2022 Sag Harbor BOE Candidates’ Statements
Please see the sample ballot is included at the bottom of this page for write-in instructions. Note that a write-in candidate’s name must be written entirely as indicated.
Grainne Coen
I am running for the Sag Harbor Union Free School District Board as I believe a high-quality public education is one of the most important foundations for a successful community. I feel my professional experience and skill set will help with fiscal responsibility, accountability, transparency, setting budget goals and oversight. I believe that a healthy diversity of skill sets on any board is very important.
I have worked in the finance industry for over 25 years. For most of my career, I was a portfolio manager for a large institutional asset manager. Over the last several years, I have focused more on corporate board work where I serve in multiple positions, such as Co-Chair and Audit Committee Chair for several public companies. I am also a finance executive, as the CFO and President, of a Nasdaq listed company.
Sag Harbor has been such a welcoming and wonderful place to call home. We live here with our two sons, who attend the Sag Harbor Elementary School. I spent two years on the policy committee, and I currently serve on the audit committee for the school. It would be a privilege to have the opportunity to give back to the community through this important work.
Janice D’Angelo
I am running for the Board of Education for Sag Harbor School District as a Write in candidate.
I have lived in Sag Harbor Village my entire adult life, 35 years. I currently have two daughters in the district, at Pierson, in 10th and 11th grades. My son graduated from Pierson HS in 2013.
My husband and I currently own Greg D’Angelo Construction. Until last September, I owned and operated the Sag Harbor Pharmacy for 7 years. Prior to that, I retired as a Detective from the East Hampton Village Police Department. I started my Police career in 1990, right here in Sag Harbor. I was also a member of the Sag Harbor Volunteer Ambulance Corp. and served as the treasurer in the PTA.
The community and my service to it has always been very important to me.
The reason why I am running for school board is because I feel the BOE needs balance. I feel there needs to be more than one perspective. Many parents in the community feel their voices are not being heard. I would like to be the voice for the parents who feel they aren’t being heard or they feel that they cannot speak up. I would like the opportunity to be their voice. Parents are frustrated. I would like for these parents to be heard every day, not just once in a while, in a 4 hour board meeting. I would like to represent different points of view and ensure that parents have a voice in making educational and administrative decisions.
I believe in public education for current and future students and teachers. I would like to create a stronger bond between the entire school board, the administration and the parents and teachers.
As a member of the Board of Education I feel I can offer my personal experience, with children in the district as well as my experience as a multi business owner. I can help influence the fiscal health of the school district and where taxpayer money is spent.
Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself.
Heather Hartsein
Hello Sag Harbor Residents!!!
My name is Heather Hartstein and I am running as a write-in candidate for the Board of Education. I am a mother of five amazing children, lived in Montauk for twelve years and am currently in my tenth year here in Sag Harbor. I moved here specifically for the school district. I have been an elementary/special education teacher and consultant for over twenty years, both in and out of the district and on Long Island, with a specialization in behavior. For the past eight years, I have been teaching mindfulness/meditation/wellness in the local schools, including Sag Harbor, as well as to private clients.
My husband and I own a small business that serves Sag Harbor and many East End residents where I utilize my accounting degree to run all financial aspects of our business. Finally, I am a parent advocate for all of my children, but most especially for my son, Shane-a 5th grader at the elementary school who has Down Syndrome.
I have always had great pride in this district. My perspective is unique as I am in a position to work with students, execute programming with teachers, and discuss results with administration in order to address systemic change. I see all sides of the coin, if you will. This unique perspective is exactly the reason I feel I am a fantastic candidate for the Sag Harbor BOE.
The world has changed significantly in recent years, to say the least. In my opinion, it is far more difficult in this new world environment to achieve transparency and authenticity. Authenticity is critical when interacting with others, as well as inside of any learning environment, as it allows students space to share in a meaningful way. They know they will not be judged, therefore they are more likely to share how they really feel.
My strong intention is to provide an authentic voice for all community members and students. We are not all given the same amount of emotional resilience, but we certainly all experience the world and respond to it. I have the great gift of wanting to be of service as well as the emotional rigor to be able to provide it, regardless of others opinions or judgements. It is not an easy task, but an important one that my own life experience has taught me.
Please vote for Heather Hartstein for the Sag Harbor BOE!!
I look forward to the opportunity to serve our amazing community and LISTEN to ALL perspectives.
Ronald Reed
Dear Community Members,
I am running as the write-in candidate in the upcoming Sag Harbor School Board election, and I am asking you for your support.
My wife Patricia and I have 2 children currently attending Sag Harbor Elementary School. I grew up in a middle-class family, I attended public school when I was a child, and I want to serve on the board because I want to be more deeply involved with my children’s education, and to serve my community with my experiences and skills.
I believe the best organizations have people with a diverse mix of experiences, specialties, and backgrounds. My background as an Artist and Architect can be a valuable addition to the current BOE. I have three decades of experience in complex building types that range from higher education to public transportation, and this experience would be helpful in current and future decision about our district’s facilities for students, staff and educators. In my career, I worked in small and big teams, and I prefer to work in a collaborative environment. I am also an Artist, and I value the Arts and Creative thinking as much as Science and Math.
As a father of mixed-race children, I believe it is important to foster an environment where children from all walks of life, cultural backgrounds and races are valued and celebrated.
I serve as a member of the Planning Board for the Village of Sag Harbor, which has given me visibility to the Village governance, and I believe there are opportunities for the school district to work more closely with the Village.
My wife owns a business on Main Street that donates to local charities, our family is deeply committed to giving back to our community, we are proud residents of Sag Harbor, and it would be an honor to serve on the BOE.
I hope I can count on your support, and that you can write-in my name on election day on May 17th.