Vineeta Khanna FOR BOE

Vineeta is a visionary with a sharp focus on our students’ future. A Livingston resident for 21 years, Vineeta has a track record of bringing changes that add value to the education that our kids receive. Her vision got the first ever LPS Multicultural off the ground in 2001. The community received that event with much enthusiasm and it has continued to grow each year.

An expansive global career, her diverse experiences in the hospitality industry, Facilities management, Media, and currently as a Communications coach, Vineeta is known for her people skills, her ability to connect, and for getting things done. She believes in serving beyond her personal agenda and in giving back to the community. She brings experience and empathy that enables her to connect with the diverse population of our town. She is passionate about giving our kids a nurturing and empowering holistic education. Education is not just the academic kind, and that’s why she wants to support programs that help students with their social and relational intelligence.
Having done that herself, she also wants to support Parent/teacher collaborative workshops in all the ten schools of our district.

Let’s ELECT VINEETA for Livingston Board of Education, to give Voice to students and parents who hesitate to speak, to help our teachers who educate and mould our future leaders, to uphold Livingston’s value and appeal.

Vineeta's Bio

Vineeta is a resident of Livingston for 21 years where she lives with her husband of 26 years, Sandeep, and their two children. She single handedly conceptualized and executed the very first LPS Multicultural event in 2001 in Harrison Elementary School. This event is now celebrated in all the schools in Livingston. She has since volunteered at the PTA as a VP and as a PT Council Multicultural Committee Chair.

• Vineeta currently volunteers on Township Zoning Board, Open Space Committee, and Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

• As a talk show host of a very popular radio program for 16 years, Vineeta engaged listeners on social issues that led to several appearances on WNYC & WHYY, NPR.

• Vineeta’s passion for personality development of her students, and for Public Speaking motivated her to start Orator Academy where she teaches students to communicate with confidence and conviction. She is focused on coaching youth and adults, helping them find their “voice” and thrive.

• Vineeta is very well traveled, speaks 3 languages, and has been exposed to numerous cultures via her work in hospitality, airline and media industries. She is truly a Global Citizen who naturally connects

Profession and Passion

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Community Involvements

There’s a sense of satisfaction and joy in giving back to our community and our world.

21 years in Livingston just flew by.

Livingston has given me the perfect nest and the most outstanding opportunities to serve.

I’ve raised both my kids here, I started ORATOR ACADEMY here, and work extensively with students from our town and around.

I’m humbled by the honor to serve as:

☀️First Multicultural chair in town.

☀️Harrison PTA Vice President.

☀️PT council Multicultural Co-Chair

☀️Participation in the Inauguration of the Senior center on Hillside ave.

☀️Community lead organizer for Diwali (in the pre-Sanskriti era).

☀️Volunteer at Sanskriti.

☀️Sunday School volunteer.

☀️Zoning Board member.

☀️Open Space Trust Committee member.

☀️Livingston committee for Diversity and Inclusion.

☀️MC at Religions Of the World event.

☀️Volunteer/Moderator at Women’s Multicultural High Tea.

☀️Participant/Hindu representative at “Livingston Sings” online Fb event to raise funds for “Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors”.

☀️Had my students perform in the “Livingston’s Got Talent” initiative you aise funds for Livingston Philanthropies.

☀️Member of Lions Club International, working on initiatives to deliver fresh produce to LNHN and to families and senior home in East Orange.

Vineeta Khanna's Press Release

There is a well-recognized Sanskrit phrase in the ancient Hindu scriptures that says, “Vasudhaiva kutumbakam”, the world is but one large single family. I have found that an enlightening and uplifting phrase as it is about unity and strength. It’s about focusing on our  shared interests and goals.

With that mindset, I have lived my life without geographical or cultural boundaries, and with the mission of getting to know my “large single family”, my world.  I am a Livingston mother and an active town representative. I am running for Livingston Board of Education because I know I have the expertise to support an enriching and inclusive
environment in our schools. I believe that giving back to our community makes us all stronger together. I have had an expansive global career alongside frequent community engagement.

That has broadened my perspective and built empathy to connect with the diverse population of students, parents, educators and administrators. Throughout my career, I have thrived as both, a leader and a team player. I am creative, productive and dedicated.

My husband Sandeep & I completed 26 years of marriage this year. We have lived in Livingston for 21 of those years and have raised our two kids, Shivangi and Vihan in this beautiful town. Transcending continents and adapting to life in the United States, we made sure that we inculcated the rich cultural tradition and value system of our heritage in our children. I have always believed in “being a part of” and “connecting with” my surroundings and thus have consistently served the Livingston community.

