Karen Brohm

President, Board of Education
West Hempstead UFSD

Karen Brohm is a staunch advocate for reforms to the state aid wealth ratio formula, leading the charge with the New York State Education Department and state legislators in securing Long Island schools their fair share of state aid. For the past two decades, she has served West Hempstead as a community activist, civic leader, volunteer, and as former president and vice president of the West Hempstead Elementary PTA and is most recently serving in her 10th year as President of the Board of Education.

Ms. Brohm spearheaded the initiative to establish a fully funded Pre-K program in West Hempstead, resulting in the launch of the program last year. She supported the district’s Education Innovation and Research Program Residency Partnership with Adelphi University, bringing in resident educators to work with West Hempstead’s highly skilled faculty to review and refine 21st-century teaching. She also championed the Nassau Community College Dual Enrollment Program, providing high school students the opportunity to take college courses taught by college faculty while earning credits toward a future degree.

She helped create the partnership between the West Hempstead School District and NYU Langone Winthrop Envision Scholars Academy, serving underrepresented high school students through mentorships with medical students in the NYU Long Island School of Medicine, and through regular onsite visits with the professionals at Winthrop. The Northwell School Mental Partnership with South Oaks Hospital helps the district to meet the mental health needs of all students. Northwell works closely with West Hempstead counselors, psychologists, and social workers to identify the best approach to supporting students in need.

Ms. Brohm has served as an educational leader well outside of West Hempstead. She serves as: Executive Board Member of the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association; Executive Board Member of Nassau County Nassau Regional Emergency Medical Services Council; and a Board Member of the Nassau County Interoperable Communications Steering Committee.