Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Timeline
BusinessAnalyst

Karen Callahan

Cranbury,New Jersey

Summary

Dedicated and results-driven leader with 11 years of expertise in school districts and community service. Skilled in implementing policies, procedures, and programs that have positively impacted school districts. Adept in optimizing relationships with board members, administrative teams, colleagues, local government, and members of the community. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.

Overview

10
10
years of professional experience

Work History

COVID-19 COORDINATOR

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
03.2022 - Current
  • Manage and coordinate the district’s response to the dynamic challenges created by the public health emergency
  • Facilitate the monthly COVID-19 meeting with district stakeholders, the local health department, and the school physician, providing updates and recommendations regarding COVID-19 related matters
  • Communicate a weekly executive summary for the district’s cabinet team and nursing staff to include districtwide cases and trends, CDC and NJDOH guidance and protocol revisions, updates to the virus’ evolution and variant mutations, vaccine information, forecasted modeling, and the impact on the district
  • Update the district's COVID-19 website tab by posting weekly cases, quarantine and isolation protocols, and testing program and ensuring content remains current
  • Develop standardized COVID communications and protocols for staff, families, and community notification
  • Revise and implement the district’s quarantine and isolation protocols in accordance with the CDC, New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey Executive Orders, and guidance provided by the New Jersey Department of Health while prioritizing a commitment to in-person instruction
  • Coordinate district stakeholders in revisions of the ESSER LEA Plan for Safe Return Fall 2022 and Winter 2022 submissions to the Department of Education
  • Implement the district’s at-home test kit program funded by the New Jersey Department of Health
  • Design and implement a formal process for reporting student and staff cases for case investigation and contact tracing purposes

PRESIDENT

CRANBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION
01.2018 - 12.2021
  • Elected by colleagues to lead cross-functional and diverse teams to drive results and have an impact on the shared goals of the board and community
  • Represented the united voice of the board to the district, media, and community
  • Managed multifunctional teams in a successful referendum process resulting in the $18.4M approval of improvement projects for the district
  • Collaborated with the administrative team to launch the district’s Pandemic Plan to completely pivot to a remote learning model in record time, while providing continuity of instruction and services
  • Initiated a partnership with Penn Medicine Princeton Health to provide the first on-site COVID vaccination clinic for educators in Middlesex County
  • Designed the board's framework through an effective committee structure, and reporting process, and established a standard of best practices
  • Managed key relationships with the State, County, and Township Officials, the Police Department, the Office of Emergency Management, and Princeton Public Schools
  • Successfully renewed the send-receive contract with Princeton Public Schools for the district’s high school students through 2030
  • Collaborated with the district and stakeholders in the three-phase Strategic Planning process resulting in a newly defined mission statement and core values that provided the guiding principle for decision-making and vision for the future
  • Guided the district in being awarded a “Blue Ribbon School of Excellence” distinction by the New Jersey Department of Education
  • Managed cross-functional teams with a volume responsibility of $20 million
  • Fostered a collaborative, mutually respectful, and trusting relationship with the superintendent and fellow board members to build consensus and affect positive change in the district
  • Mentored and conducted new board member training sessions on governance, policy, facilities, curriculum, finance, and budget topics

COMMITTEE MEMBER

CRANBURY TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD
01.2016 - 12.2021
  • Appointed to serve by the Mayor based on knowledge and experience of the local school district and the broader community
  • Charged with specific duties and responsibilities to include long-range planning, review of subdivision plans, participating in public hearings, and forwarding recommendations on proposed zoning changes as well as reviewing and approving major developments
  • Served on the Development Review Committee to determine an applicant’s compliance with Planning and Zoning development regulations, design and technical standards
  • Formulated input and feedback to adopt the 2019 Master Plan Re-Examination
  • Evaluated and approved the 2016 Amended Third Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan

VICE PRESIDENT

CRANBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION
01.2016 - 01.2018
  • Managed collaboratively with the President while driving a strategic vision and focus for the board
  • Represented the district as the delegate to the New Jersey School Boards Association
  • Advocated for socially responsible initiatives through the implementation of district-wide policies and procedures
  • Collaborated with the demographer to project student enrollment over time for budget and capacity planning
  • Liaison to the Township, Planning Board, and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

COMMITTEE CHAIR, POLICY COMMITTEE

CRANBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION
01.2013 - 01.2016
  • Reviewed state-level legislative and regulatory documents, analyzed implications, and made the appropriate recommendations for revision and adoption
  • Developed a new board member manual to facilitate training sessions on policy and governance

Education

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Marketing

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
Upper Montclair, New Jersey

Public School Forum On An Effective Bond Campaign

New Jersey School Boards Association

Governance I, II, & III Courses

New Jersey School Boards Association

Board of Education Ethics Training

Sciarrillo Law- Anthony Sciarrillo, Esq.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Training

ASHTO

Skills

  • Verbal and Written Communication
  • Updating Stakeholders
  • Policy and Governance
  • Project Management
  • Operational Processes
  • Consensus Building
  • Team Relationships
  • Data Communications
  • Operational Efficiency
  • Planning and Operations
  • Negotiations
  • Discretion and Confidentiality

Affiliations

Google Workspace

Microsoft 365

Social Media

Zoom

Genesis

Timeline

COVID-19 COORDINATOR

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT
03.2022 - Current

PRESIDENT

CRANBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION
01.2018 - 12.2021

COMMITTEE MEMBER

CRANBURY TOWNSHIP PLANNING BOARD
01.2016 - 12.2021

VICE PRESIDENT

CRANBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION
01.2016 - 01.2018

COMMITTEE CHAIR, POLICY COMMITTEE

CRANBURY BOARD OF EDUCATION
01.2013 - 01.2016

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Marketing

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

Public School Forum On An Effective Bond Campaign

New Jersey School Boards Association

Governance I, II, & III Courses

New Jersey School Boards Association

Board of Education Ethics Training

Sciarrillo Law- Anthony Sciarrillo, Esq.

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Training

ASHTO

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