Candidate Profile: Stephanie Sikora, Brookfield Board of Education

BROOKFIELD, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Brookfield and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Brookfield Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Photographer Stephanie Sikora, 46, is running for election to the Brookfield Board of Education as an unaffiliated candidate.

Sikora attended two years at Westminster college in SLC Utah, then spent 2 years in Sydney Australia studying music and opera at the Conservatorium of Music. She finished her degree at Cal State Fullerton while performing and teaching, and has been married for 13 years. The couple has a 9-year-old child.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

No

Why are you seeking this office?

I have a passion for the Brookfield community and I bring a strong commitment to working to provide the best possible education for children in Brookfield. It's important to speak out against these unwarranted book bans going on right now and make sure Brookfield remains an inclusive place for kids to learn and grow.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is _____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Continuing to move Brookfield towards being the best education system in the state is a critical issue right now. I plan to work with the board, the superintendent and the principals and staff of our schools to make that happen.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I believe the children in Brookfield should continue to have access to diverse reading materials.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

With a background in education, I spent the early years of my career as an educator teaching music and theater arts and then worked in the private sector for Disney and ESPN. An entrepreneur and photographer, I am the owner of SASlife Photography, LLC.

I'm an active volunteer in the Brookfield community and a member of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), have served as President of the Brookfield MOMS Club as well as a member of the Brookfield Education Foundation gala planning committee.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Listen and breathe before you speak or react.