East Brunswick Board Of Education General Election 2025: Marianne Tanious

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – In July this year, Marianne Tanious was appointed as a Board of Education member, filling in for the seat left vacant by Laurie Lachs.

A lifelong East Brunswick resident, Tanious has been closely involved in the school district for years.

She is now seeking a three-year term on the BOE and has outlined her vision for the school district in a Q&A with Patch.

Patch sent out a questionnaire to all candidates seeking a seat on the BOE. Their profiles will be published as received.

Are you running for office in East Brunswick? Contact Sarah Salvadore at sarah.salvadore@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements.

Marianne Tanious

Age: 42 Town of residence: East Brunswick

Family: Widowed, 2 children in East Brunswick schools. My whole family still lives in town, including my parents, who are now retired members of the community.

Education: Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD), Rutgers University

Occupation: Executive Director, Head of Global Pharmacovigilance Operations at Arvinas; Currently also Acting Head of that division

Previous or current elected or appointed office: Board member filling a vacancy since July 17, 2025

Why are you seeking a seat on the BOE?

I graduated from East Brunswick schools with an education so robust that it prepared me for a doctorate program immediately upon graduating high school. Now with 2 children in our schools I see where there is room for improvement. My interest in board matters began years ago during the rollout of a new math curriculum. Alongside other parents, I actively sought to identify gaps and work collaboratively with school leadership to improve the process. Since then, I have consistently attended or watched every board meeting and made it a priority to voice community concerns. Coupled with this being a pivotal time for change in our district, I was compelled to fill a vacancy back in June and to ultimately run for the three-year term.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

I am deeply rooted in this community. Not only did I grow up here and graduate from our schools, once my own children were in school, I was immediately involved. For the past nine years, I have served on a PTA board, three years of which I was serving on two boards for two schools at the same time due to a need that had not been filled. For the past four years, I have been a PTA president, including a year where I didn’t have a child in the school because I genuinely believe in supporting every student’s experience. Professionally, with a career in corporate healthcare, I bring a unique vantage point. The corporate aspect allows me to tap into my expertise in fiscal management and governance, while the healthcare aspect allows me to tap into the same compassion and nurturing needed to guide decisions for our students and staff.

What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing the school district?

Sustainable money management. We’re in a time where every dollar must have a purpose and that means ensuring that our budgeting process is transparent, strategic, and aligned with student outcomes. We need to take a closer look at how resources are allocated, not just how much we’re spending, but what results we’re getting from those investments. That includes examining contracts, administrative costs, and program effectiveness to make sure our priorities truly reflect the classroom and student needs first. We need long-term financial planning, community transparency, and accountability for how funds are used. When taxpayers and parents can clearly see how their money translates into quality education and student success, trust grows and that’s the foundation for a strong, sustainable school system.

Are you happy with the way the district has handled state aid cuts and budget issues? What would be your approach?

My perspective is that a lot of our budgetary decisions are reactive instead of proactive. We need to reallocate and prioritize funding, look at alternative funding sources, and look for efficiencies. It’s time we start embracing sustainable technologies like solar energy and smart thermostats to drive long-term efficiency. I believe our district also needs to take a more active role in state-level advocacy. As a private citizen, I was already advocating at the state level for East Brunswick, including meeting with the senator who is the education committee chair. By doing so, we can make sure our local priorities are heard and our resources are used as effectively as possible. We cannot overlook opportunities to be a stronger voice at the state level to advocate for fair funding and better support for our educators.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the school district?

The other issues are all grounded in my vision for the district if I am elected, and they’re “rooted” in my name (T.A.N.I.O.U.S.):

• T-Transparency: Open, honest communication that builds trust
• A-Accountability: High standards for policies and outcomes
• N-Nurturing: A supportive environment for students, teachers , and staff
• I-Integrity: Ethical and fair decision making
• O-Opportunity: Equitable access to programs and resources (including discussions around a new high school and redistricting)
• U-Unity: Strong collaboration among families, schools, and the community, including families who have children out of district and our senior community
• S-Strategic vision: Long-term planning focused on student success

What, according to you, is the one thing the district has been most successful in doing this past year?

Our students this past year and consistently demonstrated college readiness and high academic outcomes. With that said, there is always room for improvement in order to maintain the robustness of the standards that an East Brunswick education prepares our students for. With the addition of our new superintendent, I am committed to holding leadership accountable and upholding our shared goal of providing the highest quality education for all students.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

Since joining the Board of Education in July, I’ve had the opportunity to demonstrate my energy for advocacy and my commitment to holding the administration accountable, beginning on day 1. Despite my relatively short tenure on the board, I’ve been able to make a significant impact across multiple areas, and shift the culture as is reflected by watching meetings from July 17 to date.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I care deeply about this community, and I know the perspective and energy I bring are uniquely my own. I’m invested in building strong, supportive, and forward-thinking schools that our community deserves, because schools are the heart of who we are in East Brunswick. This election, Vote Marianne T in column 3!