Ladomirak ahead in school-board campaign fundraising, trailed by incumbents

Newcomer Jesse Ladomirak has a lead in campaign contributions in the Palo Alto Unified school board race, having raised just over $20,000 to date, while incumbents Todd Collins and Jennifer DiBrienza are trailing with about $17,000 each.

Newcomers Katie Causey and Karna Nisewaner have each raised about $8,000 to date, according to campaign finance reports filed on Thursday. Another challenger, Matt Nagle, is not accepting campaign contributions and is instead asking people to donate to nonprofits he is passionate about or has connections to.

Ladomirak, a district parent and co-owner of a San Francisco remodeling company, has received mostly donations under $250. Several current or former elected officials gave to her campaign, including current school board member Melissa Baten Caswell ($200), City Councilwoman Alison Cormack ($500) and former City Councilman and Mayor Victor Ojakian ($250).

Ladomirak has spent about $6,000 to date, including on lawn signs, a voter data tool and her candidate statement.

Collins and DiBrienza, meanwhile, are neck and neck in total fundraising. Collins has raised $17,573 to date — including a $10,000 loan from his wife, Elisabeth Einaudi — and DiBrienza, $17,532.

Among Collins’ campaign donors are former Mayor and current City Council candidate Pat Burt ($250), Vice Mayor Tom DuBois ($100), former planning commissioner Arthur Keller ($100), Magical Bridge Foundation CEO Olenka Villarreal ($350) and Debra Cen, co-founder of the Palo Alto Chinese Parents’ Club ($100).

Collins has spent less than $3,000 to date on his voter file, ballot statement and credit card fees.

DiBrienza’s supporters include district parents — Nana Chancellor ($1,000), Annie Bedichek (Gunn High School Parent Teacher Student Association’s social emotional learning chair, $500), Villarreal ($350), Sara Woodham (co-chair of Parent Advocates for Student Success, which advocates for students of color, $250) — as well as educators and elected officials. Baten Caswell gave $400 to DiBrienza’s campaign; former school board president Terry Godfrey gave $250; Cormack gave $500; Burt and DuBois each gave $100; Human Relations Commissioner Steven Lee, who’s running for City Council in November, gave $200; and former school board member Diane Reklis gave $100.

Stacy Mason, executive director of WomenCount, which crowdfunds to elect Democratic women to office, contributed $1,000. Ronit Bodner, a Los Altos resident and attorney, gave DiBrienza’s campaign $975.

DiBrienza has spent more than $11,000 on advertisements for the coming weeks, including on Palo Alto Online.

Causey, a district graduate and community advocate, raised $8,164 during this reporting period, with most donations coming in under $250. Donors include Lee ($174), former Palo Alto High School teacher Esther Wojcicki ($250), former City Councilman Cory Wolbach ($500), Youth Community Services Director Mora Oommen ($100), parent Nancy Krop ($104), Reklis ($100) and former California Assemblyman Rich Gordon ($100).

Causey has spent much of what she’s fundraised so far, including on advertising (including in the Palo Alto Weekly and on Facebook), yard signs, campaign postcards and a mass text messaging service.

Nisewaner, a district parent and attorney, received $8,075 in contributions during this reporting period, including $5,500 she gave to her own campaign. Cormack also supported her with a $500 contribution and former Mayor Nancy Shepherd, $200.

Nisewaner has spent $6,200 to date, including on her candidate statement, Facebook ads and lawn signs.