The Saratoga Springs City School District’s Board of Education is composed of nine unsalaried citizens elected to serve overlapping terms of three years each. At the end of a term, a board member wishing to continue public service must be re-elected to another term. New York State Law does not limit the number of terms a member may serve. Saratoga Springs City School District invites community members to run for the Board of Education. Each year, there are three Board of Education vacancies for three-year terms.
Learn more about the role of a school board member from the New York State School Boards Association.
Email the full board of education and superintendent at boe@saratogaschools.org or individual board members at the emails listed below.
Natalya Lakhtakia
President
Email: n_lakhtakia@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2028
Ms. Lakhtakia is a speech-language pathologist at a public elementary school. She is married and has one child. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Spanish from Penn State, and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from the University of Utah. Her community involvement includes volunteering with Saratoga Stronger, community organizing with CDDSA, and volunteering within the Division Street PTA in addition to supporting our schools at the Board level.
Dr. Leigh Wilton
Vice President
Email: l_wilton@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2028
Dr. Leigh Wilton was elected to the Board of Education in 2025.
Dr. Wilton is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Skidmore College. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Rutgers University. She has been actively involved in several educational leadership and service committees at Skidmore and Princeton, as well as a volunteer Saratoga Recreation Center soccer coach. Leigh and her husband have lived in Saratoga Springs since 2015, and they have three children.
Lauren Allen
Trustee
Email: l_allen2@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2029
Lauren Allen was elected to the Board of Education in 2026.
Ms. Allen is an Assistant Professor at SUNY Empire State University with expertise in behavioral and school psychology. She completed advanced training at the Kennedy Krieger Institute through the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Lauren holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Psychology, along with a B.S. in Psychology, from the University of Southern Mississippi.
She is actively involved in the Saratoga Springs community and supports neuro-inclusive programming through partnerships with local organizations, while also serving in leadership roles in professional associations.
Dr. Deborah Amory
Trustee
Email: d_amory@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2027
Dr. Deborah Amory was elected to the Board of Education in 2024.
Dr. Amory is a professor and the chair of the Social Science and Public Affairs department at Empire State University. She holds a B.A. in African Studies from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Stanford University. Dr. Amory has been a resident of the school district for the past 12 years, and she and her wife have one son who attends Saratoga Springs High School. In addition to her academic and family commitments, Dr. Amory is an active volunteer for Saratoga Pride, serving as a Safe Space trainer. She also contributes her expertise as a member of the Board of Directors for the Empire Justice Center.
Beth Braxton
Trustee
Email: b_braxton@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2029
Beth Braxton was elected to the Board of Education in 2023.
Ms. Braxton is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Chair of the Counseling Division at SUNY Adirondack. She has worked in multiple clinical settings and has been an educator for over 20 years. Beth holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Richmond, an M.Ed. in School Counseling, and an Ed. S. in Mental Health Counseling from James Madison University. A Saratoga Springs native, Beth, and her husband have three children. Beth has served on the Children’s Museum at Saratoga Board of Directors and is currently a director for the Faculty Student Association Board of SUNY Adirondack.
Ashley Fogarty
Trustee
Email: a_fogarty@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2028
Matthew Kopans
Trustee
Email: m_kopans@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2027
Matthew Kopans was elected to the Board of Education in 2024.
Mr. Kopans is employed as the Director of Individual Giving For Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. He has worked in the arts and for non-profits in both management and fundraising roles. Matt holds a B.A. In Public Policy from the College of Williams and Mary, an M.A. in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, and an M.A. in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Matt has been involved in the Saratoga community since moving here in 2006, and he and his wife have two children. He has served on several non-profit boards including SaratogaArtsFest, Temple Sinai, and Pitney Meadows Community Farm.
Anita Stabrowski
Trustee
Email: a_stabrowski@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2027
Anita Stabrowski was elected to the Board of Education in 2026.
Ms. Stabrowski is a retired public school teacher and Saratoga Springs community member. She brings a strong background in education and a continued commitment to supporting students and schools. Anita earned her B.S. from Western Illinois University and her M.S.Ed. from the University of Rochester. She remains active in the community and regularly volunteers at city-hosted events.
Dr. Connie Woytowich
Trustee
Email: c_woytowich@saratogaschools.org
Term Ends: 2027
Dr. Connie Woytowich was elected to the Board of Education in 2021.
Dr. Woytowich is a New York State Master Teacher Emeritus at Colonie Central High School. She holds a BS in Biology, an MS in Curriculum Development and Instructional Design, Certificates of Advanced Study (CAS) in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Administration, and a PhD in Educational Policy and Leadership. Dr. Woytowich previously served as the Camp Invention Director for Saratoga and has a long history of volunteer work, including her role as PTA President at Division Street Elementary School and participation in numerous school, district, and regional educational committees. She and her husband are proud parents of four daughters.