Wade Abbott, President
Term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024
Contact: wabbott@mohonasen.org
Wade Abbott is the communications and community engagement specialist for the Mohawk Valley Library System. In that role, he assists the 14 public libraries in Schenectady, Schoharie, Fulton, and Montgomery counties that make up the Mohawk Valley Library System. This includes conducting outreach to the media, creating communication materials, and helping the libraries enhance their connections to their communities.
A graduate of Woodstown High School in Woodstown, N.J., Abbott has a bachelor of science in materials engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He received a master’s degree in public communications from The College of Saint Rose. He served on a stakeholder team for Mohonasen’s 2018 superintendent search and has conducted classroom visits to teach roller coaster engineering and physics for both a 4th grade class and a 6th grade class.
He is chair of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee at Rotterdam United Methodist Church, the New York State Regional Representative for American Coaster Enthusiasts, and the instructor of a roller coaster engineering class for the Summer Academy Program at The College of Saint Rose.
A Mohonasen resident for more than 15 years, he and his wife Ellen have two children.
Ericka Montagino, Vice President
Term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024
Contact: emontagino@mohonasen.org
Ericka Montagino is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.
Montagino has been a Mohonasen resident since 2014. Montagino and her spouse have two children.
She is a licensed pharmacist for Independent Pharmacy Cooperative working as a Senior Director. Montagino graduated from Schalmont High School and earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy. She is eager to serve as a parent that can represent our families interests and concerns with the future of our children’s education.
Chad McFarland
Term: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2025
Contact: cmcfarland@mohonasen.org
Chad McFarland is currently serving his fourth term on the Board of Education.
McFarland has lived with his family in the district for nine years, and is a senior attorney with Counsel’s Office, NY Department of Labor. He is a Major in the Army Reserve, serving as a judge advocate for 17 years, including 8.5 years of active duty. McFarland deployed to Iraq in 2010 with the 1st Armored Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn as the Chief, Administrative and Civil Law.
McFarland earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Akron and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Akron School of Law.
He and his wife, Ruth, have three daughters, all three in the district’s schools.
Julie Power
Term: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024
Contact: jpower@mohonasen.org
Julie Power is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.
Power has been a Mohonasen resident for seven years, she and her spouse Karl have three children. Power currently teaches math at Broadalbin-Perth High School. She is a graduate of Mohonasen High School and earned her Bachelor’s in Math from SUNY Albany and her Master’s in Math Education from Lehman College, Bronx, NY. She has experienced each of the four district buildings through her children and also as a graduate of
Mohonasen.
Melissa Laudano
Term: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2025
Contact: mlaudano@mohonasen.org
Melissa Laudano is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.
Laudano has been a Mohonasen resident for more than six years and has four children, one at Draper, two at Bradt and one at SUNY Schenectady. Laudano is a business systems analyst at the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. A Mohonasen graduate, she has a bachelor’s degree from The College of Saint Rose and a master’s degree from Norwich University. Laudano is involved with Mohonasen track and cross country, Northway Church and RC Little League.
Patrick Ryan
Term: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Contact: pryan@mohonasen.org
Patrick Ryan is currently serving his third, non-consecutive term on the Board of Education.
Ryan has been a Mohonasen resident for 41 years. He and his spouse have five children who have all come through the district. Three have graduated and two are still attending Mohonasen High School. Ryan is a chief budget examiner at the New York State Division of the Budget. He is a 1980 Mohonasen graduate and has a bachelor’s degree, a Master of Public Administration degree and a certificate of advanced study in planning and policy analysis all from the University at Albany.
Danielle Ciampino
Term: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Contact: dciampino@mohonasen.org
Danielle Ciampino is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.
Ciampino has been a Mohonasen resident for 38 years. She and her spouse, Daniel, have two children in the district: one at Bradt and one at Pinewood. Ciampino left the traditional workforce to be a stay-at-home mom and now runs a bookkeeping LLC out of her home. She is involved in the Mohonasen Parent Teacher Organization and serves on the board of directors for the Mohonasen Foundation of Excellence. A Mohonasen Class of 2002 graduate, she received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and business management at Siena College.