Deborah Anderson for SCASD School Board

My husband and I moved to State College in 2009 with our (then) preschool-aged children. My sons grew up in the State College Area School District and graduated from State High within the past few years, and I have always been actively involved in their education. I was a member of the Easterly Parkway Elementary PTO, Ferguson Township Elementary PTO, and Mount Nittany Middle School PTO, and I served as both Vice President and President of the FTE PTO. As my boys grew older, I shifted my volunteer focus to booster clubs relating to their activities, especially soccer and music (symphonic band, jazz band, marching band). I was elected to the SCASD Board of School Directors in 2021, and served as the chair of the Finance committee before becoming the board Vice President in December 2023. 

 

I graduated from Penn State University in 1993, and I earned my Ph.D. in Labor Economics from Cornell University in 1998. I held faculty positions at the University of New Mexico (Assistant Professor of Economics), Cornell University (Visiting Assistant Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations), and the University of Arizona (Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership). In 2017-2018, I taught several semesters as an adjunct instructor at Penn State’s School of Labor and Employment Relations. 

 

I decided to run for a second term as school director because I am passionate about education and I would like to continue to serve our community in this capacity. My children benefited greatly from the excellent teachers and programs available in our school district, and it is my hope that all students would feel that same sense of welcome and support in our schools.