On Nov. 4, six candidates will compete for four, four-year terms and one two-year term on the West Jefferson Hills school board, according to the Allegheny County official candidate list. Democrat Katie Noel is on the ballot for both four- and two-year terms, while incumbents Kristin Shoemaker, Ashley Malley, Kimberley S. Finnerty, Adam Rice and Chris Zacur are seeking re-election. Shoemaker, Finnerty and Rice are cross-filed as Democratic/Republican, while Malley and Zacur are filed as Republicans. Here’s more about the candidates.

Kimberley S. Finnerty

Republican

Age: Declined to answer

Occupation: Healthcare administrator; registered nurse; mom

Education: Bachelor’s degree in nursing; master’s degree in nursing administration

Community Involvement: Current school board member; Air National Guard, officer; member of the Steel Center Executive Advisory Council, chairperson

Years Residing in District: 20

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

Balancing educational excellence with fiscal responsibility is one of the most important duties of a school board member. My approach would focus on efficiency, accountability and prioritization. Before pursuing new projects or services, I believe we must ensure that current resources are being used effectively and that every dollar spent contributes directly to student learning, safety and well-being.

I would advocate for data-driven decision-making — evaluating costs, outcomes and long-term benefits to determine which initiatives truly support our students. Whenever possible, we should seek grants, partnerships and shared services to offset costs before considering any tax increases. The goal is to be fiscally responsible stewards of public funds while still providing a safe, high-quality learning environment. Responsible spending and transparent communication with taxpayers can allow us to move forward strategically without placing unnecessary burdens on families.

Do you think that there is a place for partisan politics on a school board?

The role of a school board is to govern in the best interest of students and the community. Decisions must be based on objective information, established policy and the educational needs of students rather than party affiliation or ideology.

A professional, nonpartisan approach promotes trust, collaboration and accountability. Maintaining integrity and impartiality ensures that board actions support safe, efficient and effective schools for all students. Open communication among board members is essential to this process, allowing for the discussion and respectful challenge of ideas without fear of repercussion or judgment. This culture of transparency and mutual respect strengthens decision-making and reinforces the shared goal of serving students first.

Ashley Malley

Republican

Age: 39

Education: Bachelor of Science

Occupation: Talent acquisition manager

Community involvement/volunteer work: Donate to and support organizations that offer care packages to veterans, and fought against a cell phone tower for my community. Contribute donations to community members in need.

Years residing in district/municipality: 39

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

When considering new projects, we evaluate cost against our resources and make the best possible decision for the entire district.

Do you think that there is a place for partisan politics on a school board?

Our job as trusted, elected officials is to follow the policies and procedures set forth by the Department of Education in Pennsylvania.

Katie Noel

Democrat

Age: 41

Education: Master of Business Administration in Human Resources/Leadership; Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing, minors in Women’s Studies and Music from Waynesburg University

Occupation: Higher education admissions/advising; K-12 substitute teacher

Community involvement/volunteer work: McClellan Elementary (Grades K-2); Parent Teacher Association: President 2020-21, committee chair for Scholastic Book Fairs for five years, committee chair for Community Outreach Committee organizing drives for Foster Love, food pantries, and holiday giving. Homeroom Parent for five years. Jefferson Hills Intermediate School (Grades 3-5) Parent Teacher Association: Committee Chair of Teacher and Staff Appreciation for three years, Homeroom Parent for two years. Mon River Arts volunteer. South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM)- pantry and clothing closet. Pleasant Hills Church: Sunday School teacher. Brownie Troop 10181 co-leader: 2025-26. Recently accepted into the Education Voters of PA Public Education Champions program.

Years residing in district: 6 years

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

There is certainly a difference between needs and wants when it comes to fulfilling long-term goals within a school district. A financial strategy needs to be adopted where not only do we rely on local, state and federal funding, but also outside funding that is available to districts. There are many grants and sources of funding in which districts can take advantage of and our district is currently seeking out those sources. In regard to new projects and services, our district, for example, does not currently have adequate space in some of our school buildings for the amount of children who are enrolled in our schools. In some cases, our classrooms are bursting at the seams and our teachers, staff and resources are stretched very thin. Raising local taxes sometimes has to be done in order for a community to invest in their future leaders and citizens, but I believe that all other sources of funding must be exhausted first, as well as potentially reallocating funds from areas of lesser need. I also feel there should be clear transparency and discussion with taxpayers in the district before any decisions resulting in increases are made. Taxpayers deserve to understand exactly where the money is going and that it is fulfilling a crucial need within the district that aligns with the mission and goals.

