By Sunayana Prabhu
HOLMDEL – Six candidates are competing for three full-term seats on the Holmdel Board of Education (BOE) in the upcoming Nov. 3 general election.
Incumbents Alison LoPresti and Anthony Libecci are seeking reelection, while board President Peter Reddy, whose term expires in December, is not running for another term.
The six candidates are running on two slates of three. LoPresti and Libecci are running alongside newcomer Peter Hayden under the Protecting What Matters banner. Jayme Lowenstein, Jen Ashkar and Deborah Wilson are running on the Advocates for Education slate.
Board members serve three-year terms, with three seats typically up for election every year. The nine-member board oversees district policy, the school budget and curriculum, among other responsibilities.
The district’s financial challenges have been one of the most discussed campaign issues this year. Last year, the township committee unanimously approved a one-time $600,000 shared services agreement with the BOE to help the district continue courtesy busing for the 2025-26 school year. The BOE eliminated courtesy and late busing services from the 2026-27 budget. According to the district, the transportation changes were intended to help avoid additional reductions in staffing and academic programs. Courtesy and late busing cost the district about $625,000 annually for 725 students, according to a district FAQ on courtesy busing published in March.
The district’s financial outlook, spending priorities and efforts to maintain academic excellence will likely influence voters’ choices in this year’s race.
The deadline to apply for mail-in ballots is Oct. 27. Early voting will run from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.
Note: The Two River Times reached out to every candidate to learn what they view as top priorities for the board. Candidate responses have been edited for clarity and length. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Jen Ashkar (Advocates for Education)
Jen Ashkar and her husband grew up in Middletown and returned to Monmouth County to raise their three daughters. She studied environmental geoscience at Boston College, where she rowed on the crew team, and completed a professional research program in conservation biology at Columbia University. For over 15 years, she has worked in environmental education and community outreach. In Holmdel, she has served on the board of Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU) for five years and was appointed to the township’s Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee. She has lived in Holmdel for 17 years.
“Our slate is committed to developing a long-term financial plan that protects the quality of our schools and makes the most of every taxpayer dollar,” Ashkar said. “Just as importantly, we want to put students back at the center of board decisions and create a healthier, more balanced academic environment.”
As a parent, she said she has spent years advocating for her children and would like to bring that same commitment to all Holmdel students. “I’ll support policies that put learning ahead of high-stakes testing by better balancing major assessment weighting, reducing unnecessary summer assignments, and creating more consistent exam preparation periods. I’ll work hard to restore families’ voices in the course placement process and expand opportunities for students to create pathways that reflect their strengths and goals,” Ashkar said. “High standards and student well-being are not competing ideals. Our children deserve an academic environment that challenges them while giving them room to grow.”
Peter Hayden (Protecting What Matters)
Peter Hayden lives in Holmdel with his wife, Amanda, a graduate of Holmdel public schools. His mother-in-law taught in the district for 14 years. He began his career teaching in Detroit and now leads an advanced analytics and AI team in the life sciences industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University and an MBA from William & Mary. Raised by a special education teacher and a physician assistant, he said he values educational opportunity and public service. He serves on Holmdel’s America 250 Committee and is running for the BOE for the first time.
“My top priority is protecting Holmdel’s educational excellence while preparing our students for the future. That means maintaining strong academic programs while ensuring responsible financial management,” Hayden said.
As the leader of an artificial intelligence and advanced analytics team, he said he understands how rapidly technology is transforming the world. “I want to integrate AI, data science, and digital literacy into Holmdel’s curriculum, giving students the skills to succeed in college, the workforce, and an increasingly technology-driven economy. Equally important, our teachers must receive the training and resources to use these tools effectively and responsibly.”
Drawing on his management consulting experience, he said he will also focus on identifying operational efficiencies, improving budget transparency, and protecting taxpayers from unnecessary increases.
“We can preserve our outstanding special education, STEM, athletics, and arts programs while embracing innovation. Protecting what matters means preserving today’s excellence while preparing students for tomorrow’s opportunities,” Hayden said.
Anthony Libecci (Protecting What Matters)
Anthony Libecci is the founder and president of Benemont, a benefits brokerage and PEO advisory firm in New Jersey. His work focuses on helping businesses make smarter decisions about healthcare costs, workforce planning and employee benefits financial structures. Libecci said he works with insurance cost structures, self-funded benefit arrangements and state compliance issues every day. He has lived in Holmdel for about seven years and has three children in the Holmdel School District.
