This article is part of the 2025 General Election Voters' Guide produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area.
Scott Karlo
Nonpartisan
Previous public office: Current member Woodridge Local School District board member
Campaign phone: 330-945-9486
Campaign email address: scott@speedynet.net
Education: BA Biology & Philosophy, Hiram College, Graduate Courses in Microbiology/Immunology, Miami University
Training/experience: Current School Board Member, 10+ Year Woodridge Levy Chairperson (led bond campaign for new elementary school), Woodridge Athletic Booster Club President, Executive Director of the Ohio Public School Advocacy Network
Website: Let’s keep it personal, reach out
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
In all honesty, I don’t know if I’m the best candidate, that will likely be determined by our voters. I can say I care about public education, and I’ve dedicated much of my last 15 years supporting it. This includes various “coaching” roles, serving as the levy chairperson, the athletic booster club president, and now an elected board member.
I recognize public education is a critical component of our democracy. To that end, I believe it is imperative that as a board member we must take care of all stakeholders in our community, and our community plays a critical role in taking care of all kids. If re-elected, I’ll continue to build grassroots community groups here in Woodridge, and across the state to support public education. Board members can’t do this good work alone, if you love Woodridge, help us, and the amazing Bulldog team, put that love into action and join our efforts.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
I don’t believe there is any significant issue impacting Woodridge that isn’t also impacting public education as a whole. There are policies, past and present, that continue to harm our public schools and the students they serve, this includes the lack of proper funding resources AND the inequitable burden on taxpayers. Equally concerning is lack of awareness by many people who love and rely on public education. By building stronger community groups that take the time to establish trust with each other and awareness of these policies, our communities can begin to advocate for proactive changes that benefit all communities and their students. This is personal work, it will take time, but we absolutely can do it, in fact it is already underway, you should join us.
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
I believe if we are truly committed to safety in our schools, this too needs to be owned by our communities. There is only so much that can be done on our school campuses and by the people that directly serve the students. This involves important conversations typically avoided but they must happen if safety is a legitimate concern.
What action, if any, do you believe the Board of Education should take to support all students and ensure they are provided with a high-quality, meaningful education?
The number one thing any board of education can do to support all students and provide a high-quality, meaningful education is to do the necessary work of creating communities that share in the accountability and ownership of that work. Whether it’s local needs, or legislative topics, and anything in between, the more our communities connect, learn from each other, and build awareness of the myriads of policies impacting our schools and our taxpayers, the sooner we can shift the needed support. There are ways this can be done that bring people together and break down the perceived division that exists today. This work is already underway and will continue regardless of the election outcome.
Danielle Murphy
Nonpartisan
Previous public office: N/A
Campaign phone: 513-255-1399
Campaign email address: murphy4woodridgeschools@gmail.com
Education: Aurora High School; Miami University of Ohio (B.S. in Business with a Business Legal Studies Minor); Capital University Law School (with a Labor and Employment Law certification)
Training/experience: With her goals in mind, she became interested in a career representing employees and labor unions. She worked for the Ohio Nurses Association representing nurses and medical staff. When she moved back to Northeast Ohio, she worked for a well-known employee-side law firm, Green Haines Sgambati, located in Youngstown. During her time with the firm, she represented teachers and staff affiliated with the Ohio Education Association. Currently, she works in-house for a nationwide chemical workers union headquartered in Akron.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579433302797
Website: https://daniellelmurphy.wixsite.com/woodridgeschoolboard
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
I acknowledge that I am the only candidate running who is not a current board member. I have no dispute on the qualifications of the incumbents running again; many of whom have spent considerable time in such public service. With the current attacks on public education in Ohio and at the federal level, I believe my legal background and political acumen, along with my energetic disposition to serve the community, is what sets me apart. What school districts, like Woodridge, are about to experience will take persistence and a strong desire to represent each and every child to ensure access to quality public education. I have that.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
Currently, school districts will be subject to financial challenges stemming from the Ohio budget bill. Further, the political platform to eliminate property taxes, while sounds amazing to any average citizen, is fools gold. Property taxes are a problem. However, the solution is not to take away the much needed funding for our schools and public safety services. Unfortunately, that will be a decision every Ohio voter must make in due time. My goal is to ensure our voters understand the practical implications to Woodridge and our community so that they can make an informed vote.
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
Safety is paramount as a single parent to school-aged children. When you’re entrusted with the safety of the community’s children, every policy and protocol should be evaluated to ensure the best practices. As a school board member, it is important that these policies are reviewed and updated while considering the ever-changing legal and social landscape.
What action, if any, do you believe the Board of Education should take to support all students and ensure they are provided with a high-quality, meaningful education?
As a governing body for the school district, the Board of Education should do everything it can to ensure all students are provided with high-quality, meaningful education. My campaign slogan is: “Defending Public Education. Empowering Every Student.” All policy considerations need to be viewed with the lens of protecting the quality education provided by Woodridge School District and to ensure every student is included. The bedrock principles of Woodridge School District is “Community. Scholarship. Diversity.” This, to me, already sets the standard for inclusivity and as a Board Member, I would ensure this standard remains.
Tammy L. Heffernan
Nonpartisan
Campaign email address: Tammy.heffernan@yahoo.com
Campaign phone: 330-322-6952
Education: Proud graduate of Woodridge High School
Training/experience: 25 years on Board of Education for Woodridge Local Schools
Previous public office: Re-elected to the Woodridge BOE 5 times
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
My experience as a 25 yr member of Woodridge Local Schools Board of Education . I have lived all my life in this community so I have a truly vested interest. I listen, keep my word and can agree to disagree and make hard decisions . I along with my children all graduated from Woodridge High School . Over the years I have been involved with supporting and experienced being room parent, sports statistitions, officer of Booster Club, a founding member of the Woodridge Foundation and many more volunteering opportunities . I believe you have to know your community and their wants to be an effective BOE member . I have served many times on the Financial and Policy committees . All this being said I still have things to do and learn to keep our schools the best and am willing to keep doing it ! My experience of 40 plus years and retiring from Famous Enterprise as their Accounts Payable Mgr allowed me financial wisdom and working with the public.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
Money … We as a board keep fighting however we can for fair funding . We are very transparent with spending our taxpayers money and stretch our levy money beyond years by making wise decisions and having a wonderful, efficient Treasurer, Tom Morehouse, to lead our district .
Providing the best education every day for our students by hiring smart, caring, well educated teachers, staff and administrators. Our graduation rate is phenomenal preparing students for college, trade schools, military and everyday life !
Ensuring safety which I don’t feel comfortable explaining all we do, have done and will continue to as new things take place on this platform .
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
We have many top notch safety plans in place for all of our schools . For safety reasons I can not go into them here on this platform .
What action, if any, do you believe the Board of Education should take to support all students and ensure they are provided with a high-quality, meaningful education?
We provide excellent educators. We have great counselors to help our children reach their highest potential . We have our 6 district compact classes for those who have interest . We provide the courses needed and wanted . We provide A/P courses and opportunities to actually go to local colleges while still in high school.
David Lydic
Nonpartisan
(Editor’s note: The candidate did not respond to requests for information.)