Governor-elect Tina Kotek has dipped into the school board realm to fill out her team.
OSBA Deputy Executive Director Melissa Goff was announced Friday as Kotek’s education adviser with a portfolio covering early learning to 12th grade.
Goff joined OSBA in October and quickly set about meeting OSBA staff and school board members from around the state. She said that even though she was only with OSBA for a short time, she plans to bring school board viewpoints to the governor’s office and stay connected to the association.
“The conversations I have had with board members across the state have given me a new perspective on K-12 education,” she said.
Goff started her education career as a teacher in Mitchell, one of Oregon’s smallest districts. She rose through the ranks at Beaverton, Bend-La Pine, Sherwood and Portland Public Schools before becoming the Philomath School District superintendent and then superintendent of Greater Albany Public Schools.
She said her time at OSBA reaffirmed her belief that most school board members are focused on building good relationships with superintendents to create the best school systems for Oregon’s children.
“My belief in the positive and impactful future of our school boards was restored and strengthened through my experience with so many individual board members,” she said.
Kotek’s transition team approached Goff in mid-December. Goff said Kotek’s team was interested in her wide variety of education experiences.
Gov. Kate Brown’s longtime senior education policy adviser, Lindsey Capps, stepped down in July. Before working in the governor’s office, Capps spent seven years with the Oregon Education Association, the state teachers union.
Goff expects some of her early focuses in the governor’s office to be on accelerating math and reading learning after the pandemic losses. She also wants to explore creating universal prekindergarten.
OSBA Executive Director Jim Green said it’s a loss for the association but he looks forward to working with Goff and Kotek during the coming legislative session.
“Having someone who has worked for school boards and been a superintendent and has worked throughout the system will clearly be a benefit for school districts, OSBA and our members,” he said.
Friday, Jan. 6, is Goff’s last day at OSBA, and she will start with Kotek on Monday, Jan. 9, when the new governor is sworn in. OSBA has already started searching for a replacement.
Goff still plans to present at the Jan. 28 NSBA Equity Symposium on “Post-COVID Board Redesign: Seizing Opportunity to Diversify Board Leadership” with Sami Al-Abdrabbuh, the OSBA Board president-elect. Al-Abdrabbuh is a Corvallis School Board member and former president of the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus.
