Superintendent of Schools

Burlington County's own Dr. Ashanti Holley, born, raised, and educated locally, is set to assume the role of Superintendent starting July 1, 2024. Dr. Holley brings a wealth of experience from her previous positions as a Special Education teacher, counselor, vice principal, principal, and Assistant Superintendent. Her comprehensive understanding of these roles has consistently propelled her career forward. Dr. Holley holds a BA, two Master's degrees, a Doctorate, a certification in Human Resources, and credentials in Professional Civil and Divorce Mediation. She is also a nationally published author.

Throughout her career, Dr. Holley has played a crucial role in developing educational programs and initiatives that have left a significant mark on the community. Her achievements include:

• Serving on the School Development Authority for the construction of New Brunswick High School and Perth Amboy High School.

• Enhancing language arts and math assessment scores.

• Initiating a Freshman Academy.

• Starting a Chromebook program.

• Securing millions in grants.

• Leading the Burlington County Institute of Technology as a lighthouse district—a prestigious distinction awarded to only six districts out of 636 schools in New Jersey by the New Jersey Department of Education. 

With her extensive record of achievements and innovative leadership, Dr. Holley is well-prepared to continue making a significant impact in her new role as Superintendent. The community can look forward to her continued leadership and commitment.

As she takes the helm as Superintendent, Dr. Holley's vision for BCSSSD and BCIT is collaboration, innovation, and student-centered learning. With her leadership, Burlington County Special Services Schools and Burlington County Institute of Technology are poised to continue their tradition of excellence and provide students with the tools they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Burlington County welcomes Dr. Ashanti Holley as its new Superintendent, confident in her ability to lead both districts to new heights of success. Her appointment signals a new era of opportunity and growth for students, staff, and the community. We look forward to the positive impact she will make in shaping our county's education future.

Eder Joseph served as the principal at Pemberton Township High School for seven years. He joined Pemberton from Woodbury Junior-Senior High School, where he served as principal for two years. Prior to that, he spent six years as the assistant principal at Helen Fort/Newcomb Middle School in Pemberton. His additional experiences include serving as assistant principal for Orange High School in Orange, NJ; as a 5th-grade elementary and special education teacher in Pemberton's Haines Elementary School, and as a special education teacher at Hubbard Middle School in Plainfield, NJ.

Mr. Joseph holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Special Education from Daemen College in Amherst, NY, and a Master's degree in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. He has earned a certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and Leadership and Management certification from Harvard University. He has received specialized training from The Principal's Center for Educational Leadership, School Development Program from Yale Child Study Center, and The Leadership Academy through Performance Excellence Group: Baldrige Institute.

During his tenure at Pemberton Township High School, he helped lead a school-based initiative to earn certification for Future Ready Schools. He spearheaded a social-emotional and comprehensive Character Education program receiving both State School of Character and National School of Character distinctions. Mr. Joseph helped to develop a peer mentoring program supporting 9th-grade students in their transition to high school. He led a partnership with the National Math and Science Initiative to provide professional development and instructional strategies to increase Advance Placement participants at the high school level. He helped to create partnerships with area businesses to provide students with Work Based Learning opportunities and helped to expand Career and Technical Education program offerings at the high school. Eder served as the Perkins Secondary Project Director and Perkins Data Coordinator, where in that role, he took leadership and oversight of Perkins and related grants. 

Joseph Venuto began his teaching career as a Social Studies teacher and two years later, he became a member of the Burlington County Institute of Technology’s staff in 1998 at the Westampton Campus.  As a teacher, he coached soccer, wrestling, and became an integral part of the culture and tradition of the BCIT family.  Mr. Venuto earned his Master’s degrees in Education and School Administration from Wilmington University.  Upon completion of his degree work, he was promoted to the role of Assistant Principal at the Medford Campus for three years.  Mr. Venuto was then selected as the Westampton Campus building principalin 2007. Mr. Venuto is an active member of his professional association where he has served as President of the Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association.

