Meet Vanessa Good, School Board Director

With the November 8 election day swiftly approaching, Upper Dublin Patch is on a mission to inform its readers about the background and stances of every single candidate running for office in our township.

We'll present two pieces on every candidate: first an interview on their personal background, followed by a second to find out their viewpoint on key issues. To find which ward you're in, click here.

Vanessa Good is one of four incumbents who, along with three challenging candidates, are vying for five open spots on the Upper Dublin Board of School Directors. In , in which all candidates crossfiled as both Democrat and Republican, Good garned the fifth most votes on the Republican (13.49%) ballot, and fifth most (15.41%) on the Democratic.

Upper Dublin Patch: What publicly elected offices have you held, and for how long?

Vanessa Good: I was elected to the Board of School Directors in Upper Dublin in 2007 – I currently serve as co-chair of the Personnel and Technology Committees. This is the first and only elected office I have ever held.

UDP: Can you take a moment to tell our readers a bit about yourself-- where you're from, your education, and your professional and personal achievements?

Vanessa Good: I was born in Chicago and raised in Montclair, New Jersey. I graduated from Denison University in 1983 with a BA in Political Science. I have worked as a corporate paralegal and a legal recruiter and for the last 11 years I have been the Director of Operations at a company in Horsham called LABREPCO, Inc.

In addition, I serve as a Board member and Secretary of the Upper Dublin Education Foundation and am on the Advisory Board of the Cardinal Opportunities Mentoring Program. I have one child, a son, Brian, who graduated from UDHS in 2008 and is a junior at Towson University. My husband, Mike, and I moved our family into Upper Dublin in 1995 specifically for its excellent schools.

UDP: Where do you place yourself on the political spectrum? Are there any key philosophies or issues you hold most important?

Vanessa Good: Truthfully, on the political spectrum I am a moderate, swing voter.  I vote by conscience and by brain not simply by party. I am a Republican by registration but years ago I was a Democrat (consequently, the statement I just made makes me persona non grata with both parties).

I attempt to see all sides of all arguments and try very hard to make decisions that are salient and responsive and support as many stakeholders as possible but especially the children. Having said all this, I sincerely wish education in Pennsylvania could be depoliticized. I don’t think any political point of view should dictate how an effective, high achieving school district should be managed – or for that matter any school district – God help the failing ones. The issues facing every school district in Pennsylvania are complex beyond the political spectrum…and that may be the biggest crisis we face ever.

We need to be sensitive to the hardships of our residents which are real, while addressing the needs of our children, which are also real. Anyone who espouses an “easy, one dimensional solution” to anything school districts face today is just not fully informed of all the facts or is choosing to ignore them for some personal purpose. I would like to see people put politics aside and bring on respectful opinions with the thought in mind that compromise and consensus are the only true civil solutions.

UDP: Why is it important to you to remain in office?

Vanessa Good: Tricky question because it could sound as though I gain some sort of aggrandizement by being re-elected. Far from that, volunteering in this capacity is hard work and at times results in nothing but a beat down. However, having experience in this venue and really grasping the details is immensely important and helpful to the District in a time of great concern.

It is also very rewarding to participate in supporting our community this way. Right now there is a School Board of diverse opinion but with great mutual respect serving Upper Dublin and I believe it is beneficial for there to be continuity. I’d like to see our leadership perpetuated.

Stick with Patch as we continue to speak with candidates. Click for previous interviews. Incumbents in bold.

Upper Dublin Township Commissioners

Ward 1: (R), (D)

Ward 5: (D), (R)

Ward 7: (R), (D)

UDSD School Board

, , , , , , .

Magisterial District Judge

(D), (R)