School District

"Where Tradition Dictates a Standard of Excellence"

Meet the School Board

Robyn Johnson - Board President

Term Expires
2023

Robyn is a new member of the Beaver Area School District’s board of directors. Following her graduation from Quaker Valley High School, Robyn earned a BS in Art Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and went on to teach at Community Day School in Squirrel Hill, Pine Richland High School in Pine Township, and Timberlane High School in Plaistow, NH. Robyn is currently a member of the Beaver Borough Zoning Hearing Board, serves as the Arts and Culture Committee Chair for the Beaver County Tourism Advisory Board, and serves as secretary on the board for Aliquippa Impact. She resides in the borough of Beaver with her husband, Shawn, and their two boys, Conner and Grady. Conner is a 2019 graduate of the BASD and a freshman at Clarion University, and Grady is a sophomore at Beaver High School.
Contact information: [email protected]

Merilu Hill - Board Vice-President

Term Expires

2023

Merilu Hill was elected to the school board in November 2019. She is Chair of the Disciplinary Committee and also serves on the Employee Relations and Finance Committees. Merilu is a 1994 graduate of BASD. She went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in 1998, and then a Master of Education in School Counseling from University of the Southwest in 2017. She currently works as a 9-12 school counselor in Beaver County. She and her husband Ken and their four children moved back to Beaver Area School District in 2016 after traveling for her husband’s military career. She is raising her children in her childhood home, community, and school district where her children are the sixth generation to attend. Merilu’s sons are currently in 11th, 8th, and 6th grades, and her daughter is a 2019 graduate of Beaver.

Contact information: [email protected]

Luke Berardelli

Term Expires

2023

Luke Berardelli was elected to the School Board in November 2019. He is a 1999 graduate of Beaver High School, 2005 graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Sport Management and minor in Business Administration, and received a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Robert Morris University in 2015. Luke has been working in the medical device/medical technology market for almost 15 years, serving in various sales roles. He currently serves in a leadership position as a Regional Business Executive for a global healthcare technology company. Luke and his wife of 13 years have three children, all enrolled in district schools, and reside in Brighton Township. When not working and not shuttling his very active kids around, Luke proudly serves as a member of the board of the Fort McIntosh Foundation, a non-profit organization serving Beaver County. Luke and his family are members of St. Stephen’s Church in Sewickley, PA. Luke serves on the Employee Relations, Disciplinary, and School Safety Committees. He is also the Legislative representative.

Contact information: [email protected]

Aaron Bovalino

Term Expires
2025

Aaron Bovalino was elected to the School Board in November 2017. He is Chair of the Employee Relations Committee, serves on the Finance Committee, and is also the Representative to the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit. Aaron is a 1990 graduate and lifelong resident of the Beaver Area School District. When not glued to a device screen, Aaron would most rather spend time with his wife, Roxanne, and play with his two children, Evan and Isla. Aaron earned his M.A.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh. With 20 years of public school education experience, Aaron intends to provide analytical and assessment skills that can be applied to make objective, educated, and practical decisions. Aaron considers his ties to the community and parents of school age children to qualify him to reflect a collective interest to his governance position as a member of the Beaver Area School Board.

Contact information: [email protected]

Mark Korcinsky

Term Expires
2025

Dr. Mark A. Korcinsky is an experienced educational leader, veteran, parent, and husband. He has been in education for several decades serving as a former teacher, coach, educational leader and advocate for students, teachers and school leaders. His experience spans across Baltimore County (MD), Beaver Area, Springdale Area, Hopewell Area and Seneca Valley School Districts; and he currently is serving in the Bethel Park School District as a school administrator.

During his time on the BASD Board of Directors, Dr. Korcinsky advocates for public education and the importance of parent involvement. He serves as the Financial Committee Chairperson, Athletics Committee member and frequent participant in other committees to include Curriculum and Facilities Committees. He continues to advocate for and support improved communication across many platforms for all constituents, expanding growth and progress opportunities, flexibility of instruction for all students and teachers, and increased student participation in extracurricular activities.

Prior to his time on the BASD Board of Directors, Dr. Korcinsky earned his Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Secondary Education Certification from Mercyhurst University. He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and Leadership as well as Principal's Certification from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Furthering his education, he earned a Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility from Westminster College and a Doctorate of Education from Point Park University.