Jill Trainor has been a passionate educator since 1999 and is currently the Director of Pupil Personnel Services. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Special Education from Monmouth University and two Masters' degrees in Reading and Educational Leadership from Wilmington University. With certifications in special education, elementary education, supervision, and school administration, Jill is a well-rounded professional in the field. Throughout her 20+ year career in public education, Jill has held various positions that have allowed her to make a significant impact. She started as a special education teacher and later transitioned into the role of special education literacy research coach in the Salem City School District. This experience sparked her interest in leadership, leading her to become a Related Services Supervisor at BCSSD Educational Services Unit.

Continuing her journey, Jill took on the position of CST Coordinator in the Upper Deerfield Township School District, where she also worked as an LDTC. Her dedication and expertise led her to become the Director of Special Services in the Camden City School District, overseeing Special Education, Health Services, and Bilingual Education. Jill's exceptional leadership skills were recognized, and she was appointed as the Chief School Support Officer, taking on additional responsibilities of overseeing school leaders.

In addition to her work in public schools, Jill has contributed to the educational community in various ways. She served as a Special Education Complaint Investigator for the NJ Department of Education, ensuring students' rights were protected. Furthermore, Jill served as a school board member for the Greenwich Township School District, where she has made valuable contributions.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Jill has also been involved in community initiatives. She has served on the JDRF One Walk Committee, supporting efforts to raise awareness and funds for Type 1 diabetes research. Additionally, Jill is a Board member for the Wicked Warriors of East Greenwich, a group dedicated to promoting community engagement and empowerment. Along with being a board member, Jill serves as captain of Wicked Warriors Boat 11 dragon boat team. 

Jill Trainor's extensive experience, qualifications, and commitment to education make her a highly respected and influential figure in the field. Her passion for supporting students with special needs and her dedication to improving educational systems have made a lasting impact on countless individuals.

As a lifetime resident of Burlington County, Michael Parker has been an educator for 20+ years, first as a teacher, coach and more recently as an administrator. Upon graduating from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology Education, Mr. Parker began teaching technology education classes at Burlington Township High School. During this time, he held the positions of head baseball coach, assistant football coach and assistant basketball coach. After earning his Master’s degree in School Leadership from Wilmington College, he was named Assistant Principal at Northern Burlington Regional School District for almost 3 years before being named Assistant Principal at BCIT-Medford.  Mr. Parker was then promoted to principal in 2007 at the Medford Campus. 

Mrs. Jaime Mungo grew up in Eastampton, NJ and graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School, Mrs. Mungo pursued higher education at Shippensburg University, excelling as a collegiate softball athlete and earning a degree in Elementary Education.

Her teaching career commenced in Prince George's County, MD, where she dedicated three years to educating young minds. After starting a family, Mrs. Mungo returned to New Jersey, where she continued her teaching journey and furthered her education. She earned a Master's degree in Special Education in 2006, followed by another Master's degree in School Leadership in 2009, both from Wilmington University.

Mrs. Mungo's teaching experience spans multiple grade levels throughout her career. In 2013, she transitioned to an administrative role, serving as an assistant principal and athletic director in the Florence Township School District. Her leadership skills and dedication led to her appointment as principal of Riverfront School in 2016.

Throughout her tenure, Mrs. Mungo has been instrumental in implementing restorative practices, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and various school beautification projects. Her commitment to fostering community and family engagement has significantly enriched the school environment.

Residing in Westampton for over 15 years, Mrs. Mungo and her husband, a local school superintendent, have raised two children. She takes immense pride in her professional accomplishments and the strong relationships she has cultivated within her community.