I spent my first decade in Livingston acclimating to my new home, town and country while rolling up my sleeves and taking on key roles and responsibilities in the school that became my kids’ second home. I independently conceptualized and executed the very first LPS Multicultural event in 2001 in Harrison Elementary School, and the event has since spread to all of the schools in Livingston. This experience led to a formal PTA role as a VP and as a PT Council Multicultural Committee Co-Chair.

I now serve the town as a member of the Zoning Board, Open Space Trust Committee, and Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Professionally, I am an independent entrepreneur for nearly a decade, coaching children in public speaking and building their confidence. While running a business, I have practiced strategic leadership that will help me make sound decisions as a BOE member. I am passionate about a holistic approach towards education.
Our world, its beauty, and its diversity fascinate me. I speak three languages and have been exposed to numerous cultures via my work in the hospitality, airline and media industries.

My global travels gave me exposure to multiple cultures, that helped me learn and appreciate diversity. I call myself a Global Citizen for my natural ability to understand and connect with people from different communities. I have also managed multi-million-dollar commercial real estate, requiring strong mastery of budgeting, negotiating contracts and managing facilities. In addition, as a talk show host of a very popular radio program for 16 years, I engaged listeners on social issues that led to my appearances on WNYC & WHYY-NPR.

Motivated by my passion for public speaking and for personality development of my students, I founded Orator Academy, where I teach students to communicate with confidence and conviction. I am focused on coaching youth and adults, helping them find their “voice” and thrive.

I come from a family of lifelong educators: my mother and all of my aunts were teachers. Community Service is a way of life throughout my larger family, which runs a school with housing for blind students in New Delhi, India, an institute where students learn the ancient Sanskrit language with free housing as well. Both of my children spent their entire primary education in the Livingston Public School system from Kindergarten to LHS graduation.

My son Vihan is an Eagle Scout from Troop 16 and has trained to be the next scoutmaster of his troop.His Eagle project was to build a 250 feet long path to connect Westgate Road to North Westgate Road, a path now used regularly by residents and students walking to Heritage Middle School. Inspired by hearing his mother on the radio, Vihan has developed interest in the media world and has single-handedly hosted the Visionaries Film Festival two years in a row. Both of my kids have led anti-bullying programs at Livingston High School.

My daughter Shivangi collaborated with DoSomething.org to start an LHS chapter of their organization that remains strong now, nearly a decade later. She received the Presidential award for academic excellence, the Soroptimist award for her commitment to social issues, the Eisenhower award for leadership and community development skills. In addition, she was selected for the American Legion Auxiliary’s Girl State civic leadership program. After speaking
on a platform of anti-human trafficking to an auditorium of over 400, she was elected by her peers to attend Girls Nation where she met President Obama. Based on my experience in working with the youth, I look forward to initiating discussions and emphasizing focus on several key ideas.

Understanding the importance of building and nurturing relationships is key to personal and professional success. I propose that we include programs that teach our students Relational Intelligence, which is the art of knowing how to relate to others and how to manage our relationships -- such innovative programs are missing in today’s education. Our students would learn how to apply this concept in their day-to-day interactions.

Social skills training is a behavioral science and can be learnt at any age. I would like to support and strengthen the Forensics program in our schools that enhance effective communication skills that embody listening, articulating, mindfulness and conflict resolution. Social skills training will help curb bullying in our schools, our society and hopefully in our world.

In today’s social media-driven world, our students need to develop self-acceptance and know that it’s ok to be ‘ME’, rather than feeling inadequate or “uncool”. A strong social skills program will instill self-confidence and emotional resilience in students, so they stay anchored in the whirlwind of life.

Lastly, a collaboration of parents, teachers, and students would be a great initiative to further the students’ understanding of careers and concepts. Many parents are active on social media platforms such as Livingston Learns and Livingston Education, talking about subjects they have a mastery over. We can use such active and keen parent participation to hold periodic workshops in schools. These parent-run workshops would expand the horizons of career options for our youth. Such collaborations would make our town stronger and better engaged. I
had this mindset when I started the Multicultural event, and I have seen firsthand how collaboration can be effective, impactful and beneficial to our community.

My life journey has been that of a leader, and of an advocate for developing social skills, emotional resilience and relational intelligence in our youth. I look forward to the opportunity of serving as your representative on the Board of Education and being the voice of our diverse community.

If you’d like to connect with me, or to support my campaign, you can reach me at

Vineeta4education@gmail.com.

Vineeta Khanna
Educate to Elevate
vineeta4education@gmail.com