Six seeking three seats on Board of Ed

From left, Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan and Meredith Higgins are running under the slogan “Listen. Learn. Lead.”

Three members of the South Orange and Maplewood Board of Education have not filed to run for reelection and six candidates, aligned in two teams, are vying to take the three open seats.

The deadline to file for the Tuesday, Nov. 4, election was last week. Three candidates – Malini Nayar, Paul Stephan and Meredith Higgins are running under a “Listen. Learn. Lead.” slogan while three more – Ashley Ludovicy-Donahue, Daniel Caplan and Ashwat Rishi – are running under the slogan “Progress. Partnership. Promise.”

The board members not running again include board President Nubia DuVall Wilson, Second Vice President Regina Eckert and Bill Gifford. There are nine people on the school board.

DuVall Wilson said that serving on the board of education was one of the most meaningful experiences of her life.

“It has been an honor to collaborate with my board colleagues and our dedicated district staff, and—most importantly—to support the families and students of our district,” she said. “In 2026, I will be making space to continue writing my third book and growing my advocacy work for more survivor-centered, research-informed laws that prevent child sexual abuse and effectively support those who have been harmed.”

Eckert said her experience on the school board was rewarding but she has decided to focus on other parts of her life.

From left, Ashley Ludovicy-Donahue, Ashwat Rishi and Daniel Caplan – are running under the slogan “Progress. Partnership. Promise.”

“I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished together for our teachers, families, and most importantly, our students,” Eckert said. “Stepping away wasn’t an easy choice, but at this point, I’ve decided to focus on other parts of my life—both personal and professional—that have taken a back seat during my term. I’m walking away with deep gratitude and real hope for the future of our schools and our amazing students.”

Gifford said that serving on the Board of Education was one of the most meaningful experiences of his life and that his dedication to the community will remain steadfast.

“I’ve been proud to support the district in advancing a more equitable and sustainable future,” Gifford said. “The role demands significant time, thought, and care—and it’s been an honor to give it my full commitment.”

The Progress. Partnership. Promise. team said in a statement that they are running because they share a deep commitment to strengthening the district “at this pivotal time.”

“Daniel has followed board of education and district issues closely for years—going so far as to replicate the algorithm used for III (Intentional Integration Initiative) placements with more recent local census data in order to better understand enrollment trends and equity concerns,” the statement said. “As members of the district’s appointed Budget Advisory Committee, Ashley and Ashwat saw both the real strides made by the current Board toward fiscal transparency and the important work still ahead to maximize every dollar spent in service of students.”

Their statement stressed the importance of maintaining a stable financial foundation and preparing for the “fiscal cliff” ahead.

“We are committed to ensuring that every dollar spent is aligned with what matters most—supporting student learning, well-being, and success, it said.

Ludovicy-Donahue is a labor and employment law attorney for the federal government. She has lived in Maplewood since November of 2022 and has a daughter going into second grade and a son heading to kindergarten, both at Clinton Elementary. A third child is in Pre-K at the YMCA. She has been involved in the Clinton PTA as the Community Events Chair, including support to SOMA Swish, and her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.

Caplan has lived in Maplewood since 2021 and is a director of quality engineering at Fresenius Kabi USA, a manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals.

His focus is on compliance and making sure products meet FDA regulations. He and his wife, Samara, have two children, both at Marshall Elementary where they were placed through the III. He is involved with the Marshall PTA as the technology chair and at his synagogue.

Rishi is an intellectual property attorney at a law firm in New York City. His family moved to Maplewood in July 2022. He has a daughter who is a rising second grader at Seth Boyden, where his son will be starting kindergarten after two years at Montrose.

The “Listen, Learn, Lead” team said they chose the slogan because they are eager to listen to what’s working in our schools, learn where there’s room to grow, and “ultimately lead with integrity, collaboration, and care.”

“Through open, respectful dialogue, we hope to earn your trust, your partnership—and your vote,” their statement announcing their candidacy said.
The statement said the district was at a pivotal moment, facing rising costs, uncertain funding and “a federal government that challenges the very values that define our community and district.”

“We want to foster continuous improvement, manage resources responsibly, and uphold our community’s deep commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” the statement said. “We are encouraged by the leadership of the new superintendent, and we are excited to collaborate with members of the Board of Education, build on the momentum, and meet this moment together.”

Nayar is a community development finance professional, longtime Maplewood resident, and parent of two Columbia High School students. Originally from India, she moved to the U.S. in 2001 for graduate school and settled in Maplewood in 2012. She has lived in various neighborhoods in Maplewood, but is now settled south of Springfield Avenue, with her partner, Christina, and their two dogs. Nayar works for a nonprofit lender that finances affordable housing and community development projects.

Stephan is a public interest lawyer and former public school teacher. After graduating from SUNY Buffalo, Stephan began his career in education—teaching K–7 music in Orange and then first grade in Newark. As an attorney, Stephan has brought multi-million-dollar cases against chemical companies that polluted drinking water and oil companies that concealed the science of climate change. He has represented consumers in litigation against corporations like Facebook and General Motors, and advocated before the Virginia Supreme Court for a transgender student whose teacher refused to use the student’s correct pronouns.

Stephan has performed as a pianist with the South Orange Symphony and is a district leader in the Maplewood Democratic Committee. He and his wife Liz, along with their two dogs Josie and Charlie, moved from South Orange and are proud first-time homeowners in Maplewood.

Higgins is a community dance educator, Seth Boyden parent, graduate student in clinical mental health counseling meeting educational requirements for the LPC and the Registered-Dance Movement Therapist credential, and Maplewood resident. Raised in Dallas, she graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington with dual degrees in voice performance and music education before traveling internationally to perform and teach. She later spent a decade building community and training instructors at a Bollywood-fitness company and presenting at national fitness conferences.

Since moving to Maplewood as a new mom in 2021, Higgins has volunteered to serve on the Early Childhood Advisory Council and was appointed as a parent representative, advocating for Pre-K parents, sharing successes with district leadership, and partnering with the district to improve Pre-K programs. She was also a member of the first parent-facing Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) cohort led by district teachers and parents at Clinton Elementary. She teaches at the YMCA, the Baird, the SOMA Adult School, and Beyond the Bell. She also founded the Dance Mob—a free women’s dance class that empowers participants and brings pop-up performances to local events.