Board of Education

Contact Information: traccio@wallingfordschools.org

Contact Information:  rross@wallingfordschools.org 

Contact Information: kcastelli@wallingfordschools.org

Kathy Castelli has been a Wallingford resident since 1979 where she and her husband Ron raised a daughter and 4 sons. All 5 children were educated through the Wallingford school system with 4 graduating from Lyman Hall, and one chosing to attend Wilcox Technical school for his high school years. Kathy graduated from Southern Connecticut State College (now SCSU) with a bachelors degree in Special Education. She chose to pursue a career in business, and has worked for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for 24 years as a manager and business analyst. While her children were in school, Kathy was active in PTA, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the Wallingford Youth Soccer League.

Kathy has served on the board of education since January of 2008. From 2008-2010 she served as secretary. In addition to attending both the Instructional and Operations monthly committee meetings, Kathy co-chaired the 2011-2012 School Calendar committee and was a member of the Facilities Usage committee that reviewed and revised this policy. She is presently serving on the Strategic Plan Technology committee.

​Rajan Doering is a lifelong resident and active member of the Wallingford community. He currently is a student at Quinnipiac, where he is in his senior year studying Economics, Public Relations, and Data Science.

Mr. Doering has served in various capacities in the school district, including:

• Community Outreach Strategic Plan Steering Committee

• District Leadership Team

• Wellness Committee

• STEM Steering Committee

• Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee

• Interview Committee for Assistant Superintendent, Guidance Department Chairperson, and Math Teacher

• Sheehan School Climate Committee

• Sheehan Volunteer Fair Coordinator

• Sheehan Student Council President and Student Representative to Board of Education

• Coalition for a Better Wallingford Liaison to Sheehan High School

• State Student Advisory Council on Education

Mr. Doering has also served in several capacities with other organizations in the town, including:

• Board member, food pantry founder and leader, and financial secretary at Wallingford Church of the Nazarene, better known as The Rock Church

• Board member, grant money allocator, and Community Conversations on Race Steering Committee at the United Way

• Board member, Togetherhood Committee (identifies and fills community needs including back-to-school supply drive and family game night) founder and chairperson at the YMCA

• Food truck coordinator and Parade and Marketing Committees Member for Jubilee 350

• Nonprofit Writer for the Wallingford Magazine

• Relay for Life Event Leadership Team

Mr. Doering’s goal for board service is to work tirelessly to maintain positive relationships with parents, staff, community members, and most importantly students, to keep us united in a vision to ensure an equitable and inclusive environment for all, care for academic, emotional, and physical well-being of our students, and use our budget and facilities to prepare our students starting with our youngest learners for the future while operating with the utmost transparency.

Contact info: rdoering@wallingfordschools.org, 203 208 8534 (call or text), or find me on social media

​Maureen Reed has been a lifelong resident of Wallingford. She is a graduate of Sheehan High School. She and her husband have four children, who attended Wallingford schools and graduated from Wilcox, Sheehan and Lyman Hall. 

Maureen graduated from SCSU with a B.S. in English. She went on to earn an M.A. in Education and Ed.D in Educational Leadership from SCSU. She has worked in the field of education for over 25 years.  Her experiences include teacher of English in the Meriden for the Young Mother's Program, Director of the Adult Education Program in Berlin, and teacher of English in the Cheshire district.  For the past 18 years she has been an Assistant Principal/Curriculum at Cheshire High School. She has also served as an adjunct professor for St. Joseph's University and the SCSU graduate program. 

Her goal as a Board of Education member is to give back to her community by using her experience in the field of Education.  She plans to listen and address to the concerns of students, educators, parents and community members. 

Contact Information:  mreed@wallingfordschools.org

​Jen Passaretti has been a proud resident of Wallingford for 20 years. She and her husband are parents to 3 children, all of whom are currently attending college. Jen has been an employee of the University of New Haven since 2003 as the Biology Department Laboratory Manager and Adjunct Professor. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology from Messiah College. While at the University of New Haven, Jen earned a master's in Occupational Safety and Health Management and certifications in both Industrial Hygiene and Human Resources.

She has served the Town of Wallingford as a full voting member of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission. Jen has had the pleasure of working alongside the children of Wallingford through the Wallingford Community Theatre with her husband.

As the daughter of a 3rd grade teacher, Jen was raised with a passion for education. She knows that a town’s value is determined by the quality of its schools. Our school system has always been a source of pride for our beloved Wallingford, representing one of the leading reasons why people are moving here. People recognize that their children will receive an exceptional public education, one that rivals almost any private school option. Jen is very excited to undertake her first term on the Board of Ed and will work tirelessly to maintain that quality which sets us apart and lends support to a thriving community.

Contact Information:  Jpassaretti@wallingfordschools.org

Contact Information:  dregan@wallingfordschools.org

Contact Information: mroscoe@wallingfordschools.org

Contact Information: mvotto@wallingfordschools.org

Mr. Votto has been a resident of Wallingford since 1971. He was raised in North Haven and attended public schools in that town and graduated from North Haven High School.

Mr. Votto received his BS and MS degrees in Education at Southern Connecticut State University. He also received 30 credits towards his 6^th year at Southern Connecticut State University and the University of New England. Mr. Votto taught in the North Branford School System for 37 years as a Middle School teacher, primarily teaching 8^th grade U.S. History. In his role as teacher at North Branford Intermediate School he served as Advisor to many student organizations, was Dean of Students, and the substitute Principal and Vice-Principal. Mr. Votto has been a member of the Wallingford Board of Education since 1999 and has served as Chairman of the Board for two of his 10 terms and has also served as Vice-Chairman and Secretary.   Mr. Votto also previously served for many years as Chairman of the Most Holy Trinity School Board of Education and also as Home/School President. He has been a Special Minister of the Eucharist at Most Holy Trinity Church since 1983. Mr. Votto recently retired, after 10 years,  as principal of St. Aedan-St. Brendan School in New Haven and was also a former teacher at Choate-Rosemary Hall in its Summer Program Department for 15 years.

Mr. Votto and his wife, Ann, have three children, two of whom are teachers. His son, Michael, is married and lives in Massachusetts and is an Assistant Principal at an elementary school and has two daughters. His daughter. Ariana, is also married and teaches Latin in Branford and has fourteen year old triplets who attend Sheehan High School. His youngest daughter, Gena, lives at home and works for Meriden ARC.