is currently a Freshman.
In her free time, Elizabeth likes to hike, travel, and listen to live music. Elizabeth's daily mantra is having a strong COMMUNITY spirit, seamless TRANSPARENCY, working in COLLABORATION with all and ultimately bringing UNITY to everybody.
Mrs. Stephanie Huang
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2026
Stephanie M. Huang lives in Woodcliff Lake with her husband, John Huang, MD, and two children, Stephen and Elizabeth, and dog, Dixie. Both children attend Pascack Hills High School. Stephanie was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in central jersey. She is an active volunteer with PFA. She has also volunteered to serve snacks for theater, co-leader for Girls Scouts, and coached for rec basketball. Her 20-year career was in pharmaceutical marketing and medical education.
Stephanie has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University (1995) and a Master of Science degree in Health Communication from Tufts University School of Medicine (1997). She has been dedicated to raising her children and serving the youth at church. Stephanie’s mission on the Pascack Valley Regional BOE is to collaborate with fellow board members to provide all students with academic rigor and character excellence.
Ms. Katie Keller
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2024
Katie was born and raised in Iowa, and has two loving parents, three sisters, one brother, and many nieces and nephews. Katie Keller currently lives in River Vale, NJ with her family. Although she considers herself to have been involved in the field of education since preschool and never having left, she has worked as an educator for the past 15+ years. Katie is currently serving as a Special Education Resource Teacher and Basic Skills Instructor (Interventionist) at Woodside Elementary School in River Vale.
Katie earned a bachelor degree in Global Studies, B.A. and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Early Childhood Education), M.Ed. at Arizona State University. She has since earned a Teacher of Students with Disabilities (TOSD) endorsement at New Jersey City University, and is seeking to further her education through Arizona State University’s Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation, Ed.D. program.
Katie is committed to aiding the community in developing generations of individuals, inclusive of all abilities, that will grow to become active and exemplary members of a scope of communities, ranging from local to global. She is devoted to encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, mindfulness, social-emotional learning, inclusivity, respect, community engagement, and a joy for lifelong learning.
Katie enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, scuba diving, baking, playing piano, learning, and rooting for the Yankees.
Mr. Pat Luisi
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2024
Pat was born in Polla, Italy and immigrated with his parents to Garfield, NJ in the early 70’s. He went to elementary school and high school in Saddle Brook, NJ. After graduating high school, Pat attended Rutgers University and obtained a BS in Industrial Engineering in 1990. He worked at United Parcel Service from 1990 through 1998 in a variety of roles including Research & Development, Engineering, Sales and Operations. After his time at UPS, he spent a year working as a consultant for Donald B. Cook & Associates and then went back to work in the logistics industry in June of 2000 and has worked in that industry since. Pat and his wife Rosa moved to Norwood, NJ in 1997 after they were married. In 2006 they moved to Hillsdale. Pat and Rosa have 3 children, 2 of which have graduated from the Pascack Valley School district. Pat has been volunteer coach for baseball, softball, basketball and football throughout the years he has been a resident of Hillsdale.
Mrs. Kristin Martin
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2026
Kristin Martin, along with her husband Christopher, have been Hillsdale residents since 1999. She currently has one child attending Pascack Valley High School.
Kristin has been teaching at Cavallini Middle School in Upper Saddle River for 22 years where she has taught Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. She earned her undergraduate degree at Rutgers College, Rutgers University and her Master’s Degree in Education at Montclair State University. She has worked within her district over the last 20 years developing and enhancing curriculum, analyzing data from internal and state testing and finding effective ways to use data to help inform instruction.
She served as a Board member on the Hillsdale Football Association for 8 years and coached youth sports in Hillsdale. Her husband, son and daughter also volunteer their time and expertise as athletics coaches in the community.
Kristin looks forward to working with the community to provide support in the area of curriculum, family-school connection, and supporting positive change during a challenging time period in history.
Mr. James Stankus
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2025
Jim Stankus spent his childhood growing up in nearby Park Ridge, New Jersey. As a young adult he lived in Montvale with his grandfather. There he met his wife Kathy. They moved to River Vale, New Jersey in 1999. Their four children attended the River Vale School system, and have attended or will attend, the Pascack Valley Regional High School.
Jim attended William Paterson University, where he graduated with a degree in history and secondary education. He spent the next two decades as a high school social studies and technology teacher. During those years he earned a master's degree in History and a master's degree in Educational Leadership at William Paterson University. Jim is currently employed as a High School Social Studies Teacher at Elmwood Park Memorial High School.
Ms. Debra Stephans
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2024
Debra Kradjian Stephans lives in Montvale, New Jersey with her husband Jason, their three children, Taleen, Alexa and Jack, and dog, Tux.
Debra is a New Jersey licensed attorney who has a concentration in employment and labor law. She currently is an adjunct professor at Berkeley College where she teaches legal and justice studies courses on-site, online and hybrid. Debra graduated from Teaneck High School and received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Seton Hall University. Upon graduation, Debra attended Pace University School of Law where she obtained her Juris Doctorate. Debra went on to clerk for the Hon. Bruce A. Gaeta, J.S.C. and the Hon. Sybil R. Moses, A.J.S.C. Debra continued working for the State of New Jersey and joined the Department of Law & Public Safety, Division of Law, as a deputy attorney general handling employment and labor matters on behalf of state agencies for over ten years.
Debra has always given back to the community. Debra was actively involved in the Junior League of Bergen County where she served as a board member for two years. After having school-age children and moving to Montvale, a town she has called home for the past eight years, she has been actively engaged in the Montvale schools as well as the town of Montvale. Debra served as co-president of the Montvale Parent Teacher Organization for two years. She has also chaired and served as a member on several committees, including the Mayor’s Advisory Committee and Mayor’s Gala. Debra has been the Girl Scout troop co-leader for her two daughters’ troops since their inception, assistant travel basketball coach for her daughters’ basketball teams, Montvale Athletic League recreation basketball coach and town coordinator for girls’ basketball, grades 3-5.
Debra is passionate about education and is looking forward to working with the other members of the board, community and superintendent in ensuring that our district continues to excel. Not only with regard to academic excellence, sports, clubs but also in allowing all of our students the opportunity to flourish to become future leaders and members of our community.
Mr. Michael Weaver
Board Member
Term Expires 12/2026
Michael and his wife, Jaime, have resided in Montvale since 2002 and their four children, Michael, Madeliene, Logan and Will, currently attend Pascack Hills High School or Montvale Public Schools.
Michael attended Ithaca College as an undergraduate, where he earned Bachelors of Science in Education and Exercise Science. After four years working in athletic administration at the college level, Michael returned to the classroom as an elementary school teacher, and student at the University of Pennsylvania where he completed a master's degree in Educational Administration. With over twenty-five years of experience as an administrator, teacher and coach, Michael is currently the Principal of Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Fair Lawn, NJ. An active volunteer in the community, Michael has served Montvale as a councilman, the Montvale Athletic League (MAL) as a member of the Executive Board and as a coach of multiple sports across the Pascack Valley. Michael’s top priority as a member of the Pascack Valley Regional BOE is to work with fellow board members in ensuring that all students have equal access to the best educational experience we can provide.