Bryant, Ivker Start New Terms On West Orange School Board

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education swore in two members for new terms at their annual reorganization meeting: Dia Bryant, and Robert Ivker.

Bryant and Ivker each emerged victorious in the 2025 school board election, which also included Susan Palmucci and Noha Sadany. READ MORE: Bryant And Ivker Win BOE Seats: Election Results Certified

Bryant and Ivker will serve three-year terms. Here is some background about each board member, according to the school district’s website:

DIA BRYANT – “Dr. Bryant brings years of experience as a teacher, school founder, and special assistant to the first deputy chancellor. She recently stepped down as the executive director at the Education Trust-New York to spend more time with her family. Her passion is education, research, data, equity, and opportunity. Originally from Detroit, Dr. Bryant holds a bachelor's in Economics from Kalamazoo College, a Masters in Math Education from Brooklyn College, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.”

ROBERT IVKER – “Robert Ivker is a cancer specialist and past Governor’s Appointee to the New Jersey State Commission on Cancer Research. His son is a student in the West Orange school system. Other leadership roles that Dr. Ivker has held include Chairman, Department of Radiation Oncology at Newark Beth Israel, where his responsibilities included treating all of the children with cancer who were patients at the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey. He has also served as president of the Oncology Societies of New Jersey and of Essex County. As a physician, he has received multiple awards and recognition for his outreach to the community on issues such as cancer screening and improving access to state-of-the-art cancer treatments for underserved communities. In honor of the birth of their first child fifteen years ago,Robert and his wife established a fund at the Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst to help Holocaust survivors who are living in poverty in Brooklyn. That charity is still going strong.”

NEW PREZ, VP

The board also elected a new president and vice president at their Jan. 6 meeting.

Brian Rock was chosen to serve as president for the 2026 school year. Maria Vera was chosen to serve as vice-president.

All designations of position were approved for the West Orange Public School District through Jan. 5, 2027.

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