Board Members

The nine members of the Colonial School Board are elected at large to serve the citizens of Conshohocken Borough and Plymouth and Whitemarsh Townships. The term of a board member is four years and the only compensation is the satisfaction of service to the community. Members attend more than 150 meetings and take part in official ceremonies and school functions each year.

Beth Patruno, President

A Whitemarsh Township resident, Beth Patruno was elected to a four-year term to the School Board in 2019, She elected as Vice President in December 2021 and President in December 2022. Mrs. Patruno served on the Ridge Park PTO Executive Board for five years, serving as co-president for three years. She has also been active in the Colonial Elementary School PTO, teaches Sunday school classes and helps run vacation bible school in the summer. Mrs. Patruno has more than 10 years of experience teaching elementary school students in Philadelphia and working as a literacy specialist for Temple University’s College of Education. Currently she teaches preschool in Plymouth Meeting. Mrs. Patruno holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College and a Master of Science degree in Education from Drexel University.

Gail Plant, Vice President

Mrs. Gail Plant brings more than 25 years of leadership experience from her career, church, and volunteer service to her role as a member of the Colonial Board of School Directors. She was elected to a four-year term on the Board in November 2021 and was elected Vice President in December 2022.

“I’m active with pursuing my dreams and goals, so when the call of action was ignited within me to run for a Colonial School Board Member seat in 2020, I responded with a firm ‘yes!’”

Raised in an urban Philadelphia community, Mrs. Plant attended the Philadelphia public school system for her middle and high school years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Drexel University in Computer Information Systems and immediately began her 25+-year career. She received her Master’s Degree in Leadership Development in 2015 from Penn State University.

Mrs. Plant’s family is one of her most joyous and proudest accomplishments. She is the wife of Ronald Plant and mother to three daughters — Sanahji, Zoraya, and Jaylah. They also include their Maltipoo, Nala, as part of the family.

Mrs. Plant has lived in the Colonial Community for 15 years.

“I firmly believe that our children’s overall wellbeing is of high priority and should be first and foremost when making decisions regarding their academics and overall interests,” said Mrs. Plant. “When I leave this earth, my aspiration is to have inspired all I came in contact with to open their minds and embrace all that God has planned for themselves, the community, the country, and the world.”

Richard Carpenter Jr.

A member of the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Class of 1999, Rick Carpenter brings strong ties to the community and an extensive knowledge of technology to the Colonial School Board.

“I'm excited to advocate for our students,” said Mr. Carpenter. “I hope members of the community find me approachable and willing to listen.”

Mr. Carpenter is the president and owner of an information technology (IT) managed service provider in Blue Bell, Pa. His company offers IT consulting, provides help desk and managed security services for small businesses in the region, and donates time to work with nonprofit organizations on their IT infrastructure. He holds a bachelor's degree in IT from the College of William and Mary and a master's degree in Cybersecurity from Villanova.

Outside of work, Mr. Carpenter can be found serving as division coordinator for Colonial Soccer, fields coordinator for Conshy Bulldogs Boys Lacrosse, and assistant division coordinator for Plymouth ABA Basketball, while coaching teams for soccer and basketball. He is also on the leadership council and is active in youth ministry at Storehouse Church.

“This district has been such a positive for both me and my family,” said Mr. Carpenter. “I wanted to contribute to continuing Colonial's outstanding legacy as an asset to the community — and as a great place to learn and to work.”

He married his wife Brooke in 2005. They have three boys: Cole, Tate, and Keene.

Dr. Jamina Clay

As an Assistant Superintendent for the School District of Philadelphia, Dr. Jamina Clay oversees a portfolio of 11 schools, where she monitors the implementation of instructional programming and supports the alignment of organizational systems. She now brings this expertise to Colonial, after being elected to a four-year term on the Colonial Board of School Directors in November 2021.

“I wanted to be a School Board Director, because I felt that it was important for the Board to be representative of the entire community,” said Dr. Clay. “I wanted to bring my experiences and knowledge to support the community that I live in and love so much.”

A resident of Plymouth Meeting, Dr. Clay also supports the community as the co-director of the Colonial Anti Racism and Social Equity Alliance, a member of the Plymouth/Lafayette Hill Historical Area Review Board, and a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated and Jack and Jill of America.

Dr. Clay is the mother of five children that she refers to as her “5 heartbeats” and enjoys hearing updates from the schools about special projects, upcoming events, and other activities that enrich the lives of Colonial’s children.

“I love being a mom and love being an educator,” said Dr. Clay. “I've worked in education for over 21 years and have loved every minute of it.”

Dr. Clay holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware, Masters degree from Dowling College and Hofstra University, and a Doctorate from Gwynedd Mercy University.

Chris Epstein

A Whitemarsh Township resident, Chris Epstein was elected to a four-year term to the School Board in 2019. Mrs. Epstein has volunteered extensively in Colonial schools having been active in various PTOs, the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Post Prom Committee and the PWHS Band Boosters. She helped develop an after-school program at the Salvation Army in Philadelphia and assisted in mentoring children at a Salvation Army camp for 15 summers. Mrs. Epstein also serves as volunteer director of children’s ministry at her church. She has attended classes at Drexel University and Temple University.

Sharon Marino

An educational coach and consultant, Ms. Sharon Marino brings more than 20 years of experience working for the School District of Philadelphia to the Colonial School District, where she was appointed to the Colonial Board of School Directors in January 2021.

“I am enjoying learning the systems, perspectives, and processes that support our school system and look forward to continuing to listen, learn, and collaborate with our students, families, educators, and community,” said Ms. Marino.

While she was principal at McClure Elementary, the school improved their rating from “intervene” to “reinforce” on the School Progress Report and benefited from a number of grants to ensure access and opportunities for all students and their families. A proud member of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders and a Neubauer Fellow, Ms. Marino is using the knowledge and experience she gained as a teacher, coach, and principal to support current educational leaders in their craft.

Ms. Marino has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Rosemont College, a Masters in Elementary Education from St. Joseph's University, ESL (English as a Second Language) Certification from Penn State Abington, and Principal (K-12) Certification from Cheyney University.

A resident of Conshohocken Borough, Ms. Marino has served on the Conshohocken Dog Park Committee and is a member of the Colonial Area Anti Racism and Social Equity Alliance. She is currently pursuing her Yoga/SEL teacher certification and plans to share her practice with teachers and students in underserved communities.

Ms. Marino is married to her husband Mike and is “dog mom” to a pup named Dee. She enjoys traveling, playing softball, yoga, reading, and spending time with her father, siblings, and 14 nieces and nephews.

Susan Moore

A resident of Plymouth Meeting, Susan L. Moore was appointed to the School Board in December 2001 and elected to four-year terms in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. She served seven one-year terms as Board President and four one-year terms as Vice President.

Mrs. Moore holds a master's degree in special education from Temple University and has extensive experience as a teacher in both public and private schools. She is quite familiar with the Colonial School District having volunteered and served as Vice President for the Plymouth Elementary School, Colonial Elementary School, Colonial Middle School and Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Parent Teacher Organizations. She also has served on the Colonial Parents Council. A former president of the Ply-Mar Swim and Tennis Club, Mrs. Moore also is a past member of the Strategic Planning Evaluation Committee for Colonial.

Cathy Peduzzi

A Lafayette Hill resident, Cathy Peduzzi was elected to a four-year term on the School Board in 2015 and re-elected to a second four-year term in 2019. A former Whitemarsh Township Supervisor, she holds a degree from the American University where she attended on a full basketball scholarship. Mrs. Peduzzi is a middle school English teacher in the Philadelphia School District and is also active as a youth sports coach in the community.