Patch Candidate Profile: Tina Malhotra For Ridgefield Board of Education

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Election Day on Nov. 4 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot.

Patch reached out to candidates for office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing their towns.

Candidate's Name:
Tina Malhotra

What office are you seeking?
Re-election to Board of Education

What town do you live in?
Ridgefield

Campaign Website

Party Affiliation:
Democrat

Occupation:
Senior Manager at Ann’s Place and I manage all events, volunteers, and community engagement.

Family:
I am the proud mother of a Ridgefield High School graduate who is now studying Biology and Economics Honors at St. Andrews University in Scotland. Like so many Ridgefield parents, I’ve walked the journey through our schools from the first day of first grade to graduation. I’m also Mom to 2 wonderful fur babies.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
I currently serve as Chair of the Ridgefield Board of Education, a position I’ve held since 2022 after joining the board in 2020. I also serve as Area Director for the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE), ensuring Ridgefield has a strong voice in state-level leadership and advocacy, because all means all when it comes to supporting kids.

Beyond the BOE, I’ve served Ridgefield as PTA leader and continue to serve through multiple community organizations, including the Youth Commission, Ridgefield Prevention Council, SOAR Together, A Better Chance (ABC), and the Rotary Club. I am still currently president, Lions Heart as well. My leadership in these organizations reflects my deep commitment to serving this town and building bridges across our community.

Why are you seeking this office?
I am running for re-election because I believe in Ridgefield and in the power of public education to shape futures. Serving on the BOE has been a privilege and a responsibility I take to heart. I want to continue building on the progress we’ve made strengthening academics, planning for the future, and ensuring every child in Ridgefield has the opportunity to thrive.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
The single most pressing issue is ensuring our schools continue to meet the needs of every child, today and into the future. This means investing wisely, planning with vision, and never losing sight of our students as whole people. With the new Alternative High School/Transition Building underway, stronger curriculum across grade levels, the introduction of elementary world language and academically gifted programs, and our ongoing Master Plan Capacity Study, we are shaping Ridgefield schools for the long term.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I bring tested leadership and a track record of building consensus. Under my chairmanship, this board has moved beyond politics. We vote collectively and cohesively because every member’s voice matters, and I have worked hard to foster that. My ability to listen, bring people together, and keep the focus on students is what sets me apart.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
Continuing to strengthen academics from preschool through graduation.
Supporting mental health and wellness for students.
Investing in facilities and long-term planning to serve current and future students.
Advocating at the state level so Ridgefield’s needs, all our children’s needs are heard.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Secured approval and funding for the Alternative High School/Transition Program building, now under construction.
Expanded curriculum opportunities, including elementary world language and academically gifted programs.
Led the board to undertake a Master Plan Capacity Study to ensure smart, forward-looking investments in Ridgefield schools.
Strengthened board operations, ethics, and collaboration, creating a culture where all voices are valued and decisions are made cohesively.
Represent Ridgefield at CABE as an Area Director, ensuring our town has influence in shaping state education policy.

Negotiated teachers, administrators, paraprofessional and all other bargaining unit contracts successfully

Under my leadership as chair, we have been supposed by Board of finance with zero cuts to the proposed board of education budget and also then supported by town in annual referendum vote
Building together a board that is connected to the community with a new proposal of community outreach committee, building of updates in the town weekly newsletter and overall ensuring the board is collaborating with all community.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
It’s a Sikh saying that is my north star: listening to another perspective does not mean you give it legitimacy. It means you show your humanity.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am passionate about this town. I love this community. And my service speaks for itself. I am bi-racial and multicultural and that has not always made the journey easy. But it has given me resilience, perspective, and the ability to collaborate across differences. Representation matters, and I will continue to bring my full, unapologetic self to this work. I am proud to be running with Kathryn Graf, Scott Sigel, and Angela Rice, who each bring needed professional, personal and leadership backgrounds to the Board. Ridgefield deserves to have the right team at the table.

I have stumbled, I have struggled, but I have never stopped showing up. My commitment to Ridgefield is real, it is tested, and it is unwavering. I am running again because our kids deserve nothing less than a BOE board that fights for them together. That is how I serve, how I lead, and how I will continue to fight for our schools, our children, and our community.