See the Candidates Running for School Boards in Centre County

Voters will select their parties’ nominees for local school boards among other races in Centre County’s 2025 municipal primary election, and who will be on the ballots has become clearer.

Tuesday was the deadline for candidates to file nomination petitions to appear on the ballot for the May 20 primary.

State College, Bald Eagle, Bellefonte and Penns Valley area school districts each have four board seats up for election this year, and Philipsburg-Osceola has two.

School board elections can work differently by district. State College and Bellefonte positions are all at-large, while Bald Eagle and Penns Valley have at-large and region seats and Philipsburg-Osceola’s board is elected entirely by regions, split between Centre and Clearfield counties.

Following is a look at the candidates who have filed for each school board race, according to information provided by the Centre County Office of Elections. In most cases, though not all, candidates are cross-file to run on the Democratic and Republican ballots.

Nomination petitions can be challenged until March 18. Ballot positions will be drawn on March 19, and candidates have until March 26 to withdraw.

*Incumbent

STATE COLLEGE AREA – 4 SEATS

• Deborah Anderson* (D/R)

• Jesse Barlow (D/R)

• Jennifer Black (D/R)

• Rebecca Arnold Desmarais (D/R)

• Jackie Huff* (D/R)

• Kirsten McTernan (D/R)

• Mihaly Sogor (D/R)

BALD EAGLE AREA – 4 SEATS (two Region 1, one Region 2, one Region 3)

• Region 1 – Mary Ann Hamilton* (D/R)

• Region 1 – Timothy E. Nilson* (D/R)

• Region 2 – Mark S. Kresovich* (D/R)

• Region 3 – Tina Greene* (D/R)

BELLEFONTE AREA – 4 SEATS

• Nate Campbell* (D/R)

• Jack Bechdel* (D/R)

• Jon Guizar* (D/R)

• Kristin Lyons* (D/R)

• Joe Yech (D/R)

PENNS VALLEY – 4 SEATS (two at large, one Region 2, one Region 3)

• At large – Daniel Decker (D/R)

• At large – Mike Pase (D/R)

• At large – Douglas Roth (D/R)

• At large – Kendyl Wittenrich (D/R)

• Region 2 – Vincent Nicosia (D/R)

• Region 3 – Amber May (D/R)

• Region 3 – Jessica Shawver (R)

PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA – 2 CENTRE COUNTY SEATS (Region 3 and Region 5)

No petitions reported