Four candidates are running for three seats on the Hornell Board of Education in the Tuesday, May 19 district budget and school board election vote.
The top three vote-getters will earn five-years term on the school board. The new terms begin on July 1, 2026.
The candidates are incumbents Joe Liberto and Dr. Uzma Mehr, former board member Jessica Talbot, and first-time candidate Julie Conklin.
Current school board member James Marino is not running for reelection.
Capsule profiles for each of the four candidates appear in alphabetical order.
Julie Conklin
Born and raised in the Maple City, Conklin is a 2006 Hornell High School graduate.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in health science from Daemen University and a master’s in social work from Nazareth College, Conklin began her professional career as a mental health therapist and success coach at Alfred State.
Conklin said she has transitioned over the last four years into the talent acquisition field.
Conklin and her husband, a fellow Hornell High School alum, returned to Hornell in 2018. They are raising their three children, all of whom are enrolled in the Hornell City School District
“As a parent, I have a front row seat to our schools’ successes and challenges, and I’m deeply invested in the long term vitality of our community,” she said.
Conklin said her decision to run for a school board seat “stems from a deep personal connection to Hornell, wanting to give back to the community that helped shape who I am today.”
Conklin said her experience as a mental health therapist and student success coach have given her the tools to advocate for those who need it most, while her recent career in talent acquisition provides a strategic lens for attracting and retaining the best educators for Hornell.
Joe Liberto
Liberto is completing his second five-year term on the Hornell Board of Education, having first been elected in 2016. He currently serves at the school board’s vice president.
A Hornell resident for three decades, Liberto had a 38-year career teaching science at all levels of education, from middle school through high school and college.
Liberto and his wife, Molly, are the parents of three children.
Liberto said academic success requires contributions by each school stakeholder.
“Our teachers, administrators, staff, and volunteers have contributed greatly to the success of the Hornell School student body,” Liberto said.
In addition to his school board role, Liberto has stepped into and served in other community-focused positions.
He is the financial officer of the Hornell Public Library and a commissioner on the Hornell Board of Public Works.
As a volunteer Public Works commissioner, Liberto helps oversee the departments responsible for maintaining, repairing and upgrading city roads and bridges, and handling water sanitation and sewage treatment.
Dr. Uzma Mehr
One of two incumbents running for reelection on May 19, Mehr has been a member of the Hornell School Board since 2016.
Mehr grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, attended Drew University and pursued a career in medicine in the Dominican Republic. She completed her pediatric residency in Nassau University Medical Center in Long Island, N.Y. and became a board-certified pediatrician.
Mehr has practiced in Hornell for the past 25 years. She is the president of the St. James Hospital Medical Staff, serves on multiple hospital committees and is a member of the Bethesda Foundation Board of Directors.
“I can safely say that my patients are a family to me and this connection gives me valuable insight with which I can be a voice for them,” Mehr said. “There are many challenges for children, parents, and even educators that are new territory. I feel that I have a unique level of understanding that can bridge many facets of community to improve the quality of education provided by the Hornell City School District.”
Mehr and her husband, Hornell native Dr. Ismail (Izzy) Mehr, are parents of two children who attended Hornell schools from kindergarten through high school graduation.
“Being an empty nester and having had children go through the Hornell school district puts me at an advantage to help seek change where it is needed,” she said.
Jessica Talbot
Talbot, a 2001 Hornell High School graduate, describes herself as a lifelong advocate for public education.
She holds an associate’s degree in liberal arts from SUNY Alfred, a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and childhood education, and a master’s degree in literacy from Alfred University, as well as a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership from SUNY Brockport.
With 20 years of experience in public education, Talbot has been a classroom teacher and a school administrator, including roles as an elementary principal, secondary principal and director of special education.
Talbot is the parent of two Hornell High School graduates from the classes of 2021 and 2023.
Talbot said she brings a deep understanding of school systems, budgeting, and policy development, along with a strong commitment to supporting educators and making fiscally responsible decisions that benefit students and the community.
Talbot has experience as a member of the Hornell School Board, serving previously from 2015-23.
Hess held leadership positions while she was on the school board, with time as both president and vice president of the body.
Voters will consider 2026-27 budget, propositions
The school board election is one of several propositions on the May 19 ballot.
City school district voters will also decide the fates of the $49,897,993 2026-27 budget and propositions dealing with transportation, tax support for the Hornell Public Library and finalizing the transfer of Maple City Park from the City of Hornell to the school district.
Where and when to vote on May 19
Polls will be located in the Hornell High School cafeteria annex on May 19, with voting hours of 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell Board of Education candidates make their case for election
Reporting by Neal Simon, Hornell Evening Tribune / The Evening Tribune
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