Millburn School Board Candidate Profile: Priya Shivani

MILLBURN, NJ — Millburn residents have some big choices to make in November: who will serve on the board of education?

Millburn is among the New Jersey towns holding a school board contest as part of the 2026 general election. Seven candidates have filed to run for three open seats on the Millburn Board of Education, including Priya Shivani.

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Shivani recently shared some background with Patch about her qualifications and plans if elected.

PATCH: What qualifications and background make you a good fit for the position?

PRIYA SHIVANI: When I first ran for the board of education three years ago, I emphasized active governance, accountability, listening to our community, and using data to drive decisions. I still believe strongly in those principles, but three years of serving on the board as vice president have given me a much deeper understanding of how to turn ideas into meaningful change in a school district.

I have learned that getting results requires more than just identifying an issue – it means working collaboratively with school administration, asking the right questions, listening to different perspectives, using data to inform decisions, and developing solutions that can work effectively in our schools and classrooms.

That experience has made me a more thoughtful and effective board member. I have learned how important it is to balance a sense of urgency with collaboration - to keep initiatives moving forward while understanding their impact on students, teachers, and the district as a whole. I have seen firsthand that meaningful progress is possible when the board and administration work together around clear goals.

Professionally, I have spent my career in technology and finance, working as a business transformation leader in both startups and large organizations. My educational background and professional experience have taught me the importance of collaboration, adaptability, critical thinking, accountability, and bringing people with different perspectives together to solve complex problems.

During my first term, I brought those skills to my leadership of the Governance Committee and my work on the Program Committee. I have worked closely with fellow board members and the administration on issues that directly affect students—from academic access and grading practices to curriculum, student support, and long-term planning.

One of the changes I am most proud of is broader than any single policy or program: our district has moved toward a more student-centered philosophy. We have increasingly looked at decisions through the lens of the student experience - asking whether our policies create meaningful opportunities for students, support learning, and allow students to pursue their individual interests and goals. That philosophy has helped guide changes in course access, grading, guidance, academic pathways, and other areas across the district.

I also bring the perspective of a parent who has now experienced nearly the entire Millburn educational journey. Three years ago, both of my children were in our schools. Today, my older child has begun her first year of college, and my younger child is a freshman at Millburn High School. Going through the college process while serving on the Board gave me another perspective on how decisions made throughout K–12 ultimately affect our students when they leave Millburn.

Three years ago, I came to the board with ideas, professional experience, and a determination to help make positive changes for students. Today, I bring those same things, plus something I could only gain by doing the work: an understanding not only of what we want to accomplish for students, but also of how to move it forward effectively.

PATCH: What are your plans if elected?

PRIYA SHIVANI: Three years ago, I ran on three commitments: prioritize student success through improved opportunities; represent the community by listening and responding; and actively govern using data and transparency.

Those commitments haven't changed. What has changed is that we can now point to tangible progress and can build our future commitments on that foundation.

Over the past three years, the district has expanded access to AP, honors, dual enrollment and other coursework; created additional academic pathways; strengthened guidance and college application support; made changes to grading practices; increased consistency across our elementary schools; and developed stronger relationships with college admissions offices.

But perhaps most importantly, these changes have been part of a broader shift toward a student-centered culture—one that maintains high academic standards while looking more closely at how our policies and practices affect the students experiencing them every day.

Now we need to build on that progress and ensure this philosophy is consistently reflected throughout the district.

One of my priorities is bringing greater attention to the middle school so that the student-centered practices we have worked to establish at the high school extend throughout the student journey. We need thoughtful access criteria, grading and assessment practices, and clearer pathways that allow students to pursue their interests and appropriately challenge themselves.

I also want to continue strengthening our relationships with college admissions offices and the support we provide students throughout the application process. Our students work incredibly hard, and we need to make sure colleges understand the rigor of a Millburn education and the full story of what our students accomplish.

Technology and artificial intelligence will also require thoughtful leadership. With my professional background in technology, I understand both their potential and the importance of using them intentionally. We should prepare students for a technology-driven world while protecting the critical thinking, creativity, communication, and human interaction that are fundamental to learning.

I will also continue to focus on responsible financial stewardship, accountability, and transparency. We need to make thoughtful decisions about where we invest our resources, assess whether initiatives are producing the results we intended, and provide our community with meaningful information about the decisions we make.

A second term would allow me to bring together the perspective I had when I first ran with everything I have learned from three years of governing. The goal remains the same: continually improving the educational experience for Millburn students and ensuring that students remain at the center of the decisions we make.

PATCH: What is one thing about the Millburn school district that always makes you smile?

PRIYA SHIVANI: The students and the many different ways they find their place.

Over the years, I've seen that as a parent, soccer team manager, assistant scoutmaster, PTO volunteer, class parent, and now Board member. I've met students who excel academically, students who thrive on a field or stage, students who lead, students who quietly support their friends, and students who discover their strengths later than others.

Three years ago, I said that every child finds their unique voice and strengths in different ways. After serving on the Board, I believe that even more strongly.

What makes me smile is watching a student discover, "This is what I'm good at. This is where I belong." Our job is to make sure our schools provide enough pathways and opportunities for as many students as possible to have that moment.

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