Southern Lehigh sees familiar faces elected to school board leadership after tumultuous year

UPPER SAUCON TWP., Pa. — Southern Lehigh School Board will have familiar faces at the helm after a Tuesday reorganization meeting.

School directors Candi Kruse and Emily Gehman will serve as board president and vice president, respectively.

They’ll take over after a tumultuous year in which the district saw its former superintendent resign and walk away with a six-figure payout.

That was following complaints of discrimination, retaliation and fraud brought against him by the district’s former human resources director, who also resigned and got a six-figure payout.

But with administrative controversies seemingly settled, Kruse and Gehman will lead the relatively young school board into a new chapter, relying on their past experiences as board officers.

Their current leadership terms will run until December 2026.

Building 'bench' of potential leaders

Kruse was unanimously elected board president. That was after Gehman, a longtime board member and former president, declined a nomination to be considered.

Gehman thanked her supporters on the board, but said she was declining the head position because “it has always been [her] focus to build a bench of board leadership.”

Gehman has served on the board for a decade, but the remaining school directors are not as experienced — none has served more than two years.

School Director Melissa Torba praised Gehman’s decision, saying “it took a lot” to decline the position.

“Your service and what you bring to the table cannot be overlooked,” Torba said.

Following the vote for president, Gehman was the only nominee up for the vice president slot.

That was after Director Eric Boyer declined being considered because of his professional workload.

Gehman was appointed vice president in a 5-3 vote. School Director Timothy Kearney was absent.

Directors Gehman, Kruse, Kimberly Jaramillo, Luis Melecio and Josh Rager voted in favor of Gehman’s appointment.

Directors Torba and Boyer abstained from the vote. School Director Chris Sykora voted against Gehman’s appointment without explaining his decision.

Contacted by LehighValleyNews.com about his vote, Sykora declined to comment.

New school directors sworn in

Directors Jaramillo, Melecio, Rager and Sykora were sworn in as first-time board members at Tuesday’s meeting, too.

Melecio also was unanimously appointed as board treasurer.

The four new board members won their seats in last month’s election, beating out former school directors Stephen Maund and Christopher Wayock, who both unsuccessfully sought re-election.

Former school director Nicole King, who just completed her four-year term and did not seek re-election, spoke during the public comment section of Tuesday’s meeting.

“Despite the challenges, division and unproductive conflicts that have weighed on this board, I am proud of the good work that has been done,” King said.

Of those with whom she served, King only thanked Torba, whom she called a friend. She then gave words of advice to new school directors.

“Don’t let personal disagreements, narcissistic personalities or noise drown out the mission that brought you here,” she said.

“This district has already endured enough division. You have a chance right now to choose a better path to protect what’s been built, to improve it and to lead with maturity, respect and purpose.”

When King was on the board, school directors usually voted in two blocs that resulted in 5-4 outcomes on contentious issues.

With the newly elected board members, it is likely that the majority of school directors will be more in alignment on such issues, according to their past public comments, which often showed a general consensus on tough topics.

Torba said it’s “pivotal” that the new configuration of the board holds each other accountable and does not violate governing policies.

Tumultuous year in Southern Lehigh

Now-board President Kruse, who was elected in 2023, spent the last year serving as vice president. She also served as vice president in 2024.

Gehman most recently was re-elected to the board in 2023.

She served as board president in 2024. She again was appointed to the leadership role for 2025, but that term was cut short when her colleagues ousted her in June.

In a 5-4 vote, Gehman was removed as board president on charges of “neglect of duty, incompetence, intemperance and improper conduct.”

Former school director Maund was appointed as her replacement.

At the time, Gehman said the accusations against her were false and that she wasn’t given a proper public hearing.

“I’ve taken the time to understand policy and law that govern public education, and I've acted to the best of my ability … in the best interest of this community,” she said in June.

The vote to remove Gehman came just months after she publicly criticized the performance of former Superintendent Michael Mahon, who was placed on administrative leave after Gehman’s statements in February.

Mahon later parted ways with the district in July under two agreements that granted him more than $246,000, along with other benefits, such as continued health care coverage.

That was after former Human Resources Director Ethan Ake-Little accused Mahon of discrimination, retaliation and fraud — which Mahon called “unfair.”

Ake-Little subsequently was suspended while his performance was investigated before he walked away with a $215,000 settlement agreement.

Superintendent Karen Trinkle took over as chief of schools in August following Mahon’s departure. She previously was assistant superintendent.

The district hired Darbe DeHaven as its new HR director in October. She previously worked as the HR director at Eastern Lebanon County School District.

At the time, now-Vice President Gehman raised concerns that DeHaven wasn’t being compensated fairly compared to previous male HR directors in Southern Lehigh.

As a result, the district approved a district employee compensation analysis, to be conducted by its counsel.