Lindsay Bezalel

Lindsay Bezalel is a passionate and hardworking Westfield mother who wants to improve our community for the benefit of all Westfield children. Lindsay and her husband Johnathan (JJ) have lived in Westfield for 8 years. Their two children, Noah and Ezra, attend Franklin Elementary School. A strong community leader and devoted parent, Lindsay volunteers regularly at Franklin and spends a considerable amount of time walking her rescue dog Max and cheering on her sons and Coach JJ on the fields (rain or shine) and in various school gyms across the state.

Lindsay is a publisher of non-fiction books at Penguin Random House, where she has worked for over 18 years. In that role, she empowers readers to improve their lives by learning from the experiences of others. From this work, Lindsay carries a deep appreciation for the power of words and the importance of clear and consistent communication.

If given the opportunity to serve on Westfield’s School Board, Lindsay will bring the energy, collaborative spirit, and commitment that she has demonstrated throughout her professional career and personal life to improve all aspects of our schools. She will ensure the Board prioritizes a well-rounded curriculum and a safe learning environment where all students can flourish. Importantly, Lindsay will leverage her strong communication skills to help parents feel heard and to enhance the way in which the Board communicates on key issues and outcomes for our community.

Leila Morelli*

Leila Morrelli was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Speech-Language Pathology from CUNY Brooklyn College. Mrs. Morrelli holds her Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech and Hearing Association. She and her husband moved to Westfield in 2006 after the birth of their first child. They now have three children. Their eldest daughter is a senior and their younger twins are Freshman at Westfield High School. Currently, Mrs. Morrelli is employed by the Mountainside School District as a Speech-Language Pathologist working with preschool through middle school age children.

As a parent and in her professional life, Mrs. Morrelli is a strong advocate for children’s individual needs. Having worked in the education field for over 19 years, she is uniquely well-suited to approach a Board of Education position from the perspective of both a parent and an educator. In the position, Mrs. Morrelli will continue to bring her wealth of experience as an educational specialist who has worked well with all stakeholders: parents; teachers/staff; administration; board of education members, and the New Jersey Education Association. Mrs. Morrelli has been a dedicated Westfield Board of Education member for the past three years. Mrs. Morrelli’s goal is to continually support the students and staff to provide an atmosphere where all feel safe, represented, and included and where all have equal access and opportunity to thrive.

Sonal Patel*

Sonal Patel is the current President of the Westfield Board of Education and has a proven track record of service. She has co-chaired the Policy, Personnel, & Governance committee and has served on all Board committees. She has served as the Board Liaison to Washington and Franklin Elementary schools and actively participated in numerous New Jersey and Union County School Board Association meetings.

Mrs. Patel has been a middle school math teacher in Edison Township for 20 years. As a teacher who has taught and interacted with thousands of students and parents over the years, Mrs. Patel is well-versed in the intricacies of public school education, curriculum, and staff development.

Mrs. Patel has two boys who have benefitted from the outstanding education that Westfield school systems provide. They attended Tamaques Elementary School, Edison Intermediate School, and Westfield High School. Both boys were involved in sports, music, theater, and scouting.

Mrs. Patel has a bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Lehigh University and a Master’s in Education in Educational Leadership Instruction. She is Certified by the New Jersey Department of Education to teach K-12 mathematics.

With her Board leadership experience and professional background, Mrs. Patel is well equipped to address the practical realities, possibilities, and promise of public schools in our community.

Brad Schaeffer

Brad Schaeffer, a Chicago native, has lived in Westfield for the past 26 years. In that time he and his wife put two children through the entire WPS system starting at Washington Elementary, then Roosevelt Intermediary and finally the high school. Both went on to attend Lehigh University. Brad has been an active and vocal member of the community, including co-directing the Washington School Band where he put his guitar and piano skills to good use. You may have seen him playing music at either Festifall or AddamsFest in the past. He is, as you might imagine, concerned about cuts in the arts.

Brad is an independent, self-employed commodities trader. He is also a prolific author and columnist. His over 300 published articles on a variety of subjects have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, New York Post, National Review, the Federalist, The Hill, Daily Wire, Zero Hedge and others. He has also published two novels. His latest book is a light-hearted recounting of his time in the trading pits of Chicago and New York.

Brad is opposed to DEI in our schools, believing that in this highly competitive global economy education should focus primarily on the three R’s of “Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic”, not “Racism, Recycling, and Reproduction.” He also believes that parents’ opinions should be heard and respected. As such he hopes to foster a more amicable relationship between the administration and those whose children’s lives the board’s decisions will ultimately affect.

Mark Shore

Mark Shore and his wife, Allison, moved to Westfield in May 2007, where they continue to raise their two children. The oldest is a Freshman in College (Clemson) and the youngest a Sophomore at WHS. Their children have gone through the Westfield Public School system since First grade and they are passionate about continuing to improve Westfield’s Public School system for the kids. Mark has been an active member of the community since moving to Westfield. He has coached many of his children’s recreational and travel sports teams both in Westfield and at the Central NJ JCC, located in Scotch Plains. Mark has been involved in and held multiple Board positions for various entities. He held multiple positions at the Westfield Day Care Center, including but not limited to Vice President and President. He has volunteered and been on the Advisory Board for the local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. He is the Co-Founder and current President of the Board of a Not For Profit, Leprecohen Charitable Organization which has raised and distributed more than $100,000 to various local charities and organizations since its inception in 2020. In 2010, Mark founded an Insurance Consulting business, Atlas Consulting Services, LLC, located in Downtown Westfield since 2016.

Julie Steinberg

Julie and her family have happily resided in Westfield for the past 12 years. She and her husband have two children aged 15 and 18, who have benefitted greatly from our schools (Jefferson, Edison, WHS). As the daughter of a career public school teacher who taught her to stay involved in education, Julie actively volunteered and advocated in our district while regularly attending BOE meetings. Her advocacy has yielded strong results in areas including Holocaust education, Special Education and Disability awareness, and STEM. Her efforts have contributed to a dual-enrollment Holocaust and Genocide course, inclusive sports programs and a new robotics class. She has volunteered as a Special Education PTC representative and has served as the coach of the WHS robotics team.

Julie has more than 20 years professional experience as a financial crimes compliance executive. She is a graduate of Rutgers College (BA) and NYU (MA, Business Education). In her spare time, she loves to read, cook, garden and play with her dog, Cooper. As a board member, she would prioritize the expansion of dual-credit programs to allow WHS students to receive college credit, explore early education opportunities including kindergarten and childcare and promote improved counseling services throughout the district by analyzing student needs and implementing best practice support services that will optimize student performance.