​Christine Cowan

​

Christine Cowan brings a unique blend of professional expertise; prior experience serving on the Board of Education and is currently serving on the Board to fill a vacancy. She has a personal commitment to her role as a community leader. Having previously served on the board, she understands not only the responsibilities that come with the position, but also how a healthy, effective board should function. She has witnessed firsthand how collaboration, a focus on policy, and respect for defined roles can drive meaningful progress.
 

Christine believes that the board’s role is to set clear direction and ensure transparency, rather than becoming overly involved in day-to-day operations. She advocates for restoring the balance between governance and management, ensuring that the board focuses on its strategic responsibilities.
 

As a Chief Financial Officer with over 20 years of experience, Christine has a proven record of responsible financial leadership, project oversight, and team management. She has successfully managed $100 million budgets, led large-scale facilities projects, recovered millions in lost revenue, and built high-performing teams across complex organizations. Her ability to ask insightful questions, make data-informed decisions, and hold systems accountable allows her to strengthen oversight without overstepping into operational matters.
 

In addition to her professional achievements, Christine is a dedicated mother of four children in the district. One of her daughters is outplaced due to the severity of her needs, a personal experience that has made her a strong and compassionate advocate for the special education community. She understands the challenges many families face and is committed to being a voice for those who too often feel unheard or misunderstood

​

Mark Simmons

​

 Mark Simmons is running for a seat on the RSD13 Board of Education. Mark moved to Durham with his family just over six years ago in part because of the excellent reputation of the school district. As a parent of two school-age children, Mark is deeply invested in the success of our district. 

Mark is running because our schools are at a crossroads and need qualified leadership. Declining student enrollment, low staff morale, and increasing questions about board accountability demand thoughtful, transparent, and community-involved leadership. Mark will work to ensure that our district meets the needs of today’s students, and plans responsibly for the future. That means listening to parents and teachers, asking hard questions, and making decisions rooted in student success.

Mark's priorities include:

Support for Educators: Advocate for policies and resources that help our teachers thrive, including professional development, collaboration time, and classroom autonomy.

Long-Term Planning: Encourage strategic decision-making that addresses enrollment trends, facilities’ needs, educational innovation, and the development of a comprehensive strategic plan for the district.

Community Engagement: Promote transparency and open communication between the Board, administration, and families to build trust and collaboration, including increasing access to meetings.

Curriculum Development: Support the ongoing development of a rigorous, inclusive, and forward-looking curriculum that prepares all students for success in a rapidly changing world.

Mark brings a blend of professional expertise and personal dedication to this role. With a 16-year career in IT, Mark has developed strong skills in collaborative problem-solving, managing complex projects, and making thoughtful, ethical decisions. As a parent, he understands firsthand the challenges families face navigating the school system, advocating for their children, and striving for the best educational outcomes.

​

Nick Konstantino

​

First and foremost, Nick is a proud parent of four-year-old triplet daughters with his wife Alysa. Professionally, he is a software engineer specializing in system design, blending brick-and-mortar and e-commerce operations, and is one of the leading voices involved in the development of artificial intelligence tools at Block.

Nick grew up in neighboring Killingworth and has deep ties to Durham. From childhood memories of the Durham Fair and Dari Serve to accompanying his sisters to horseback riding lessons in town, Durham has long felt like home. When he and his wife were expecting triplets and moved back to Connecticut, they chose Durham because of its small-town character, strong schools, and its location between their families on the shoreline and in central Connecticut. Now he lives in Durham with both his mother and mother-in-law in their own separate in-law apartments setting up a wonderful multi-generational household for his girls to grow up in.

Nick brings both professional expertise and personal values to his candidacy. His career has centered on collaboration, problem-solving, and designing practical solutions within real-world constraints. As a leader in AI implementation, he has a clear understanding of the risks and opportunities technology presents. Personally, he is committed to fiscal responsibility, shaped by a family tradition of financial literacy, and is passionate about ensuring future generations gain the skills they need to succeed.

Nick is running for the RSD 13 Board of Education because he believes the district’s strong teaching staff must be empowered to do what they do best. He is concerned about stalled progress in hiring a Curriculum Director and about partisan politics overshadowing what should be nonpartisan decisions in local education. With his daughters entering the school system, Nick is committed to being engaged in their education and to extending that commitment to all families in the community.

If elected, Nick’s top priorities will be:

Fiscal responsibility and communication – ensuring transparent, data-driven, and contextualized decision-making paired with clear communication with the community.

Supporting teachers – listening to educators and creating policies that empower them rather than burden them.

Thoughtful use of technology – approaching emerging tools like AI with balance, training, and discipline, while safeguarding students’ educational and emotional well-being and expanding our educator's toolset.

Nick’s commitment to public service is rooted in his role as a father. “Since our girls were barely visible dots at the 6-week ultrasound, I was all-in on being a dad,” he says. “Nothing else I do on this earth will matter more than preparing my children for the world. That same commitment extends to every child in our school system.”

He brings a practical decision-making approach: identify the task, try solutions, learn from results, and continuously improve. Whether in writing code, supporting his wife and newborn triplets, or shaping education policy.

Guided by the words of his grandfather, “Don’t be afraid of hard work, make hard work afraid of you”. Nick is ready to serve Durham with dedication, transparency, and the relentless drive to do what is best for students, families, educators, and residents.