Ms. Downs decided to pursue a career in education after serving as a teacher and administrator in a school for Sudanese refugees in Cairo, Egypt. Since that time, Ms. Downs served in the role of teacher and administrator at the Burlington County Alternative School before being named Director of the ESU. Ms. Downs received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Master’s Degree in Teaching from Drew University. Later, Ms. Downs earned her Master’s degree in School Leadership from Rowan University and her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Rowan University. Dr. Downs also holds a Graduate Certificate of Autism Education. She is a certified mindfulness instructor for Mindful Schools and an instructor for Youth Mental Health First Aid. Dr. Downs is an active member of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association and the Council for Exceptional Children. She also works for the Korean War Legacy Foundation and the World History Digital Education Foundation with the goal of helping educators teach more about the war and the past, present, and future development of Korea.

After graduating from Lenape High School in 2001, Mr. Pappler earned his undergraduate degree from Rowan University in Health and Exercise Science with a specialization in teacher certification. In the spring of 2006, he was hired to teach Health and Physical Education at the BCIT-Medford Campus. In addition to  his teaching experience, he served as an Assistant Boys’ Soccer Coach, Assistant Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball Coach and Head Baseball Coach. He was later tapped as the Head Teacher for the Health and Physical Education Department for a few years until August of 2015 when he was named Interim Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. In January of 2016,  Mr. Pappler was appointed full time Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. Mr. Pappler is an active member of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association. In 2018 Mr. Pappler was appointed to lead the Adult Education Division as the Assistant Principal.

Danielle has been a passionate educator since 1996 and currently serves as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Burlington County Institute of Technology. She holds her Bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Rowan University and her Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Stockton University.  From that same university, she also earned her Certifications in Supervision and School Leadership. Having a penchant for educational technology, Mrs. Hartman is a frequent presenter at conferences such as Educon, TeachmeetNJ, and Teachmeet International. She is a founding member of  Edcamp NJ and is an avid proponent of the use of social media to promote good teaching and educational practices.  Based on her work, Mrs. Hartman earned the ISTE Sigol Award for Excellence in Online Teaching and was featured in Tech & Learning Magazine and the ePals website.  Mrs. Hartman has published multiple articles in Edudemic Magazine and in NJPSA's Educational Viewpoints.  

Valerie Lee is a familiar face at BCIT having more than 20 years of experience. She began her career at BCIT in 1993 as a teacher aid and then as a teacher of the handicapped in 1997 until 2005 when she was named Assistant Principal for the District. She remained at the Medford campus until 2010 and has been at the Westampton campus since that time.  Mrs. Lee earned her Bachelor’s degree in Teaching of the Handicapped from Rowan University, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Wilmington University.  Active in her professional associations, Mrs. Lee has served in the role as Vice President of the Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association.

Lauren Milanowicz is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Secondary Education. Her formal educational career began at BCIT-Westampton in 2006 as a Teacher of Social Studies. During this time, she served as a class advisor and soccer coach for both the boys and girls teams from 2006-2013. During this time, she earned her Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Strayer University and subsequently pursued administrator certifications from Delaware Valley College. In July 2014, she was offered the opportunity to serve the BCIT-Medford campus as the Assistant Principal/Athletic Director. One year later she transferred back to the Westampton campus to serve the district as Assistant Principal/Athletic Director. 

Currently Mrs. Milanowicz oversees all athletic and extracurricular programs and the Health/Physical Education department at BCIT-Westampton. She is also the 9th grade disciplinarian and manages the campus PRIDE program, which recognizes students and staff for their altruistic individual efforts.

Christian Pino graduated from The College of New Jersey (formerly Trenton State College) with a Bachelor’s degree in Education and subsequently earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Wilmington University.  Mr. Pino began his education career as a physical education teacher at the BCIT Westampton Campus-- and during that time, coached Varsity Basketball, Baseball, and Cross Country for many years. Mr. Pino was the Department Head Teacher and then was selected to be an Assistant Principal at BCIT at the Westampton Campus up until  he was asked to serve in the same role at the Medford Campus. Currently Mr. Pino oversees the Career and Technical Programs, all the clubs/activities, and many other facets of the building. He currently has over 25 years experience in the district.  Mr. Pino currently volunteers in his home town by coaching baseball, boy's and girl's basketball, and girl's soccer.