OSBA elections bring in fresh looks for education leadership

The OSBA election season wrapped up Friday, ushering in some new faces on the OSBA Board of Directors and the Legislative Policy Committee.

New members take office Jan. 1, but the LPC will have to wait to find out its full makeup. For the Southern Region, position 5, incumbent Dawn Watson (Phoenix-Talent SD) and Dianne Mihocko (Eagle Point SD) tied. OSBA is setting up a run-off election to be completed by mid-January.

Three of the 20 elected LPC positions had multiple candidates. Judy Newman (Eugene SD) won a contested race for the Lane Region, position 6, and Glenn Holum (North Marion SD) won the race for the Marion Region, position 12. The OSBA Board appointed seven positions and must still fill the Gorge Region, position 2.

Two of the 13 races for the OSBA Board had multiple candidates. As the incumbent, OSBA Board Vice President Scott Rogers (Athena-Weston SD) won the race for the Gorge Region, position 2. Linda Hamilton (Lane ESD) beat incumbent Sherry Duerst-Higgins (South Lane SD, Lane ESD) and Mark Boren (Fern Ridge SD) for the Lane Region, position 6.

The only other new face will be Chris Cronin (John Day SD) who took the uncontested Eastern Region, position 1. Cronin will represent the Eastern Region, position 1, alongside Kevin Cassidy (Baker SD), who takes office Jan. 1 as OSBA Board president. 

Other OSBA Board officers, selected in September, will also take office Jan. 1. Tass Morrison (North Santiam SD) will become past president. Maureen Wolf (Tigard-Tualatin SD) will become president-elect, and Rogers will become secretary-treasurer. Liz Hartman (Lake Oswego SD) will join the board’s leaders as vice president.

Full results are available on the OSBA Elections-Board page and the OSBA Elections-LPC page.

- Jake Arnold, OSBA
jarnold@osba.org