Candidate Profile 2021: Yota Palli, Council Rock Board Director

NEWTOWN, PA — Yota Palli, owner and CEO of Corfu Palma Boutique Hotel, is a Democrat running School Board Director for the Council Rock School District out of Region 8.

Palli, a business owner, has been a Bucks County resident for over 25 years, having lived in Upper Makefield for 18 of them. Her experiences in her own education and the education of her children have had a large impact on her, and she said that the education and well-being of students in this district will be some of her main priorities.

If elected, this would be Palli's first elected or appointed office.

The general election will take place on Nov. 2.

Here's Palli's profile, as filled out by the candidate:

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

My husband, Lukas Makris, and I have lived in Upper Makefield for 18 years, in Bucks County for more than 25, where we are raising our children, Andreas and Christina.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

MBA in Finance and Strategy, Wharton Business School
M.S. in Mathematics, University Of Minnesota
M.S in Statistics, University Of Minnesota
B.S in Mathematics, University of Patras

Occupation

Over 30 years experience in Life Sciences and owning and running businesses. After working at Merck Pharmaceuticals, I co-founded a Clinical Research Organization specializing in Oncology Trials. I took on active and leadership roles in social impact and life-sciences private investments. I am the owner of a boutique hotel and two commercial office buildings.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/votef...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have experienced firsthand the value of a good education. I was raised by a working family in Greece and came for graduate school in the U.S. Without a stellar education and hard work I would not have been able to succeed. I appreciate everything I have experienced in this country and I am committed to use my knowledge, experience and skills to serve and give back to my community.
Our school district is at critical point in its history and this election will determine if we'll all be able to come together to build a greater future or allow politics and national agendas to interfere with what is best for our local community and drive us apart.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our community is divided and polarized. I plan to bring it together with respect, compassion, empathy and thoughtfulness. We must help our kids academically, socially and emotionally, especially as we recover from this pandemic. We can achieve more by being united by our common objectives and civil to each other. The majority of the current school board to date has disregarded the opinions of the medical experts and voted for the students to return to school without proper safety guidelines. We need to protect our children and make sure that schools are open and our children are safe and stay in school.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My opponent is against science-based mitigation measures in schools and disregards the opinion of the experts such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC guidelines and the guidelines of our local Health Department. He promotes civic disobedience which is destructive for someone who runs for public office, especially representing a student body where we are teaching citizenship and Democratic principles. He believes that our children are indoctrinated by our teachers and is alienating our teachers and administration who are the heart and soul of our educational system.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I believe in science, and in responsible fact-based decision making. We need to keep our children safe in the schools and keep the schools open and functional.
I’ll prioritize our students and their education over politics, and I’ll build a strong community of parents and teachers.

I’ll work hard to keep our district strong and increase our property values. Council Rock has a bright future ahead of it, if under the right leadership. While my opponent has relied upon conservative forecasts to suggest Council Rock is headed into bankruptcy, the latest Finance Committee report shows our financial position is strong. These fear-driven false tactics have been used to vote against much needed renovations proposed by responsible Board members that would have saved us millions by ensuring the schools are modernized now, not repaired as they break.
We want Council Rock community to have high educational rankings, good property values, and reasonable taxes. I never made decisions about my own business without looking at the details, and I won’t do that as your Board member. The budget must be balanced properly. I'll advocate for responsible spending, cut waste when necessary and ensure that our students and teachers have the resources they need to succeed.

We need first to keep students safe in school, so we can educate them properly. We must invest in STEAM education so our children are ready to compete in a global economy.
It's critical to prepare our students to lead in a diverse world where they will work with people of different backgrounds, political and religious beliefs, social cultures and ethnicities.

Every child is different, and we need to build a community that supports everyone, in every step of their journey from elementary school through high school. We need to celebrate the diversity that we have and be broadly inclusive.
Council Rock School District’s 2019-2023 strategic plan has a well defined strategy to embrace and incorporate diversity in all of its various dimensions, and continue to build an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students and District stakeholders.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Serving on a board is very much like running a company; Setting strategy and priorities, creating and balancing budgets, making hiring decisions, working with experts and teams. I have an MBA from the Wharton School in Finance and Strategy and I have extensive experience running businesses successfully. I built my businesses through a combination of well-placed investments, prudent spending and a relentless focus on the real issues. I’ll bring that same focus, experience and fiscal responsibility to the School Board.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If you work hard, everything is possible.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am honored to have received the endorsement of our current school board director, Republican, Andrew Block. He is confident that I'll continue our legacy of success and not tear it down with adverserial politics. While I'll bring my own experience I am committed to continuing the collaborative and apolitical approach that served so well my predecessors, Andy Block and Dr Paul Anagnostakos.