Do you think that there is a place for partisan politics on a school board?

First and foremost, public schools exist to serve and provide an equal education to all children. School boards exist to ensure that this happens and hold administration accountable regardless of anyone’s political affiliation or partisanship. It is imperative that all members of a board make decisions that are in the best interest of the children and the community. With this being said, only five states in the U.S. continue to have partisan elections for school board candidates, and Pennsylvania is one of them. In order to run in the primary, school board candidates must file under their political party and in Pennsylvania, they can cross-file, which can place them on both Republican and Democratic ballots. This can cause a lack of transparency on where candidates stand regarding issues that school boards face in today’s society. I believe there was once a time when school boards could remain bipartisan in all aspects of the position, but recent history has shown that division is present, hence the importance of diverse representation.

Adam Rice

Cross filed

Age: 48

Education: Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh

Occupation: Pharmacist by training, small business owner of Spartan Pharmacy

Community involvement/volunteer work: West Jefferson Hills incubator program, dedicate my time as a mentor and coach.

Years residing in district: 17

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

In all honesty, a school district’s ability to raise and grow revenue is incredibly limited. I have raised questions on how the WJHSD could possibly grow our current funds, and have reached out to our local state representatives and senators, pleading with them to update our incredibly outdated state pension fund and methodology for managing district funds. I asked the question if we could possibly invest in gold ETF’s, which are up over 60% year over year, but current state regulations prohibit such “risky” investments with public monies, and while I understand the thought process behind the regulations, they are failing our communities. Things above the school board or district level need to change first. We are in a current state of monetary debasement, meaning that our dollars today purchase less tomorrow — and that affects everyone. Our senior citizens are strapped with fixed incomes, and yet our district is one of the fastest-growing districts in the state. I am continually impressed with our administration’s willingness to do more with less, but at some point, our political leaders need to make massive changes to the funding system to take advantage of all of the new and unique financial opportunities that this new technology-based economy is going to present. I am happy to talk to everyone from my local representative, all the way up to our Governor and State Treasurer, if given the opportunity.

Do you think that there is a place for partisan politics on a school board?

That is like asking if a company’s corporate board should be politically partisan. A school district is a company. Period. We must work within our budget, and our product is the future leaders of America. I’m proud to say that the WJHSD School Board brings no drama to the table. We are dedicating our time to ensuring that our children and teachers are given every opportunity to succeed. Our administration, teachers and test scores are excellent. Our athletes win. Our arts department inspires and draws awe. That is not a coincidence. The WJHSD school board does what every taxpayer should demand — we meet to address the challenges that the district faces, and we work together to find the best solution every single month.

Kristin Shoemaker

Republican

Age: Declined to answer

Education: BSN in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh

Occupation: Nurse supervisor

Community involvement/volunteer work: Past president of TJ Soccer Boosters, past vice president of Gill Hall PTA, past deacon at Pleasant Hills Presbyterian Church

Years residing in district: 15

With state funding often limited, how would you balance the need for new projects or services with the responsibility to keep taxes manageable?

We prioritize spending by evaluating costs and managing existing resources efficiently. We have transparent financial planning.

Do you think that there is a place for partisan politics on a school board?

Yes, there is a place for partisan politics on school boards since we follow the policy and procedure from the PA Department of Education.

Chris Zacur

Republican

Age:53

Education: California University of Pennsylvania

Occupation: Business owner/general contractor

Community involvement/volunteer work: Currently, vice president of the school board, finishing my second full term. Previously served as president and treasurer of TJ wrestling boosters for 10 years.

Years residing in district: 31 years

With limited state funding, how do you balance new projects or services with managing taxes?

As a school board member, I work with fellow members and administrators to ensure fiscal responsibility while prioritizing students’ best interests. We monitor expenditures and revenues, seek innovative funding sources such as grants and partnerships, and make decisions that balance student needs with taxpayer accountability.

Do you think that there is a place for partisan politics on a school?

Serving as a board member in our district is a great privilege. Our current board, as well as the administration, are aligned and focused to do what’s right for our community, staff and most importantly, our students. We are a board of 9 and sometimes opinions vary; that’s one of the reasons we work well together. We want to be bipartisan to our students.

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