Allentown School District Approves New Administration Hires

ALLENTOWN, PA — On Thursday, September 27, 2024, the Allentown School District Board of School Directors approved the hiring of new administrators in the Allentown School District.

Ali Nastah is the new Director of Procurement, Ashley Koren is the Assistant Principal at Jefferson Elementary, and Laura Gonzalez is the District’s Coordinator of Translation and Interpretation Services.

“The Allentown School District is dedicated to building a diverse and dynamic team by attracting talented professionals with a wealth of experience,” said Dr. Carol D. Birks, Allentown School District’s Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer. “I am excited to welcome each of these new team members to Allentown, as we work collaboratively in support of our mission, vision, and core values.” 

Mr. Ali Nastah is currently the Purchasing Manager for Spartan Brands Inc. of Allentown, and previously was the Operations Manager for BDi Machinery in Macungie, and Procurement Specialist for GNA Inc. Mr. Nastah is completing his Bachelors in Criminal Justice at Kutztown University. He earned an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Lehigh Carbon Community College, and Firefighting and Rescue Certifications from Bucks County Community College.

Mr. Nastah also earned an Effective Practices for Procurement certification from the Training Facility UK, and Foundations of Public Procurement, Negotiation Strategies, and Contract Administration Strategies certifications from the National Associations of State Procurement Officials. He was a firefighter in Whitehall Township and serves as Constable in Allentown's 15th Ward.

Ms. Ashley Koren is a fourth-grade teacher at Zephyr Elementary School in the Whitehall-Coplay School District. She has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Wilkes University, a Bachelors in Education from DeSales University, and a K-12 Principals Certificate from Wilkes University. Ms. Koren also is certified in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and Administration.

Ms. Laura Gonzalez currently is a Spanish Language Interpreter and Translator in the Allentown School District. She taught Spanish in the Southern Lehigh School District for 17 years and has been a Medical Interpreter for three years. Ms. Gonzalez has a Masters in Spanish from Millersville University and a Bachelors in Psychology from Lehigh University. Ms. Gonzalez completed the Spanish Teacher Education Program at DeSales University and earned an English to Spanish Translation Studies certification from Adelphi University. She is also a certified medical interpreter (CMI-Spanish). 

Additions to the Information Technology Department include Keane Arnold as a Network Technician and Anthony Strowder, who will move from Dieruff High School IT to End-User Support Manager for the District. In the Business Office, Ari Segarra has been named the Logistics / Inventory Specialist.