About Mehrdad

Mehrdad Safizadeh has spent his working life in classrooms. He earned a PhD in socio-linguistics, taught linguistics as a college and university instructor, ran a language school as principal for 15 years and went on to manage 200 schools.

He has been school council chair at his children’s school since 2016 and is currently chair of the Amritage Village PS School Council. At the school board level, he spent six years on the executive of the Parent Involvement Committee, including a term as vice-chair and was chair of the Equity Advisory Committee.

In 2025, the Ontario Public School Boards' Association awarded him its Award of Excellence for strengthening parent engagement, supporting newcomer families and improving student success.

A Newmarket father of two, Mehrdad knows what families want from a school system: academic achievement, real supports for students, a school board that treats parents as parents and good governance.

He is running so every York Region student has a quality education experience.