Non-Partisan Candidates for School Board
There are seven candidates for School Board, listed in the order in which their names will appear on the ballot. Voters may select no more than four of the following candidates:
Ilya Shapiro is a vice president of the Cato Institute (originally founded as the Charles Koch Foundation) and publisher of the Cato Supreme Court Review. He and his wife have two sons -- one is about to start kindergarten, the other attends Dulin Cooperative Preschool. Having moved to Falls Church in 2014, this is Mr. Shapiro’s first time running for office. Born in Russia, Ilya’s family immigrated to Canada. He graduated from Princeton and the University of Chicago School of Law. In July Mr. Shapiro sent an essay to the Wall Street Journal explaining that his decision to run for the Falls Church School Board was influenced by the Board’s decision to re-name Thomas Jefferson Elementary and George Mason High during the pandemic/school lockdown. The Falls Church News Press (FCNP) editor Nicholas Benton criticized Shapiro’s essay, as did FCP reader Eric Crusius. Ilya responded with his own letter to the Falls Church News Press.
Lori K. Silverman has lived in FCC since 2016 and in the Washington Metro Area since 2000. She graduated from the University of Illinois and George Washington Law School. Her two children attend grade school here in Falls Church. Lori recently worked as a consultant for the Democratic National Committee, and for the Biden Victory Fund. As a member of the School Board, Lori promises to thoughtfully listen to all voices and provide our children with the support they need to grow into responsible, caring lifelong learners. Moms Demand Action, a movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures than can protect people from gun violence, recognized Lori’s efforts with a “Gun-Sense Candidate Distinction.” Lori also has been endorsed by VA Delegate Marcus Simon, Senator Dick Saslaw, FCC Treasurer Jody Acosta, and the LGBTQ Victory Fund.
Jerrod F. Anderson has lived in Falls Church for five years with his wife and two young sons, who attend Mt. Daniel and Jessie Thackrey. Jerrod is a health statistician with a Ph.D. in Economics, concentrating in Health Economics. He works as a statistician at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He grew up in Tennessee and worked in the Memphis public schools implementing mathematics-focused education technology. This role required Jerrod to craft messaging around a common goal and coordinating activities among teachers, principals, and the central office staff. In December 2020 he wrote to Falls Church Press expressing his view that Falls Church was Not Following the Science with School Reopening Plans. He is running for school board to ensure that Falls Church public schools continue to provide an excellent education to all of our children. He believes that his professional experience in integrating the concerns and skills of diverse stakeholders to accomplish a common goal will help strengthen the City’s education system.
Courtney C. Mooney has lived with her family in Falls Church City for the last eight years, and has a son who attends Oak Street Elementary. Originally from North Carolina, Courtney attended the UNC at Chapel Hill, where she earned a degree in Communications. For the last 12 years Courtney has provided diagnostic testing and education consulting to medical organizations, focusing on women’s health. Last winter during the pandemic Courtney led the Falls Church City Parents for Schools (FCCP4S), a parent group that advocated for children to return to “safe and immediate return to in-school learning.” As part of this effort she wrote a guest commentary for the Falls Church New Press last February criticizing the local school system for not opening the schools. Courtney is running for school board because she wants the system to be one where all voices are heard and which has a shared vision that puts children and their parents at the center of decision-making.
David S. Ortiz has lived in Falls Church with his family since 2013, moving here for its excellent public schools, where his children are now students. He is an engineer and served as a program manager and policy researcher at RAND for 15 years. David now serves as the Deputy Director of Electric Reliability at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He is running for school board 1) to help all children attending the Falls Church City Public Schools develop the skills they’ll need to achieve their dreams and contribute to society, 2) to collaborate with other school-board members to prepare the Falls Church City Public Schools, its teachers, staff and administrators to meet the future; 3) to engage the Falls Church City community, teachers, and staff to set high academic goals for our schools, and 4) to hold our superintendent responsible for achieving these goals. He was one of 17 signatories to a letter to Editor of the Falls Church Press supporting the Downtown Project (located at the intersection of Broad and Washington Streets).
Kathleen C. Tysse earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching from the University of Virginia. She has four children in the Falls Church public schools. She served as President of the Falls Church Elementary Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) from 2019-2020, and as a PTA-room parent while her children were attending elementary school. Before moving to Falls Church City, Kathleen taught in a public school in Charlottesville, VA, and she also taught at a private International Baccalaureate School in Quito, Ecuador. In addition to her experience teaching, Kathleen serves on the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Board of Trustees and the Library’s Foundation Development Council. She is a volunteer with “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America” and with the “Gun Legislation Working Group,” advisory to the City Council. She is running for school board to continue to support and improve the City’s excellent educational system, while serving all students equitably.
Tate O. Gould has lived in the Washington, DC, area for over 10 years, and he and his family moved to Falls Church City in 2016 based on its reputation for excellent schools, as well as its “small town” feel. His two children attend Falls Church public schools. Tate is a former high school math teacher, who was a national board-certified teacher in secondary mathematics. He earned a Masters in Education Policy at Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Education Policy at UNC. He taught high school-math, before working for the U.S. Department of Education during the Obama Administration for six years, where he served as the Deputy Director for Technical Assistance for “Race to the Top” grant programs. He also has worked directly with state education agencies to help improve their education policies. Tate is running for school board to help ensure that the school system remains a rigorous and forward-thinking school district. Tate now works as an entrepreneur, as the CEO and co-owner of education-focused companies that provide support for local, state and national organizations on education policy.