Like minded trio sweep to OPRF board seats
From Wednesday Journal, April 4, 2023:
“A late aligning trio of candidates for the District 200 Oak Park and River Forest High School board of education swept three open seats on the board in Tuesday’s elections.
Jonathan Livingston, Tim Brandhorst and Graham Brisben topped Brian Souders in the election. . .As of Tuesday night’s April 4, unofficial election results, Livingston won the largest number of votes. According to the Cook County Clerk’s totals, Livingston received 5,358 votes, putting him at 27.59%, followed by Brandhorst who received 5,285 votes, putting him at a close 27.16%. Brisben came in third with 4,842 votes, receiving 24.88% of votes. . .”
Full article here
Endorsed by Fred Arkin, D200 Board member
“As we approach the spring elections many community members have asked whom I support for the OPRFHS Board of Education. I am incredibly impressed by three of candidates:
Jonathan Livingston: Jonathan is a breath of fresh air. Relatively new to the district, he brings a young outsider’s perspective that is so desperately needed in our community. Jonathan has a PhD in public administration and is experienced in how public entities should serve its constituents. His experience in taking equity issues from policy to operations will be invaluable.
Graham Brisben: Graham previously served on the D97 board. He selflessly gave up hisD97 seat to run the successful referendum effort. He is intelligent and brings a local experience that will be needed on the D200 Board. He has owned and operated his own businesses and will bring a business expertise and pragmatism to the district
Tim Brandhorst: Tim has already served the district as a member of the Community Council and the Imagine Work Group. Tim by trade is an attorney, and since the board will lose the two serving attorneys his wealth of knowledge is needed. It is impressive that Tim voted no on the 2016 pool referendum, but stepped up and volunteered by engaging his efforts to create a solution.
All three of these candidates are committed to our community and school. They are well rounded without being driven by a single issue. They will devote themselves to what is in the best interest of our students, our tax payers and our staff. These candidates are hardworking, honest, and will serve with the same thoughtful dedication that I have given the board over my 6 years of service. I give them my full support in this race, and I hope you will too!”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Erika Bachner, Village Trustee
“Tim and I met during our shared advocacy to make River Forest a Welcoming Village. Since then I've always thought of Tim as one of those people who just gets things done--someone you can rely on to show up, do the work, and collaborate with others to solve problems and make the community better. Not only will he utilize his public service and D200 expertise, Tim will bring integrity, a strong sense of justice, and immense empathy to the D200 Board. I wholeheartedly endorse Tim. I'll vote for him, and I hope you will too."
—Erika Bachner, Village Trustee, River Forest
Endorsed by Sara Dixon Spivy, D200 Board member
“Sara Spivy has decided not to run for a third term on the Oak Park and River Forest School District 200 Board of Education after all. . .Before deciding to withdraw from the race Spivy, who served as board president for two years, met with the other four candidates. She has decided to endorse three of them: Graham Brisben, Tim Brandhorst, and Jonathan Livingston. . .
Brandhorst, the only candidate who filed to run prior to the last day of filing, has been a vocal supporter of Project 2. He also earned Spivy’s support.
“Tim Brandhorst has deep roots in the community,” Spivy said. “I also think it’s important that we have River Forest representation on the board which we will not have once Ralph Martire steps down. So I think he brings geographic diversity which is really important. He’s also served on many, many committees for the high school so he has a lot of experience.”
Full story here: https://www.oakpark.com/2023/01/31/spivy-drops-oprf-campaign-instead-endorses-three-for-board/
Endorsed by the OPRF Faculty Senate
Tim's statement on the endorsement of the OPRF Faculty Senate:
"I am proud to be endorsed by the OPRF Faculty Senate. As a former management-side labor attorney, who spent years across the bargaining table from the Chicago Teachers Union and many City of Chicago unions, I did not expect this endorsement. But I believe it's a testament to all that I learned about being an effective partner with employee representatives: that we must ensure that OPRF is a great place to work; that constant communication is a must; and that we best serve the students through genuine collaboration and a shared commitment to solving problems together. I know our faculty and staff have had a difficult past few years, and that many are still suffering from the trauma of the pandemic. I pledge to do all I can to provide a safe, welcoming environment for all faculty, staff, and students, and to create a workplace where all faculty and staff feel supported."
