NASBE Membership Elects New Leaders to Its Board of Directors

Alexandria, Va. — The National Association of State Boards of Education is pleased to announce the election of five new members to its board of directors during its Annual Conference last month in Denver. Rachel Wise, a member of the Nebraska State Board of Education, became NASBE’s chair of the board at the close of the conference. Brooke Axiotis, president of the Iowa State Board of Education, was voted NASBE’s chair-elect and begins her term on the board immediately. She will begin to serve as chair of NASBE’s board at the close of its 2019 Annual Conference. The membership also elected regional officers, each serving two-year terms.

Newly elected to the board for two-year terms were the following:

  • Karen Williams, District of Columbia, (Northeastern Region)
  • Stephanie Bell, Alabama (reelected to the Southern Region)
  • Vic Lenz, Missouri (reelected to the Central Region)
  • Janet Cannon, Utah (Western Region)
  • Jason Dean, Mississippi (New State Board Member Representative)
  • Todd Allen, Kentucky (NCOSEA Representative, serving one year)

This group will join the following board members who are returning for their second year:

  • John Kelly, Mississippi (serving as immediate past chair)
  • Byron Ernest, Indiana (serving as secretary-treasurer)
  • Estela López, Connecticut (Northeastern Region)
  • Kevin Boyd, Georgia (Southern Region)
  • Lupe Ramos-Montigny, Michigan (Central Region)
  • Angelika Schroeder, Colorado (Western Region)
  • Ronald McNinch, Guam (New State Board Member Representative)
  • John-Paul Hayworth, District of Columbia (NCSBEE Representative)

 “Our new strategic plan is focused on empowering state boards to fully embrace their role as citizen leaders while continuing to offer combined decades of expertise to meet boards’ ongoing needs and ensuring sustainability,” says NASBE President and CEO Kristen Amundson. “Members of NASBE’s board of directors will lead our organization in this important work.”

For 60 years, NASBE has served as the only membership organization for state boards of education. A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, NASBE elevates state board members’ voices in national and state policymaking, facilitates the exchange of informed ideas, and supports members in advancing equity and excellence in public education for students of all races, genders, and circumstances. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

Featured

  • Upcoming University of Alabama Performing Arts Center Hits Construction Milestone

    The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., recently celebrated the topping out of its new Smith Family Center for Performing Arts, according to a news release. The university is partnering with HPM for program and project management on the facility, which broke ground in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in November 2026.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • classroom with crystal ball on top of a desk

    Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2026 Predictions for Educational Facilities

    As 2025 winds to a close, the Spaces4Learning staff is asking its readers—school administrators, architects, engineers, facilities managers, builders, superintendents, designers, vendors, and more—to send us their predictions for educational facilities in 2026.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

Digital Edition