Joshua Levinson, PhD, originally appointed to the East Penn School Board in September 2018 and subsequently elected to a full term in November 2019, announced his decision to run for re-election to the Board of School Directors of the East Penn School District in 2023.

From an early age, Levinson became acutely aware of the importance of education and this gave him a strong appreciation for how one’s experiences in school can shape personal and professional interests to foster future success, according to a recent news release.

Originally from upstate New York, Levinson moved to Zionsville, part of the East Penn School District, with his wife in 2001.

They have two children who are recent graduates of Emmaus High School and who are now attending college.

Naturally, he wished to see his children have a high-quality public education that would ultimately help them to succeed.

“I am a proud product of the public education system,” Levinson said, “and this foundation enabled me to pursue my educational and professional opportunities in engineering. After high school, I attended MIT and Stanford University in pursuit of BS, MS and PhD degrees in chemical engineering.

“I presently work for a company that manufactures gas delivery equipment for the semiconductor industry, and I have additionally worked in the pharmaceutical and semiconductor device manufacturing sectors,” Levinson said.

Levinson’s experience also includes six years teaching at the collegiate level, which offers him a unique perspective on how the quality of schooling can impact academic and professional preparedness.

Levinson has firm beliefs regarding key issues within the East Penn School District. Levinson states he seeks “to advocate for educational opportunities for students, for good governance within the district and for efficient use of taxpayer-provided resources.”

He views the formulation of the budget, ensuring the availability of necessary resources and structures for the classroom to support student achievement and promoting a positive district climate as important focus areas while serving as a member of the board.

Levinson feels his background in problem-solving and in systematic analysis are “useful for making common-sense decisions that will achieve quality outcomes on these priorities.”

Levinson states he is “very proud of his efforts as part of the board to both maintain and expand educational opportunities and resources for our students, while also helping to guide fiscally-responsible budgets on behalf of taxpayers.”

Additionally, he is proud to have led the district’s effort to expand its Senior Citizens Property Tax Rebate program for low income residents.

In addition to his service on the district’s school board, Levinson is also one of the district’s four representatives on the Joint Operating Committee at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute and he currently serves (or has served) on various committees in both East Penn and LCTI.

He is also a board member of the EPSD Education Foundation, where he assists with its various fundraising activities and also with developing ways to provide STEAM related resources to classrooms and schools within the district.

“I hope to help to continue making East Penn School District one of the premier districts in this region and in the state while serving with both integrity and honesty,” Levinson said.