Board of Education Members


Ericka Montagino, President

Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027
Contact: emontagino@mohonasen.org

Ericka Montagino is currently serving her second term on the Board of Education.

Montagino has been a Mohonasen resident since 2014. Montagino and her spouse have two children.

She is a licensed pharmacist for Independent Pharmacy Cooperative working as a Senior Director. Montagino graduated from Schalmont High School and earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy. She is eager to serve as a parent that can represent our families interests and concerns with the future of our children’s education.

Chad McFarland, Vice President

Term: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2025
Contact: cmcfarland@mohonasen.org

Chad McFarland is currently serving his third term on the Board of Education.

McFarland has lived with his family in the district for nine years, and is a senior attorney with Counsel’s Office, NY Department of Labor. He is a Major in the Army Reserve, serving as a judge advocate for 17 years, including 8.5 years of active duty. McFarland deployed to Iraq in 2010 with the 1st Armored Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn as the Chief, Administrative and Civil Law.

McFarland earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Akron and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Akron School of Law.

He and his wife, Ruth, have three daughters, all three in the district’s schools.

Melissa Laudano

Term: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2025
Contact: mlaudano@mohonasen.org

Melissa Laudano is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.

Laudano has been a Mohonasen resident for more than six years and has four children, one at Draper, two at Bradt and one at SUNY Schenectady. Laudano is a business systems analyst at the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board. A Mohonasen graduate, she has a bachelor’s degree from The College of Saint Rose and a master’s degree from Norwich University. Laudano is involved with Mohonasen track and cross country, Northway Church and RC Little League.

Patrick Ryan

Term: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Contact: pryan@mohonasen.org

Patrick Ryan is currently serving his third, non-consecutive term on the Board of Education.

Ryan has been a Mohonasen resident for 41 years. He and his spouse have five children who have all come through the district. Ryan is a chief budget examiner at the New York State Division of the Budget. He is a 1980 Mohonasen graduate and has a bachelor’s degree, a Master of Public Administration degree and a certificate of advanced study in planning and policy analysis all from the University at Albany.

Danielle Ciampino

Term: July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Contact: 
dciampino@mohonasen.org

Danielle Ciampino is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.

Ciampino has been a Mohonasen resident for 38 years. Ciampino left the traditional workforce to be a stay-at-home mom and now runs a bookkeeping LLC out of her home. She is involved in the Mohonasen Parent Teacher Organization and serves on the board of directors for the Mohonasen Foundation of Excellence. A Mohonasen Class of 2002 graduate, she received her bachelor’s degree in marketing and business management at Siena College.

She and her spouse, Daniel, have two children in the district: one at Bradt and one at Pinewood.

Theodore Perretta

Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027
Contact: tperretta@mohonasen.org

Theodore Perretta is currently serving his first term on the Board of Education.

Perretta has been a resident for 20 years. Perretta is a Verizon Field Technician specializing in installation and repair. He graduated from Mohonasen High School and has an associates degree from SCCC in culinary arts. Perretta is involved in the Volleyball Booster Club.

He and his spouse, Rebecca, have two children in the district, both at Mohonasen High School.

Nicholas Giardono

Term: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027
Contact: ngiardono@mohonasen.org

Nicholas Giardono is currently serving her first term on the Board of Education.

Giardono has been a Mohonasen resident for 48 years. He has two children who have both come through the district. Giardono is a retired Schenectady Police Officer of 24 years and is a part-time sheriff deputy at the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Dept. He is also a part-time driving coach at Easy Method Driving School. Graduating from Mohonasen in 1990, he also attended HVCC and SCCC. He graduated from Zone 5 NY Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy in February 1999.