Candidates

Here is a list of Democratic candidates running in the Municipal Primary election. Vote on Tuesday, May 16th, 2023 at your polling location from 7:00 am-8:00 pm.

Magisterial District Judge

AnneMarie Everett (Cross-filed)

AnneMarie is seeking to fill the seat being vacated by District Judge Guy Haberl. She is a graduate of Indiana Area High School, received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and her law degree from Duquesne School of Law. Everett served as a public defender for five years before starting her private practice, where she focused on family law. Through active community membership, Everett has worked as a delegate to the Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates and as president of the Rotary of Indiana. She has served on the board of directors of the United Way of Indiana, Downtown Indiana, and Laurel Legal Services, and currently serves on the IUP Athletics Advancement Council.

Everett shares that “As a district judge, I will work to ensure that every individual who appears in my courtroom is treated with respect and receives a fair hearing. I am excited to have the opportunity to serve my community as District Judge and to make a positive impact on the legal system in Indiana County.”

School Board Director, Indiana Area School District “At Large”:

(Quintina Thomas, Amanda Anderson, Bailey Nace, Tamie Blank, & Judith Holliday)

Quintina Thomas:

Quintina is passionate about community building and promoting diversity in every aspect. Quintina’s been a resident of Indiana for 17 years and has dedicated her time to being a dependable resource for various populations in Indiana and the surrounding counties. Quintina’s former career as a therapist led her to be more proactive in the community as an educator. Quintina has a wide-ranging skill set and abilities that she can bring to the school district. She received her Bachelor’s from IUP in Sociology, Child Development, and Family Relations, a Mental Health Certification from the Western Psychiatric Institute of Pittsburgh, a Cosmetology License from Indiana County Technology Center, and is currently completing a Master of Education degree in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion from the University of Texas. 

Quintina’s experience includes the following:

In addition to her educational and professional experience, Quintina has 3 children that attend the schools and she understands the importance of highlighting parents’ voices. Quintina is ready to put our children first!

Amanda Anderson:

Amanda has worked in education and training for over 20 years, with over 15 of those years in public education. Amanda has been part of a corporate training team, traveling to locations around the US, training new employees, and supporting the opening of new stores.

Amanda’s real passion is working with children and teachers in public education. She transitioned to the public sector by accepting a position with ARIN IU as a paraprofessional. It was in this role she fell in love with teaching and returned to school to acquire a teaching degree.

After earning her degree and teaching certifications, Amanda worked for one year in public disability services as a Support Coordinator for individuals with disabilities in Indiana and Armstrong Counties. She spent the summer coordinating a preschool program, then was hired as a special education teacher for the former Blairsville-Saltsburg School District. After eight years of teaching, Amanda accepted a position with ARIN IU as a consultant on the Training and Consultation team.

Amanda is a lifelong learner and has earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education & Special Education from Western Governors University. She returned to WGU for a Master of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education.  Amanda will complete her Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from the Florida Institute of Technology in December 2023.

Bailey Nace:

Bailey Nace has lived in Indiana County for most of her life and has lived in the Indiana Area School District for the past four years, with a daughter that attends East Pike Elementary School. Bailey is a veteran, having served for eight years in the US military. She has also worked within the education field for over five years, with a majority of that time spent working in special education programming, before pivoting to work for the Indiana County Assistance Office. 

Bailey currently attends IUP to study Human Development & Family Studies, minoring in LGBTQ Studies as well. She is the founder of a local organization, The Rep Room, which is dedicated to providing resources and representation for the local LGBTQIA+ community. She is also the president of the recently established Indiana PFLAG chapter, which is part of the nation’s largest nonprofit organization that provides support and education for LGBTQ+ people and allies. 

Bailey Nace believes in making education in the district a safe environment and providing accessibility for every student, parent, and teacher in the district. Comprehension and communication are two skills that Nace hopes to prioritize as an effective school board member. She believes that board members should be knowledgeable and proactive in supporting the cultivation of curriculum and instruction through communication with teachers and staff to best accommodate their needs in effectively delivering instructional materials. 

Tamie Blank:

A Homer-Center High School graduate and former Director of Education for Zion Lutheran Church, has announced her re-election to the Indiana Area School District. Blank has strongly advocated for all children, especially those with special needs, and is eager to ensure that every child’s needs are met within the school system’s budget.

Tamie Blank served as the chair of the board’s Outreach Committee and a member of the Academic and Policy Personnel committee. She is also on the Indiana Free Library board, where she has advocated for improvements to amenities. As a liaison to the Pennsylvania School Board Association, Blank has ensured that the district is up-to-date on the latest education trends. She also worked on the ARIN IU-28 board for the 2020 through 2022 school years.

“Advocacy for special needs, high-quality education, and avoiding unnecessary tax increases are my top priorities,” said Blank. “Our curriculum must look to the future needs while being strongly rooted in learning from past lessons.”

Blank, who has three children, one with high-frequency hearing loss and two in their first year of college, realized the importance of speaking up and advocating for her children and others. “If I couldn’t do that, how could I tell my children to stand for what was right and responsible,” said Blank.

Her accomplishments include:

● Helping to maintain a reasonable plan for the rebuilding of Eisenhower Elementary

● Increasing outreach efforts

● Supporting the outdoor classroom in Ben Franklin

● Advocating for improvement to the High School and Jr. High School technology programs

Tamie Blank participated in the Pennsylvania School Board Association conference, bringing back information and sharing it with personnel in the district.

Blank is committed to advocating for all children in the district. She will continue to maintain close working relationships with faculty, staff, and management of the local schools. As always, she will continue to keep communication open with constituents.

Judith Holliday:

Judy has lived in Indiana since 1978. She earned a Bachelor’s in Special Education from IUP and has owned her business (Holliday Alterations) since 1988. She is a mom to four children that grew up in the district. Judy is also a prominent volunteer in the community, servings as music chair and coordinator for concerts and festivals in Indiana. In addition to her 40+ years of volunteer experience, Judy was the former president of Indiana Networking and currently serves as a board member for the Center for Community Growth.