SCHOOL COMMITTEE CANDIDATES

Field of eight running for five seats

Eight candidates will meet in Tuesday's election for a two-year term on the five-member Woonsocket School Committee. Michelle R. Williams is not seeking re-election.

The candidates' biographies follow.

Marc A. Dubois

301 Brookhaven Lane

Age: 49

Resident: Lifelong

Employment: Mental health clinician at NRI Community Services, six years. Dubois was previously a detective for the Woonsocket Police Department, 1981 to 2003.

Education: Community College of Rhode Island, Bryant College, associate's degrees in criminal justice and business; Woonsocket High School, 1977.

Organizations: Member of Woonsocket Prevention Coalition.

Public Service: Woonsocket School Committee, 2003 to present, chairman 2004 to present.

Married Elaine Froais in 2001; has a son, Derek, 23, a daughter, Stefanie, 21, and two stepsons, Derek Keene, 29, and Christopher Keene, 26.

Anthony Joseph Gabriele

124 Winter Street

Age: 45

Resident: 17 years

Employment: Traffic and logistics coordinator at A.T. Cross for 21 years.

Education: William M. Davies Vocational High School, 1981.

Organizations: Gabriele is presently the vice president of the Woonsocket High School PTO.

Public Service: Harris Elementary PTO, vice president, 2004-2005; co-chairman of the Parent Advisory Council, 2005.

Married Jane Dias in 1992; has one daughter, Ariana, 14 years old.

George E. King

46 Beacon Avenue

Age: 67

Resident: 24 years

Employment: Self-employed naturopathic doctor. King is a retired psychologist with the Massachusetts state Health Department and was formerly a self-employed business owner in Beaverton, Ore., 1974 to 1985.

Education: Franciscan College and British Institute, both in London, England.

Married Mary Ellen Millers in 1967; has three children, Anthony G. King, 38, Caroline King Griffin, 36, and Adrian G. King, 35.

Evelyn G.

Mack-Loggins

440 Second Ave., #202

Ms. Mack-Loggins did not return any biographical information to The Valley Breeze.

Linda M. Majewski

51 Saint Hughes Street

Age: 48

Resident: Lifelong

Employment: Music therapist in private practice music therapy, 25 years; part-time with Family Resources Committee on Action, service coordinator for early intervention, 4 months. Majewski was formerly employed in a private practice, Northern Rhode Island Collaborative, for eight years, Ocean State Community Resources for seven years, Blackstone Valley ARC in Pawtucket for eight years, and also had private clients.

Education: Rhode Island College, master's of education degree, 2006; Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass., bachelor of music in therapy, 1983.

Organizations: Majewski has National Board certification in music therapy. She is an active member and lector at St. Agatha Parish.

Public Service: Woonsocket School Committee, 2007 to 2009, where she was co-chairwoman of Superintendent Search Committee, coauthor of School Committee Special Education Policy, author of the Movie Policy, chairwoman of the Uniform Committee, liaison to Parent Advisory Council, SELAC Committee, School Success Coalition Literacy Committee and the Rhode Island Department of Education Committee liaison.

Married Timothy Majewski in 1984; has two daughters, 20-year-old Sarah, in the physical therapy assistant program at New England Tech, and 17-year-old Bethany, a senior at Woonsocket High School.

Anita M. McGuire-Forcier

95 Marian Lane

Age: 40

Resident: Lifelong

Employment: Previously a legal secretary at Westboro State Hospital, Mass.

Education: New England Institute of Technology, computerized office technology, 1993 to 1994; Woonsocket Senior High School graduate.

Organizations: Board member of Connecting for Children and Families; trained facilitator for Childhelp - Good Touch - Bad Touch; current member of Rhode Island Mentoring Leadership Committee (Woonsocket Division); mentor of Woonsocket students in need; current member of Woonsocket Middle School Building Committee; and current member of Cass Park Advisory Committee.

Public Service: Woonsocket School Committee, 2005 to 2007, 2007 to 2009.

Married Marc D. Forcier; has a 19-year-old daughter, Alyssa McGuire, a Woonsocket High School graduate now attending Rhode Island College; a 16-year-old son, Adam Forcier, a Woonsocket High School student; and a 12-year-old daughter, Alaura Forcier, a Woonsocket Middle School student.

Eleanor M. Nadeau

155 Transit Street

Age: 70

Resident: Lifelong

Employment: Retired.

Education: Attended Community College of Rhode Island for computer programming; Lincoln Adult School for accounting; Woonsocket High School, 1956 graduate.

Organizations: St. Jude Children's Hospital, 32 years; and Boys & Girls Club of Woonsocket, member of the board of directors.

Public Service: Woonsocket School Committee, 1975 to 1979; Zoning Board of Review, 1981 to 1991; Woonsocket School Committee, 2005 to present.

Widowed; has three sons, 46-year-old David, 42-year-old James and 39-year-old Peter.

Vimala Donna Phongsavanh

316 10th Avenue

Age: 22

Resident: Lifelong

Employment: Presently an Education Programs coordinator for NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley, Woonsocket. Previously employed by Asian Community Development Corporation, Boston, Americorps Vista, 2008 to 2009.

Education: Presently in Partnership for Community Development Program at Roger Williams University; Providence College, bachelor of arts in political science degree, 2008; Woonsocket High School, 2004.