OSBA Board names three new officers for 2023

The OSBA Board picked three new officers during its weekend meeting at the Sunriver Resort. They will join the five-member leadership team that will lead OSBA into next year’s education fray. 

In 2023, the Legislature will be tackling education equity issues and considering students’ recovery from pandemic-related learning loss. At the same time, legislators will be debating school funding while staring down the barrel of a potential recession. 

When issues come up in the Legislature and communities, OSBA relies on school board members, especially board officers, to advocate for all students. 

Parkrose School Board member Sonja McKenzie will automatically move from president-elect to president on Jan. 1, and Athena-Weston School Board Chair Scott Rogers will move from president to past president. 

The board chose Sami Al-Abdrabbuh to be president-elect, the automatic president in 2024. Al-Abdrabbuh is a Corvallis School Board member and president of the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus through the end of this year.

The board also picked Chris Cronin to be vice president and Bill Graupp to be secretary-treasurer. Graupp is a former president of the caucus and a North Marion School Board member. Cronin is a Grant Education Service District board member as well as an Eastern Oregon University board member. 

The officers will take their positions Jan. 1, same as newly elected regional board members. Formal nominations for the 13 open board seats are due by Friday, Sept. 30. Election materials and a calendar are on the OSBA Election Center. Voting begins Nov. 15.

- Jake Arnold, OSBA
jarnold@osba.org