Little Egg Harbor board names Dr. Lisa Antunes superintendent amid questions about her prior district role

The Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education on May 14 introduced Dr. Lisa Antunes as the district’s next superintendent after a search that drew more than 40 applicants.

Board members described a multi-stage process that narrowed candidates through interviews and site visits; they said union and community representatives participated in evaluative steps. The board read Dr. Antunes’s biography at the meeting and announced she will begin work in July.

"I'm both humbled and thrilled to join the LEH family," Dr. Antunes said after being introduced.

Several public speakers and a local reporter raised questions about news reports tied to Dr. Antunes’s prior employment. A reporter asked the board to describe what due diligence had been done and whether the board would explain a prior "scandal" cited in press coverage. Board members responded they had conducted reference checks and site visits and said the search committee included diverse stakeholders.

A board member said Dr. Antunes had previously acted as a whistleblower in her former district and that her actions had led to an investigation and subsequent criminal charges for theft there; the board described that record as evidence of integrity and willingness to make difficult decisions.

Board members defended the hiring as the result of an inclusive process and said they expect Dr. Antunes’s classroom and administrative experience to help the district through a difficult budget year.

What happens next: Dr. Antunes is expected to begin in July. The board asked community members to raise any concerns directly with the administration and said it would continue to share updates about the transition and staffing decisions as the budget picture clarifies.