School Board Candidate Peter O’Keeffe

Name: Peter O’Keeffe.

Age: 39.

Occupation: Vice President for the Local, International and Government divisions of Onward Healthcare.

Family: Married with one son in the fourth grade.

Education: Bachelor of business administration from Iona College.

As a lifelong resident of New Rochelle, a “product of the public school system” and the parent of a child in the fourth grade in the New Rochelle school district, Peter O’Keefe clearly has a deep-seated interest in running for the school board.

O'Keeffe has dedicated his efforts to the PTA for the last five years, and is currently serving as PTA treasurer this year.

“The Board of Education is in need of innovative board members that can offer out-of-the-box solutions,” he said.

"I am running for the school board because I believe I can provide this leadership. I am a volunteer for our schools and my son is in the district, so I have a personal, as well as a professional, interest in preserving and improving the quality of New Rochelle schools,” O’Keeffe said.

Eager to commit himself to maintaining the New Rochelle school district’s “high level of services and excellence with an ever-tightening budget,” he said he was motivated to prevent the current state of the economy from affecting the quality of education within the district.

“I will work in a collaborative way with other board members, administrators, faculty and staff to provide innovative cost-effective solutions that will allow the district to maintain and further enhance our schools,” O’Keeffe said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: There are six candidates for two five-year terms. The  candidates are Rachel Relkin, Naomi Brickel, Robert Cox, Peter O'Keeffe, and Dr. Salvador A. Fernandez.