Meet The Candidates Of 1st S.T.E.P. For North Penn

Alex Ryabin

• Party: Democratic
• Occupation: IT Program Manager
• Over 10 years experience in authoring governance and steering committee processes.
• Proven track record of successfully executing large, multi-million dollar projects, contract negotiations and fiscal responsibility.
• B.A., University of Pennsylvania - 1991
• Parent of two children attending the North Penn School District.
• Former chess intructor at the Lansdale Public Library.
• Odyssey of Mind Judge - 2006-2009.

Suzan G. Leonard

I have been a resident of Upper Gwynedd for over 24 years. 

I am a single parent having raised three sons who have all graduated from the North Penn School District and have gone on to college and Masters Programs.  While my children were attending school I was very active in the home and schools, coordinating council and various other volunteer positions.

I am an attorney specializing in Family Law and Wills and Estates with my principal place of business in North Wales.  I have practiced law since 1984.

I am very active in the Community having helped transpose the North Wales Area Library from a one-room library to a magnificent 10,000 square foot library and Community Center.  I am responsible for raising thousands of dollars for that facility.  I was a former member of the Library Board and now a member of the Friends of the Library. 

I am a Democratic Committee person for Upper Gwynedd.  I have also cross-filed under the Republican Party for this election.

Carolyn Murphy

Democratic Party, Cross-filed under Republican Party

Age:  65

B.A. University of Colorado German  M.Eq. Linguistics West Chester Univ.

Retired teacher

Son had attended and graduated from the North Penn School District

I would like to see the students in North Penn continue to have a quality education.

I would like to see a more "user friendly" board and have a district that everyone's rowing together

for our children.  We should always be good role models.

It will be challenging with today's climate but it can be done.

Paul Edelman, Jr.

I am 45 years old and have lived in Upper Gwynedd for more than a decade.  I am married with two young daughters who attend elementary school in the North Penn School District.  I am employed at Merck for fourteen years where for the last eleven years, I have worked as an Assistant Laboratory Technician.  I am a member of the Olweus Anti-bully Committee at my daughters' elementary school.  I also serve on the school's Home And School Association.

Simply put, our childrens' education must not be sacrificed.  While I do not agree with the latest events affecting schools, I do believe we can all get through this crisis.  I honestly believe this can be done.  I have the  passion, the interest, the determination, and the courage to do so.  Fighting cancer is one of the toughest challenges of unknowns that anyone can go through.  I used the same characteristics just mentioned to beat my own battle with cancer, over twenty-one years ago.

I am a registered Democrat, but I have also cross-filed under the Republican Party for this election.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at:  pedelmanjr@yahoo.com