3 School Board Members Approved By Harford County Council

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The Harford County Council has approved three school board appointments selected by County Executive Bob Cassilly.

Dr. Aaron Poynton, Theresa Kocher and Lauren Strauss have been appointed to serve two-year terms ending in 2025.

“I would like to thank the Council for approving my appointments to the Harford County Board of Education. I am confident that these new members will enable the board to fully perform their responsibility to provide a high quality education for all students. These new members’ ability to efficiently manage large budgets and provide effective oversight of our schools is urgently needed. It is also my hope that our new board members will see fit to require their staff to provide detailed presentations on student achievement, so we can all track how our students are progressing. Such an active board would provide the level of attention and transparency necessary so that we can all work together to improve outcomes for Harford’s children," Cassilly said.

Joppatowne resident Poynton is the first in his family to attend college and has since earned four advanced degrees, including an MBA from Duke University and a doctorate in public administration from the University of Baltimore. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. Poynton is also a U.S. Army Special Operations veteran with more than 20 years of global experience in the public and private sectors. His three children attend Harford County Public Schools and he serves as president of the Harvard Business School AMP Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational opportunities and STEM scholarships.

Kocher earned her master’s degree in systems management from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Salisbury University. She completed the Senior Executive Fellow Program and Harvard University’s JFK Business School. She is a retired Army civilian analyst, the grandmother of two students attending Harford County Public Schools. While raising her family in Churchville with her husband, a retired teacher, Kocher taught Sunday school and was a longtime member of her church’s nursery school and day care center board.

Strauss is a parent of two Havre de Grace High School students and an active member of her school community. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and criminal justice from James Madison University. A project manager for a small business in the defense community, Strauss is experienced in program, financial and acquisition management. She is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for the children of Harford County.