Lower Merion School Board President Dr. Kerry Sautner says she has not yet spoken with board member Jennifer Rivera about Rivera's future on the nine-member board, even as Rivera faces six felony counts and a preliminary hearing set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.
"While it is important to note that anyone charged with a crime remains innocent until proven guilty, we must also consider the potential impact of this situation on our Board," Sautner said in an emailed statement Monday, Aug. 24.
Rivera, 41, of the 100 block of Leland Road in Bala Cynwyd, turned herself in to Lower Merion Township Police on Aug. 24 on charges of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. As we reported Tuesday, she was arraigned before District Court Judge Adam T. Katzman and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
The charges stem from Rivera's employment at SMB, a law firm marketing agency on Saint Asaphs Road in Bala Cynwyd. None relate to the school district, its finances or taxpayer funds.
Sautner stressed that point.
Committee roles raise governance questions
Rivera serves as co-chair of the board's Curriculum Committee and sits on its Facilities & Purchasing Committee, according to NBC10, citing the district's website. She attended the board's most recent meeting on Aug. 17, one week before her arrest.
The Curriculum Committee is scheduled to meet next on Monday, Sept. 14. The full board's next meeting follows approximately two weeks later. Sautner has not indicated whether Rivera will participate in either session.
Rivera is in the first year of a four-year term. She was elected in November 2024 on a Democratic ticket alongside Juanita Kerber, Anna Shurak and Sautner herself.
$50,243 in alleged personal spending
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Lower Merion Police Superintendent Andrew Block announced Rivera's arrest jointly. According to the criminal complaint filed by Lower Merion Detective Daniel Gilbert, the total alleged theft reached $50,243.31.
Prosecutors say Rivera used a company-issued American Express card for personal expenses beginning in September 2024. The charges include $25,307.63 in travel for herself, family members and friends, and $25,596.68 in unauthorized Amazon purchases, according to the DA's office.
Rivera also allegedly booked a Bahamas trip for Aug. 1 through Aug. 8 using 906,593 company credit card points valued at $9,065.93.
Rivera's campaign website had highlighted her professional experience with financial oversight, strategic planning and audits, stating she had helped manage a budget exceeding $100 million.
What comes next
Rivera has not publicly commented, and no defense attorney is listed in online court records. Her preliminary hearing before District Court Judge Karen Eisner Zucker is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Under Pennsylvania's Public School Code, the board cannot remove an elected member solely on the basis of pending charges. The district has said it will share additional information when it becomes available.
