Candidates for full term Hudson City School Board
Laura Jones is a third-generation teacher and current school board member who is a 21 year resident of Hudson. Laura has served in leadership roles as Co-Chair of the Citizens Committee for Hudson Schools to pass the Bond Issue in support of the new Middle School and renovations throughout the district, as Chair of the Hudson City Schools Finance Committee and as a board member of the Hudson City Schools Foundation. Laura is currently Co-Executive Director of Hudson Community First, is an Executive Board member of Safe Routes Hudson, Drug Safe Hudson Executive Board Member. Laura served as a member of the Visioning Task Force of Portrait of an Explorer Visioning Task Force Member and was a Girl Scout Leader for 14 years. Laura was also a VIP District Coordinator in the Hudson schools for nearly a decade, Hudson PTO Pancake Breakfast Co-Chair for multiple years, First Serve Leader and First Congregational Church Outreach Board Chair. Her work and dedication to Hudson earned Laura the Ohio Middle Level Association 2019 Parent of the Year Award.
Both of Laura’s daughters are HHS graduates. Her daughter Sydney is a junior at Ohio University and her daughter Eve is a freshman at Georgia Tech. Laura works for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as a middle school English and Social Studies teacher. She received her B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University and her M.Ed. from Cleveland State University.
Mark Justice is the father of three daughters attending Hudson schools. He and his wife and can usually be found at one of their children’s events such as Hudson Diamonds Softball, gymnastics, hiking, or maybe a little dirt-biking here and there. He is has been a parent-mentor for the Hudson Middle School Science Olympiad team.
Mark is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, but has lived in Hudson for over 20 years. He and his wife Jeannette settled in Hudson due to the renowned school system, great people, and great parks access. Professionally, Mark is an automation engineer. Holding a Mechanical Engineering degree from Georgia Tech, he has worked with automation equipment for over 25 years in a wide range of applications. Several years ago, Mark started his own contracting business to assist manufacturing in Ohio and beyond. Mr. Justice is unable to attend due to a work conflict.
Matt Romano is an Ohio licensed attorney and Ohio Certified Public Accountant (inactive). He obtained his law degree from Cleveland State and holds an undergraduate BBA from Ohio University with a focus on Accountng and Pre-Law. Before becoming an attorney in the early 2000’s, he began his professional career as a CPA in the mid-1990’s. Mr. Romano opened his own law office in 2017. The firm’s primary office is in Cleveland, Ohio, but he also maintains an office in his hometown of Hudson, Ohio. Mr. Romano’s practice continues to focus on real estate litigation, construction cases, shareholder and partnership disputes, contract disputes, commercial transactions, business torts, insurance coverage, and employment claims. Over the years, Mr. Romano has become a published author on legal topics, and earned awards and peer-nominations recognizing his legal accomplishments and expertise in business and real estate litigation. He also has volunteered significant time to numerous professional organizations in the legal and accounting industries, local city/civic committees, local and national charities, pro bono representation of individuals who could not otherwise afford legal representation, and coaching youth sports. He is most proud of his long-lasting marriage to his college sweetheart, and happily raising their two boys and family pets.
Tom Tobin moved to Hudson in the third grade. After graduation, he attended Miami University and obtained a degree in business finance. He spent nine years working for Smith Barney and Lehman Brothers in New York and Chicago. In 1992, he decided to move back to Hudson, and join his father in launching a new venture called American Endowment Foundation. Tom retired from AEF in 2018 and has enjoyed a very busy and fullfilling volunteer lifestyle. He is involved in several community organizations. He has been a Rotarian with our club for 25 years, and served as our club’s president. He is also a founder of Hudson City Schools Foundation and an active volunteer in the schools doing everything from elementary classroom storytime to helping with gardens and grounds. He is married to Gail and has a son, Rob, who is also an Explorer (class of 2019), currently studying mechanical engineering at Ohio State.