Endorsed by Laura Hardwicke
“I have known Tim Brandhorst for over 30 years, as a law school classmate, friend, fellow attorney, father of two, and committed resident of the OP-RF community. Tim is hard-working, deeply compassionate, and dedicated. He is thoughtful and deliberate in making decisions. He is humble and considers all viewpoints. He understands the complex and vital role OPRF High School plays — not just as a crown-jewel to our community but in the daily accomplishments and long-term success of each and every student who walks through its halls.
“He has been a reliable and steadfast contributor to the OP-RF community for years — coaching youth soccer, working with D90 in River Forest, and serving on numerous committees and boards dedicated to the high school’s success, including the Imagine OPRF working group, the OPRF Community Council, and Applause. In short, Tim cares about OPRF’s progress and success, and he will be an excellent steward of its future direction.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Katie Avalos, D90 Board member
“. . .From experience, I know the skills necessary to productively serve on a local school board. He has what it takes. He is thoughtful, solutions-based, and will work collaboratively to find a path forward for D200.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Holly Spurlock, D97 Board member
“I trust Graham, Tim, and Jonathan to ask the right questions, partner with the administration and teachers, and make student-centered decisions in a fiscally responsible way."
Endorsed by Mary Jo Schuler
“No one is super happy about our need to upgrade our 100+ year old campus, however, as a community, we must stop kicking this can down the road. Help move implementation of the long-term facilities plan forward by voting for Tim Brandhorst, Graham Brisben, and Jonathan Livingston on April 4th."
Endorsed by Jordan Chalmers
“I recently met with Graham Brisben, Jonathan Livingston, and Tim Brandhorst to discuss their candidacies for the District 200 school board. I found all three of them to be highly intelligent and qualified to serve on this board. . .We are fortunate as a community to have such well qualified candidates willing to serve on our school board. I will be voting for all three of these candidates and encourage you to do the same.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Holly Hirst
“The April 4 election is particularly important for our community’s public high school. I urge you to support Tim Brandhorst, Graham Brisben, and Jonathan Livingston for the District 200 school board. Among other things, they understand the importance of implementing the long-term facilities plan developed during the Imagine OPRF process in order to address needed capital improvements. Further, each is committed to making student-centered decisions in collaboration with all stakeholders.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Amy Hansmann
“On April 4, my votes for D200 will go to Tim Brandhorst, Graham Brisben and Jonathan Livingston. All three have the qualifications and temperament to serve our students and community in the manner we deserve. They have a realistic pulse on current student issues, understand and value equity, are concerned for student mental health, and are willing to stay informed, listen to feedback and communicate with the OPRF and wider community. All three are supporters of the recently passed Project 2 and the long-term facilities plan created by our current elected high school board. These projects should have been dealt with long before they reached their horribly worn and deteriorated state. This is no time to return to the drawing board without significant delay and a further increase in cost. I trust Tim, Jonathan and Graham to continue with the community-driven solutions in the Imagine Plan. I urge you to vote with me for Tim Brandhorst, Graham Brisben and Jonathan Livingston.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Molly James-Lundak
“School boards have lots of responsibilities, but their #1 job is to assess, advise and act on what is in the best interest of students. This is the job we hire them for with our votes. It’s a responsibility that goes well beyond being a committed volunteer. It takes deep understanding of the diverse and complex needs of all kids, listening and consensus-building skills needed to be an effective board member, and the ability to put aside personal bias to do the work that will matter most to all kids, today and tomorrow.
After meeting with and reading about the four candidates for the District 200 high school board, there are three who have the background and skills, as well as the heart for doing right by the thousands of kids who spend thousands of hours learning, performing, competing, and growing at our high school each year.
Graham Brisben brings a wealth of experience to the table as a former member of the District 97 school board and as owner and CEO of a supply chain consultancy focused on clean energy and renewables. He understands the importance of equity in education and has a proven track record of working to improve educational opportunities for all students.
Tim Brandhorst is an attorney who has negotiated union contracts and served as an administrator for the Chicago Public Schools. He has also served on the Imagine OPRF working group and understands the reasoning used in D200’s long-term facilities plan. His experience and knowledge of the education system make him an excellent choice for the school board.
Jonathan Livingston is a highly qualified candidate with a PhD in public policy and public administration, and years of experience teaching at the University of Pittsburgh and consulting to nonprofits. He will bring his expertise to help shape policies that will benefit students, families, and the wider community.