Libecci’s top priority is to serve property taxpayers as the district faces financial challenges. “I’ve spent the better part of two and a half years developing a real working understanding of how this district operates – the budget process, the contracts, the ongoing initiatives, the administrative relationships, and the pressure points that rarely surface in any public document.”
On the district’s budget, he said, Holmdel’s taxpayers deserve a board that understands how the district’s healthcare costs are structured. “I’ve been vocal about the need for more aggressive advocacy at the state level. The formula that governs aid to communities like ours hasn’t kept pace with what we actually spend, and that gap lands directly on property tax bills. Pushing back on that – with the knowledge and relationships to do it effectively – is something I intend to do more of, not less.”
Libecci said he has been working toward building a better platform for proactive public communication, including “what’s being discussed, what decisions are on the horizon, what the tradeoffs look like in plain language.”
Alison LoPresti (Protecting What Matters)
Alison LoPresti has lived in Holmdel for nearly 16 years with her husband and two children (ages 12 and 11) who are attending Holmdel schools. She is also a stepmother to two adult children. She spent more than 20 years in financial services compliance, including 16 years at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) specializing in regulatory oversight, risk management and financial accountability. She was elected to the Holmdel BOE in 2023. She served as the board’s vice president in 2025 and chaired the Budget and Finance and Personnel/Negotiations committees. She also serves as a youth sports coach in the community.
LoPresti said her top priority is addressing Holmdel’s growing financial challenges without losing sight of what makes the schools exceptional.
“The next three years may be among the most consequential our district has faced. Rising costs, state funding constraints, and mandates beyond our local control are forcing increasingly difficult decisions about staffing, programs, services, and taxes,” LoPresti said. “We need to continue to examine how we operate, challenge longstanding assumptions, identify efficiencies, and be candid with residents about what is financially sustainable. At the same time, we must continue advocating for meaningful changes in Trenton because these challenges cannot be resolved locally alone.”
However, she added, balancing the budget cannot become the only measure of success. “Our students are achieving, our academic offerings have expanded, and our schools continue to earn recognition. We must preserve that momentum. My focus is finding a responsible path forward that respects taxpayers while maintaining the educational opportunities our children deserve,” LoPresti said.
Jayme Lowenstein (Advocates for Education)
Jayme Lowenstein grew up in Monmouth County. After earning her bachelor’s degree in natural resource economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she moved with her husband to Holmdel in 2011 to raise their two children. She has worked for the Holmdel Youth Activities Association (HYAA) for over eight years as an office administrator overseeing 14 sports. She also served as a HYAA commissioner and helped launch HYAA track. Lowenstein served as vice president and president of the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) for four years, and also served on the township Recreation Advisory Committee for four years.
Lowenstein said “putting the whole student first: advocating for students, supporting families” is her top priority.
“Success looks different for every child. We must support students with special needs, challenge those ready for more, help those who struggle, and prepare every student for their next step,” Lowenstein said.
As a BOE member, she said she would advocate for expanding opportunities for all Holmdel students. “Those pursuing college degrees should have access to challenging coursework, while students who struggle should receive the support they need to build confidence and proficiency. Students who thrive through hands-on learning should have opportunities to explore technical programs, internships, and real-world experiences. Every student deserves the chance to discover their strengths and interests.”
She noted that Holmdel schools have a strong foundation and the potential to do even more. “I would bring a parent’s perspective, a commitment to collaboration, and a student-centered approach to the board by listening to families and educators, identifying gaps in opportunities, and working together on practical solutions,” Lowenstein said.
Deborah Wilson (Advocates for Education)
Deborah Wilson has lived in Holmdel for 18 years. Her two sons have attended Holmdel schools since kindergarten. Wilson earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Loyola College and a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Rutgers University. For 22 years, Wilson taught in Freehold Township, including the past six years as an English Language Arts interventionist, supporting students who need additional help in reading.
“Holmdel needs a long-term plan for financial stability while protecting educational opportunities for our students,” Wilson said. Part of that plan, she said, is ensuring technology is used thoughtfully to support learning and prepare students for their future.
As an educator, she said she recognizes the value technology brings to the classroom, “but we must regularly review whether we are paying for duplicate platforms and whether the number of licenses matches student usage,” Wilson said.
“Preparing students for the future means more than teaching them to use technology. We must also help them develop the communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills they will need to succeed in college, careers, and everyday life. Technology should enhance, not replace, teacher expertise and the human connections essential to education.”
With the district facing significant financial challenges, Wilson said it has a “responsibility to evaluate the costs and benefits of our technology investments. My goal is to ensure technology serves a clear purpose and represents responsible use of taxpayer dollars.”
This article originally appeared in the October 22-28, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
