Meet Mark Sirota, An Upper Dublin School Board Member Who Is Seeking Reelection

UPPER DUBLIN, PA — Continuing on with our local election coverage, Patch brings to you a profile of Mark Sirota, a current Upper Dublin School Board member who is seeking reelection.

Read below the responses Sirota submitted to a candidate questionnaire by Patch.

Age (as of Election Day)

54

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

I have lived in Upper Dublin since 1998 with my wife Michelle. We have two kids, one who graduated last year with the Class of 2021 and one in the class of 2023.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Studied at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Rochester

Occupation

30+ years in Information Technology, specializing in security, privacy, and policy; authentication, authorization, and identity management; open source and open standards; and communications tools.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

School Director, Upper Dublin School District, since 2013

Campaign website

https://www.udalliance.org

Why are you seeking elective office?

Because I genuinely enjoy the work, I believe I'm making a difference, and I can't imagine a better place to volunteer my time. In the eight years I've been on the board I've found the work rewarding, important, not nearly as thankless as people often say it is!

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

While the needles are moving in the right direction, there are certainly places where conscious effort is always necessary. At the top of this list is ensuring that we can continue to deliver the product that the Upper Dublin community expects. This is a community that places high value on public education; it is the reason many residents moved here. To make this possible, we must focus our attention not only on the academics, activities, and athletics that are most visible to the community, but also on the infrastructure — the finances, facilities, personnel, etc. that underpin everything.

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

I have already served eight years on the board and am currently the second-most experienced member. In that time I have developed an awareness of the big-picture, long-term view which is very difficult to develop from the outside. I have an understanding of the role of the board, the external forces that shape our decisions including revenue streams from local taxes and from the state and the varied and complex set of laws and regulations that govern our processes and capabilities. These are things that are extremely difficult to gain from the outside, so a mix of experience and fresh minds is critical for a highly functioning board.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

N/A

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Embracing and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. Advocacy for public education at the state level. Maintaining a student-centered focus while considering the entire community.

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

A long career in higher education and eight years of board service with a track record of hard work, thoughtful leadership, strong collaboration, and excellent results.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Every change hurts somebody, and the status quo is hurting somebody. It's important to always be cognizant of who is getting hurt and who is being helped by every decision, even if the decision is to do nothing.

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

No Response