Advocating for students, educators, and parents, Dr. Korcinsky served thirteen years at the local, state, and federal levels as a PA State Advocate for the Pennsylvania Principals Association and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. He honorably served and is retired from the US Army/Army Reserve serving in leadership positions ranging from Commander, Executive Officer, Aide de Camp and Special Projects Officer across the globe within the Medical Service Corps and Corps of Engineers.

Dr. Korcinsky resides in Brighton Township with wife, Nancy, and two sons. He has been active in the community as a volunteer coach for youth sports, shade tree commission member, and cub scout team leader as well as booster and community organizations.

Contact information: [email protected]

Karin Pilarski

Term Expires
2025

Karin Pilarski was elected to the School Board in November 2021. A 1997 graduate of Beaver High School, Karin earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Elementary Education and Child Psychology from Elizabethtown College in 2001. She continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh, earning both a Master’s degree in Administration and Policy Studies and her Principal’s Certification. Most recently, Ms. Pilarski earned her Superintendent Letter of Eligibility. Karin taught Kindergarten and Second Grade before becoming the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Federal/Special Programs for the Western Beaver County School District in 2005. In 2014, she became a Trainer and Consultant at the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit where she continues to provide professional development opportunities to Beaver County school districts. Ms. Pilarski is an appointed Trustee and current President of the Beaver Area School District Education Foundation which awarded nearly $50,000 in scholarships to 45 seniors in the graduating class of 2021.

Contact information: [email protected]

Jarrod Thomas

Term Expires

2023

Jarrod Thomas was elected to the School Board in November 2019. He is a lifelong resident of the Beaver area. He is a 1999 graduate of Beaver High School and a 2004 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Economics. Jarrod has worked in the safety industry for 11 years as a Manufacturer’s Representative for a small agency based out of Columbus OH, where he manages sales for 4 states. He has served as a Councilman for the Borough of Beaver for the last 7 years, serving as chairman of the Public Safety, Recreation, and Highway committees. Jarrod currently lives in downtown Beaver with his wife and daughter, and is a member of First Presbyterian Church in Beaver. He is currently Chair of the Facilities and Transportation Committee, and is serving on the Athletic and Finance Committees.

Contact information: [email protected]

Andrea Walker

Term Expires
2025

A 1999 graduate of Seneca Valley High School, Andrea Walker has resided in Beaver for nine years. After obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services from Geneva College, Andrea earned a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from Slippery Rock University. She worked as a guidance counselor at Butler High School before retiring to become a stay-at-home mother. Currently, Andrea works as a teacher’s aide in the three-year-old room at Four Mile Church Preschool, which she finds extremely rewarding. Additionally, Andrea has served as a team leader for Discovery Christian Church’s A Night to Remember - Pittsburgh since its inception in 2012, and the co-director of the Rachel A. Mogielski Scholarship Fund, an official state-recognized charitable organization that has awarded over $170,000 to graduating high school seniors, since 2008. She resides in Brighton Township with her husband Nate and their three children, Maddie, Lydia, and Tyler. A proud Bobcat, Andrea looks forward to serving on the BASD school board of directors as a voice for students, teachers, and the community.

Contact Information: [email protected]

Denise Yates

Term Expires
2023

Denise Yates joined the School Board in December 2015. She serves on the Curriculum/Staff Development, Facilities and Transportation, and Athletics Committees. She is also the Board's representative to the Beaver Area Memorial Library. Denise has spent her entire professional career serving Pennsylvania children. She started as a teacher of elementary and middle school students and then moved to the opening of a multicultural school developing a multicultural curriculum course. Next, Denise continued her professional knowledge by furthering her education, as well as attending and presenting at national conferences, taking advantage of all professional opportunities to be a continuous learner. She served as an assistant administrator, a building principal, and last she was a central office administrator as the Senior Program Officer for Literacy Pre K - 12. During that time she wrote and received a $16 million grant, the single largest district grant to that date. Additionally, Denise taught pre service teachers at Duquesne University and worked as a student teacher supervisor for Carlow University. She was trained in conflict resolution over a 3 year period from the International Center for Cooperation of Conflict Resolution (ICCCR) at Columbia University. Denise used her knowledge to design, develop and deliver training models to children and adults in K - 12 schools and a graduate level class in the school of Political Science at Duquesne University. She has been a resident of Beaver for 36 years, raised a graduate of Beaver High School, and spends much time with her grandson, Ethan.

Contact information: [email protected]