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

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.