Candidate for
Board Member; Carmel Unified School District

My name is Rita Patel and I am seeking election to the Carmel Unified School District Board of Education. I was born in Bolton, England and moved to the United States in 1980. I grew up in the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia area and attended college at Temple University. After university, I worked for Bristol Myers Squibb, Pharmaceutical Research Institute in the Oncology Department. Currently, I am an owner of a chain of Independent Pharmacies with my business partner and husband, Akshai Patel.

I have been married to Akshai Patel since 1995, and am a proud mother of four children, all of whom attend the Carmel public schools. I stopped working after the birth of my eldest son. Since my children have been born I began to devote my energies to raising my family and working to support and improve the Carmel schools. I have made volunteering in the Carmel public schools my passion since my children began school. Currently, I am serving my second year terms as PTO President at Carmel Middle School and the School Site Council at Carmel River School. I have served as the President and Vice President of the Executive Board at the Carmel River School PTA. Outside of school, I have been a huge supporter of after school activities, such as little league baseball, soccer, softball, drama, where I have volunteered as the team mom and scorekeeper. One of the biggest projects I have been part of while volunteering for the Carmel Unified School District was the US Open Project. I was a co-chair on the committee that was responsible for having our School District awarded $100,000. Aside from volunteering for our schools, I am a supporter and volunteer for many organizations throughout Monterey County, including a committee member on the Make A Wish Foundation, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, volunteer for Freedom Fields and on the fundraising committee for the Hilton Bialek Habitat.

During this journey I have had the opportunity to attend Board of Education meetings and to meet often with parents as well as school administrators and teachers, working together with them to improve our schools and help to make them a place where every child receives an excellent education. I would be honored to be able to work as a member of the Board of Education.

If elected to the board I will continue to keep an open line of communication with parents, the administration, the community and most importantly for me, the children themselves. I will continue to advocate for the concerns of parents, and teachers for a responsive and respectful Board of Education and for the standard of excellence in education that is synonymous with Carmel. I am determined to do all that I can to be responsible to Carmel taxpayers while at the same time working to maintain and improve the programs and educational opportunities that make us special.

I hope that voters will support my candidacy as someone who has a long history of volunteerism in the schools and the community and who cares deeply about providing the very best public education to the children of our community. We are facing some difficult budget years, with my analytical and financial skills gained from operating my own business along with my extensive experience in the Carmel schools it will give me a unique ability to contribute on the Board of Education.

In conclusion, I am a person of integrity and experience devoted to nothing less than helping our school district and community continue to succeed and prosper. My extensive years of volunteering in the schools and history of attendance at Board of Education meetings reflect my ongoing commitment to the Carmel schools and the community. I will do my very best to be a member of the Board of Education who is open to student, parent, teacher and resident concerns and respectful of others' opinions who search for ways to improve our schools while being cognizant of budgetary realities. It is important to meet the needs of students, parents, and teachers without compromising the high standards of quality education that we have come to expect in this district. It would be an honor to serve. I would appreciate your vote. Thank you for your support.