By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

This year’s English school boards elections will take place on November 3. The English Montreal School Boards elections are contested. Incumbent chair Joe Ortona is seeking reelection, but is facing an opponent after being acclaimed in 2021.

Ortona was Vice Chair under former Chair Angela Mancini. Ortona, a lawyer, is also the president of the Quebec English School Boards Association.

Under Ortona, the EMSB has been fighting the province’s language and secularism laws, and fighting against the move to abolish English school boards.

His leadership is being challenged by Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec.

Ortona is running for chair with a full slate of candidates for commissioners.

Ward 1 – Ahuntsic-Cartierville–Montréal-Nord

Susan Perera, a political science student at Concordia University

Ward 2 – Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Chelsea Craig is Director of Operations for Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather, and a board member of the Quebec Community Groups Network.

Ward 3 – Côte-Saint-Luc, Montreal West, Hampstead

Paola Samuel is a former broadcast journalist who is active in Montreal’s Sephardic Jewish community.

Ward 4 – Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve–Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie–Plateau-Mont-Royal–Anjou–Montreal-Est

Maria Corsi has been a parent volunteer in EMSB schools, and on the EMSB Parents’ Committee.

Ward 5 – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Sharon Nelson is the 1st Vice President of the Jamaica Association of Montreal and Assistant Director for the Executive MBA Program at the John Molson School of Business (Concordia University).

Ward 6 – Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles

Pietro Mercuri is an educator, having taught both English and French before transitioning into the corporate world.

Ward 7 – Saint-Laurent

James Kromida has been a school board commissioner since 1998, and is the current vice-chair of the EMSB.

Ward 8 – Saint-Léonard

Mario Pietrangelo retired from the Montreal police force in 2016 after a 30-year career that earned him the Police Exemplary Medal.

Ward 9 – Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension–Mont-Royal–Outremont

Paula Kilian is a stay-at-home mom who dedicated time to the Family Association and the governing board at Dunrae Gardens, and to the EMSB Parents’ Committee.

Ward 10 – Westmount–Sud-Ouest–Ville-Marie

Julien Feldman is a former journalist who has served on the governing board at Bancroft School, a board member on the Royal West Academy Foundation, and on the EMSB’s Council of Commissioners.

More information on the Team Ortona platform can be found at teamjoeortona.ca n