Michael Burke and Tony Imbimbo, Democrats Running for Board of Education

Michael Burke and Tony Imbimbo today announced the start of their campaign to gain two seats on the Darien Board of Education.

Both men bring a wealth of town government and public service experience to the community and are committed to maintaining the standard of excellence expected within Darien schools. At the top of the candidates’ agenda is advocating for effective oversight, transparency, improved communication, and responsiveness.

While the two men are running individually, they are actively campaigning together to emphasize the greater of the needs of the Board. From now until the election, both candidates will be seen at town venues. As fathers to children enrolled at Darien Public Schools and having served on the RTM’s Education Committee, both candidates bring first hand knowledge of the challenges that parents and educators face.

Michael Burke has served four years on the Darien RTM holding positions on the Education, Town Government Structure and Administration, and Public, Health and Safety Committees. He is a member of the Darien Democratic Town Committee and is an active athletic coach for Darien Little League, Darien Travel Soccer, Darien Junior Football and Basketball Leagues.

He works as a litigator for law firm Eckert, Seamans, Chernin and Mellott and attended Fordham University’s School of Law and Skidmore College. He has lived in Darien with his wife Kathleen since 2008 and has twin sons that attend Middlesex Middle School.

Stated Burke, “Over the next several years, the BoE will continue to be challenged. We’ll be making critical decisions related to selecting and supporting a new superintendent, ensuring that we avoid potential crisis, and providing a superior education for all of our students.

“As Board members, we need to raise our level of awareness of state regulations, education trends, and school management efficiencies. We will have to make tough choices, but they should be well-informed and provide some degree of balance and fairness.”

Tony Imbimbo has been a Darien resident for 17 years and has an accomplished background in town government. Serving on the Darien RTM for four years, he has held positions on the Education, Rules, Parks and Recreation and Public Health and Safety committees.

He served as the Royle School PTO Co-Chair of the Father’s Council and has been an active coach for Darien Youth Softball and the Darien Soccer Association.

Imbimbo is a local business owner who runs Broken Window Books, a publishing services and product development company and is an editor, developer and author of children’s books and kits.

He holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut and a degree in journalism from Syracuse University. Imbimbo and his wife, Kristen Adams, have two daughters; one who graduated from Darien High School and one who has just started her senior year.

Stated Imbimbo, “I am committed to applying my experience, insights, and creative problem-solving skills to enhance the Board of Education’s decision-making. Darien’s high-quality public education is a tremendous asset to our town, but rising enrollments and cuts at the state level have created strains on the system.

“To maintain high standards, we need to plan ahead for future challenges, raise awareness in the community, and all pull together. I plan to help the Board build on our strengths, identify future pressure points, and work with the community to ensure we continue to deliver excellent education.”

Both candidates added, “We want to be part of the collaborative process to make critical decisions. We hope to help the Board become an even more responsive and transparent body so that the community will feel more invested in the schools and support the decisions made.”

Both candidates are welcoming feedback from the community and encourage input and questions. Residents can reach them directly at:

tonyimbimbo@yahoo.com (203) 656-2764

mjb84@aol.com (917) 656-2835