Our students deserve those things that are best. Graham, Tim and Jonathan are the best our community has to offer to guide D200. Let’s hire the best.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Mike Poirier
“Tim is a hard worker and a person who reliably delivers on his commitments. He is a good listener and worked collaboratively to resolve many of the complex issues we faced. He was a major contributor to the organization of the Imagine team’s final report and recommendations to the high school board, producing excellent documentation which is still being referenced today.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Andi Agrimonti
“Tim Brandhorst understands the need for interventions to solve critical issues related to students’ and staff’s mental health.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Mark Suchomel
“The students and community served by District 200 would benefit greatly by the addition of Tim Brandhorst to the school board. After many conversations with him about OPRF High School, I am more than confident he has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities we face in raising our school’s performance to be among the best in the state.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Kim Cella
“My husband and I have lived in Oak Park for over 30 years. Although we have no children, we feel strongly that our community continue to support our school system. We are grateful for the thoroughness of the OPRF High School Imagine team’s work and we are in support of the district moving forward to improve the schools. Candidates Brandhorst, Brisben, and Livingston will receive our vote.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Alison Welch
“Tim has the compassion, self-awareness, critical thinking, consensus building, and energy the D200 board needs. His track record shows that his commitment to OPRF is sincere and vast, and his ability to seek input and collaboratively solve problems is unmatched. He spent countless hours as a member of the Imagine OPRF working group, which helped develop a master plan for our facilities that will bring the building into alignment with 21st-century learning needs. He understands Project 2 inside and out and will be an asset to the board and administration as this complex project unfolds. Tim’s volunteer efforts extend to participating on the OPRF Community Council, serving on the board of Applause, and participating on the River Forest Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Group. He’s the real deal.”
Endorsement here
Endorsed by Beth Vlerick
“I have had the pleasure of working with Tim Brandhorst on a few River Forest and District 90 initiatives over the last six years and have found him to be an excellent listener as well as someone who gets things done. I think his ability to come up with plans that take into account many people’s preferences and needs is critical when it comes to serving on a large high school board.”
Endorsement here
Tim Brandhorst has devoted his thirty-year career to public service, mission-driven organizations, and social impact.
Tim grew up in several communities across the Midwest and rural Pennsylvania, and came to the Chicago area for law school at Loyola.
He started his career as a traditional labor lawyer for the City of Chicago, then served as Director of Labor Relations for the Chicago Public Schools in the Vallas/Chico administration. Tim eventually joined a prominent local non-profit, rising to director of new product development of its book publishing wing.
He currently practices law; as a literary attorney who represents nonfiction authors, Tim helps his clients expand their social impact through writing and publishing books.
(More about Tim’s professional background at his LinkedIn profile.)
Local service
Since moving with his wife and two children to River Forest a decade ago, Tim has been involved in the community in a variety of ways:
Longtime youth soccer coach, primarily girls soccer and basketball for RFYS, OP AYSO, and RFPD.
Member of the group of residents who advocated for River Forest to become a Welcoming Village in 2017.
Member of the Imagine OPRF Working Group.
Member of the OPRF Community Council
Member of the board of Applause.
Member of the RF Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Advisory Group 2021-2022.
Get involved
To request a yard sign or to volunteer to help Tim’s campaign, please email TimBrandhorstD200@gmail.com. If requesting a yard sign, please let us know your name and address, and we will deliver the sign to your yard.
Graham Brisben and Jonathan Livingston
Three candidates for the D200 Board possess the collegiality, collaborative spirit, and commitment to problem-solving and progress that service on the Board requires. Tim is delighted to ally with two outstanding candidates, Graham Brisben and Jonathan Livingston, and expressly endorses their candidacies:
Graham Brisben
Graham Brisben served as a school board member with Oak Park District 97 from 2013-2017. This real-world experience in all that school board service entails—from budgets to policy to teacher contract negotiations to holding administrators accountable to successfully presenting referenda to the community—will enable him to be an effective board member from day one. Graham will be an invaluable asset to the D200 Board and to the community, and will help us confront the significant challenges facing OPRF. LEarn more about Graham at www.Graham4D200.com.
Jonathan Livingston
Jonathan Livingston possesses a PhD in public administration and public policy, and has taught at the University of Pittsburgh, consulted to non-profits, and mentored high school students and working adults. Jonathan is committed to equity, and is particularly interested in strengthening OPRF’s vocational education programs and pipeline to apprenticeships and other alternatives to the traditional college path. Jonathan has a young son, and will be an important voice at the D200 Board for the young families who will send kids to OPRF in future years. Learn more about Jonathan at www.Livingston4D200.com.
Make a donation.
Support Tim’s campaign by donating to Friends of Tim Brandhorst for D200.
