ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Allentown School Board has appointed a 28-year-old human resources professional to be the board’s newest member.
Robert “Nick” Nicholoff will fill the vacancy created last month when former school director Daysell Ramirez resigned just six months into her four-year term.
Ramirez cited tensions with other school directors and the district administration as reasons for her resignation.
I look forward to getting started and doing a good job.Robert “Nick” Nicholoff, incoming Allentown school director
Nicholoff, a recent transplant from New Jersey, will serve out the rest of Ramirez’s term, which ends December 2027. He will be sworn in at 6 p.m. Sept 12 before the board’s next committee meetings.
“I look forward to getting started and doing a good job,” said Nicholoff, who has lived in Allentown for just more than a year.
Public Interviews
Nicholoff was selected Thursday night in a 6-0 vote. School directors had no public discussions before voting. Board members Lisa Conover and LaTarsha Brown were absent.
The decision came after a round of public interviews in which Nicholoff and four other candidates answered questions before the board.
The other applicants were Gizelle Alkhal, Ruby Cruz, Patrick Palmer and Robert E. Smith Jr.
Alkhal, an Allentown School District graduate, works in human resources for the City of Allentown. Cruz is an ASD parent and works in the mental health field.
Palmer, an ASD graduate, works as a Democratic organizer, according to his LinkedIn profile. Smith, a former ASD parent, works in the health care field with brain injury patients.
Both Palmer and Smith are former Allentown school directors.
School Director Jennifer Lynn Ortiz nominated Smith to fill the board vacancy, but he didn't get the five votes needed.
Ortiz and school Director Phoebe Harris voted to appoint Smith. Board President Andrene Brown-Nowell and Vice President Audrey Mathison, along with directors Ana Tiburcio and Zaleeae Sierra voted against appointing Smith.
After the motion failed, directors agreed to confirm Nicholoff 's appointment to the seat.
Nicholoff's background
Nicholoff, an HR generalist at Silgan Containers, said he will bring “critical thinking” and “problem solving” skills to the board.
He also said his current and past career experiences will translate to the work he hopes to do as a school director.
Nicholoff currently handles all HR functions at the Silgan Containers location in Breinigsville. That includes writing policy, developing strategy, conducting investigations and resolving interpersonal conflicts at the food can manufacturing plant.
Nicholoff also has a background in social work. He previously served as a domestic violence counselor, working on group facilitation and curriculum design.
He received a bachelor's degree in history and philosophy at the College of New Jersey.
Nicholoff said he sees the school board’s responsibilities as planning, policy setting and evaluating the work being done in the district.
I think that I would be an asset to those three functions.Robert “Nick” Nicholoff, incoming Allentown school director
“I think that I would be an asset to those three functions,” he said.
In response to a question from the board on the matter, Nicholoff said he doesn’t have any conflicts of interest that would affect his work as a school director.
He also shared that his girlfriend’s mother is a cheerleading coach at Dieruff High School.
“That’s not a conflict of mine,” he said. “That’s her own life, her own business.
“I think I’ll be perfectly fine to handle anything that comes my way here.”
