Meet Our 2025 School Board Candidates
Emily Theys
Nonprofit Grant Writer
Emily Theys is a nonprofit grant writer and fundraising consultant with over 15 years of experience helping arts organizations secure funding and manage resources. She holds a Bachelor’s in English from Allegheny College and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. Raised in the North Hills, Emily resides in McCandless with her husband, Jonathan, her children Lincoln and Violet and their dog Ziggy. Emily’s professional background has honed her skills in financial management, strategic planning, and communication—skills she believes are essential for effectively serving on the school board. A passionate volunteer, she currently serves as Co-President of the Parent Faculty Association at Marshall Elementary and as a board member and coach with the Brad Mar Pine Baseball and Softball organization, and a coach for Pittsburgh Power. Emily is running for school board to provide thoughtful leadership and help to maintain and strengthen the district’s reputation for excellence in education, arts, and athletics. She would be honored to earn your vote in this election and would consider it a privilege to serve our community on the North Allegheny School Board.
Paige Hardy
Current Board Vice President
As the current Board Vice President, Paige is running for re-election on a record of student support and fiscal responsibility. Those library positions the previous Board majority cut? She worked with Administration to ensure library staffing was restored. Working together, they also found a way to double the number of social workers in the district. All of this was done to provide additional student support without raising taxes. Maintaining North Allegheny’s excellence across academics, athletics, and the arts matters, as does ensuring every student feels welcomed and safe every day. Paige and her husband, Sanjay, selected North Allegheny as their home because of the strength of the schools and she wants to ensure our schools remain strong for every student. A mom of twin ninth graders with a master’s degree in psychology, Paige currently works in Constituent Services with Rep. Arvind Venkat. Before her girls were born, she worked for ten years as a public health analyst. She has an eye for detail, an analytic mind, and a thoughtful approach that she’s excited to continue to use to support each of our 8,500 unique students, our 1,200 staff members, and our communities. Serving as a member of the North Allegheny School Board has been a great honor for Paige, and she deeply appreciates the opportunity she was given by the North Allegheny community in 2021. She genuinely enjoys the work and hopes to earn your vote again this year.
Jackie Leicht
Professional Administrator
Jackie and her husband have been McCandless residents for 18 years, but their ties to North Allegheny go back even farther. Jackie's uncle started the district’s Advanced PE Program and Mountain Biking Club at NAI and her aunt worked in the Carson Middle School Library for many years. When they were deciding where to live, NA was an easy choice because of the excellence of the schools and it never disappointed. As the Professional Administrator for Temple Ohav Shalom in McCandless for 15 years, Jackie works to manage their budget, plan facilities enhancements, and manages safety and security--all skills she looks forward to bringing to her service on the North Allegheny Board. She works with a volunteer Board at the Temple whose membership changes by half every year, so she has experience working with many different personalities and approaches. Jackie knows her son received an exceptional education from North Allegheny and she is running for the Board to ensure every student has that same opportunity. When Jack was in elementary school, Jackie took every opportunity she could to volunteer in the building, enjoying the connections she made with students and staff along the way. With a deep appreciation for the value of education and such a robust skill set, Jackie will be an excellent addition to the North Allegheny School Board. She would be deeply honored to earn your vote in this election.
Dr. Jesse Adams
Chief Executive Officer, PhD
Dr. Jesse Adams is a husband, father, businessman, and educator, who is deeply committed to ensuring our schools maintain and enhance their excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts while remaining welcoming, kind, safe places for all of our students. Jesse and his wife, Rebecca, live in Marshall Township with their daughter, an NA Junior who is a skilled volleyball player playing throughout recent years on various club travel and NA teams. On many weekends you can find Jesse and his family court side enjoying volleyball. His son is currently a cadet at West Point. Jesse's goal is to bring effective, fair, and balanced governance to our school board, leveraging his diverse experience to make informed decisions that benefit our students, staff, and communities. With a background spanning academia, business, and board leadership, Jesse brings a unique perspective to educational governance. His experience as an Assistant Professor, co-author of an award-winning textbook, and holder of multiple patents demonstrates his commitment to innovation and excellence in education, which he will apply to enhance our school district's performance and prepare our students for future success. He would be honored to earn your vote in the coming election.
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
In 2021 the North Allegheny School Board election came down to 47 votes and Together for NA candidates flipped a seat and held another. In 2023, for the first time in history and with a record turnout in the election, our team flipped the North Allegheny School Board blue, winning three of the five seats up for election!
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In 2025 there are 4 school board seats up for election and our team is supporting the right leaders for our school district and community. Would you like to volunteer for the team? Would you like to learn more about the campaign? Let Us Know!
