Manalapan-Englishtown Board Of Education Election 2026: Mirsad Capric

MANALAPAN, NJ — Incumbent Mirsad Capric is running for re-election to the Board of Education in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

In November, Capric will run for a one-year unexpired term on the board under the "Collaboration. Opportunity. Responsibility." campaign.

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Alongside Capric, Jamie Herr, Kelly Lukacs and Jenee Campo are also running for three open full-term seats on the board under the "Collaboration. Opportunity. Responsibility." campaign.

Joseph Ventola is running for one of the three full-term seats under the "Quality. Accountability. Efficiency." campaign.

Ahead of the election, Patch posed several questions to Capric about his campaign platform, experience and what sets him apart from other candidates running. His replies are below.

Editor's Note: The following article contains information about one of the candidates running for the Manalapan-Englishtown Board of Education in 2026. Responses are written as received by Patch and only edited for style.

Patch has contacted all other candidates in this race with the same questions and will post replies as they are received.

Are you running for election in Manalapan? Contact Sara Winick at sara.winick@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Mirsad Capric

Age: 42
Town of Residence: Manalapan
Education: Pace University, BS in Computer Science
Occupation: Digital strategy and AI governance consultant; formerly Director of Digital Strategy and Platforms, Citi

What drove you to seek public office?
I grew up in Queens, NY, and attended public schools, so I know firsthand what a strong public education can do.

Today, I'm a dad of three girls. When I answered these questions in 2024, our youngest was due the following month. Now two of our girls attend MERS schools, and she'll join them in 2030. I also coach youth basketball and soccer in town.

I first ran in 2024 under the slogan "Children Come First." I didn't win, but I said then that I'd stay involved and continue supporting our schools and our kids. When a seat opened in 2025, I applied and was appointed by the Board. Running now is part of following through on that commitment.

Serving on the Board has given me a better understanding of the decisions ahead of us. We want excellent schools, and we need to keep our towns affordable for the families who live here. Both have to guide our decisions.

In 2024, I ran on my own. This time, I'm running as part of the Core Four alongside Jamie Herr, Kelly Lukacs, and Jenee Campo, who are seeking the three-year seats.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?
I bring more than twenty years of experience in strategy, technology and organizational change, including 17 years at Citi.

As Director of Digital Strategy and Platforms, I led a team, managed a a multi-million annual budget, and oversaw digital platforms serving 300,000 employees and external audiences around the world. That meant making decisions about where to invest, bringing different departments together, and being accountable for the results.

Today, as a consultant, I help organizations improve how they work, from setting strategy and clarifying responsibilities to adopting new technology, including AI. A lot of that work starts with listening to the people affected, understanding what's getting in their way, and developing a plan they can actually carry out.

That experience shapes how I approach the Board. I want to understand how a proposal fits our priorities, what it will require financially and operationally, and how we'll know whether it's helping students. I'm comfortable getting into the details while keeping the longer-term picture in view. It's why I've put so much emphasis on strategic planning and connecting our goals to the decisions we make each year.

What are past accomplishments or experiences that make you qualified for this position?
I've tried to contribute to the Board by doing the preparation, bringing forward specific proposals, and working with my colleagues to move them forward. On a nine-member Board, that work depends on earning support and being willing to work through questions and disagreements.

I served on the Board's Governance Committee, where we recommended a new committee structure, a strategic plan and a Finance Committee in March. I've continued that work as a member of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, established in July, and by co-writing the resolution that created the Finance Advisory Committee. The Board approved that resolution on October 13, and Jenee Campo chairs the committee.

Those efforts are connected. The committee structure should give important issues the time and attention they need. The strategic plan should establish a direction for the district, informed by parents, staff and residents. The Finance Advisory Committee should help us understand our financial outlook and the choices ahead. Together, they should put the Board in a better position to make decisions that support our schools and keep our towns affordable.

Outside the Board, I'm a trustee of the Foundation for MERS, which raises private funds and awards grants for educational programs, projects and resources in our schools. I also developed the Foundation's strategic plan. It's another way I've been able to contribute my professional experience while supporting opportunities for our students.

If elected, what will be your top priorities in your new role?
First, finish the strategic plan. It's the work I care about most on this Board, and our committee will submit its recommendation to the full Board by the end of October. Parents, staff and residents should help shape the plan from the beginning. It should establish clear goals for the next several years, covering student outcomes, staff, facilities and finances, and connect those priorities to the budget. Residents should also be able to see how we're doing through regular Board reports on a manageable set of measures.

Second, keep our academics strong. Our teachers and students are delivering strong results, and the plan should help us build on them. When we consider a budget cut, I want us to understand what removing that line would mean in the classroom.

Third, keep that excellence affordable. The Finance Advisory Committee gives us a way to look beyond the next budget and better understand where our finances are heading. Its work should help us assess reserves, identify budget areas that need a closer look, and determine where we can work with other districts to advocate for targeted relief from Trenton. I want its recommendations to inform our budget decisions and the strategic plan, so we're planning for these pressures over several years.

Name one thing about Manalapan-Englishtown that always makes you smile.
The small-town feel. Some of my favorite moments are at school events where I'm there more as a dad than a Board member, or on the sidelines coaching or watching the girls play.

A great Saturday is soccer at Clark Mills and martial arts at UTA with the girls, with Sweet Buns for breakfast and sushi at Sakura for dinner. We run into neighbors at just about every stop.