Elections
Board Member Terms of Office
Two (2) of the Dobbs Ferry Board of Education trustees’ terms will expire on June 30, 2026: Pavithra Nagarajan and Rebecca Hershberg.
On April 20, 2026, three (3) nominating petitions were received by the District Clerk of Dobbs Ferry School District for these two seats on the Board of Education. Due to one candidate's withdrawal from being a candidate for the board of education trustee election, the filing date for nominating petitions to run for a seat on the board of education is extended to May 12, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Twenty-five signatures of qualified voters in the district, with their residence addresses, are required. Please contact Elizabeth Saperstein, District Clerk at (914) 693-1500 ext. 3024 or email districtclerk@dfsd.org for a petition packet.
Candidate Bios – as of May 11, 2026
Pavithra Nagarajan
Number of Years Resident: 5.5
Occupation: Adjunct Assistant Professor and Educational Research Consultant
Education: PhD – Sociology and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
MST – Childhood Education Grades 1-6, Pace University
BS/BA – Psychology/Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
Please state why you want to be a Trustee, and why the community should vote for you:
I am seeking re-election as a Trustee of the Dobbs Ferry School Board. My career in education spans nearly two decades: I began as a NYC public middle school teacher in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and have since worked as an instructional coach, school director, curriculum designer, community organizer, and researcher. I hold a Master's in Childhood Education and a Ph.D. in Sociology and Education from Columbia University, where I also teach.
On the Board, I have served on the Curriculum, Instruction, and Equity committee, advocated for equity-centered practices, and worked to keep families informed and invested. I want to continue this work, particularly ensuring students have access to rigorous, evidence-based curriculum that prepares them to think critically and meaningfully engage with the world.
As any Board member will tell you, the first term presents a learning curve no training can fully prepare you for. I have grown enormously throughout my tenure and want to make good on everything I have learned. I am deeply invested in Dobbs Ferry as a parent of one current Springhurst student and one soon to join them, and I remain committed to representing the full diversity of our community on the Board.
Disan Davis
Number of Years Resident: 9
Occupation: STEM Education Leader and Researcher
Education: PhD – Rockefeller University
MST – Chemistry Grades 7-12, Hunter College CUNY
BA – Carleton College
Community Organizations: Chairperson, Dobbs Ferry Parks & Recreation Commission
Volunteer, SPRING Community Partners, Sustainable Dobbs, and Zero Waste Committee
Please state why you want to be a Trustee, and why the community should vote for you:
I am the parent of a Springhurst Elementary student and soon-to-be middle schooler, and a science education researcher. I have worked as a middle and high school teacher and as an out-of-school educator, as well as an education researcher. I have experience engaging and coaching educators through continuous improvement efforts, including using data to inform what is working for whom, and under conditions – while centering students’ voices in this work. I’ve used these strategies to improve college admissions processes and to support educators to improve teaching strategies in the context of AI.
I have also seen the value when our district gathers and analyzes information to inform decision-making and the power of community engagement to hold the district accountable. I believe we all want the best for our kids – to read, write, and communicate themselves fully; to be lifelong learners and problem solvers; and all as they grow into kind and joyful adults.
I believe my experience will bring helpful skills and perspectives to the board. I invite open communication with the community and look forward to supporting Dobbs Ferry School District to be the best it can be.
Voting for BOE Members
