Some Sacramento County voters will be asked to weigh in this March on who should represent them on two local school boards, the Sacramento County Office of Education and Twin Rivers Unified School District.
Board members are locally elected public officials tasked with governing a community’s public schools. They can influence textbooks and educational material, school closures, academic calendars, budgets, disciplinary structure and more.
The County Office of Education operates some of its own schools while also providing support and oversight to the 13 school districts in the county. You can find a map of trustee areas here.
The Twin Rivers Unified School District is located in North Sacramento and serves around 37,000 students. You can find a map of district trustee areas here.
For each open seat, we reached out to every candidate who qualified for the ballot and compiled information from those who responded or submitted statements to the Sacramento County voter guide.
Sacramento County Office of Education
Trustee Area 4
This area covers parts of northeast Sacramento County, including Fair Oaks, Citrus Heights and Orangevale. School districts represented in this region are the majority of San Juan Unified and a small portions of Twin Rivers Unified and Folsom Cordova Unified.
Incumbent Joanne Ahola is not running for reelection.
Sacramento County Office of Education Trustee Area 4 candidate Vanessa D. Caigoy.Courtesy of Vanessa D. CaigoyVanessa D. Caigoy: Public School Administrator
The Citrus Heights native is a managing director at the California Charter Schools Association. If elected, she said she would focus on actively listening to parents, partnering with local resources and organizations, and providing effective financial oversight.
Endorsements: California Charter Schools Association Advocates, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper and incumbent Trustee Joanne Ahola.
Sacramento County Office of Education Trustee Area 4 candidate Linda Christopher-DeWilde.Courtesy of Linda Christopher-DeWildeLinda Christopher-DeWilde: Educator/Consultant
Christopher-DeWilde is a student teacher supervisor and lecturer in the University of California system. She’s previously worked in education as a teacher, principal, district administrator and non-profit executive director, and said her goals would be to “ensure safe schools, high-quality education for all students, and transparency in communication with families” if elected.
Endorsements: None reported
Usman “Sam” Haider: Parent/Consultant
Candidate did not respond to requests for information or provide a candidate statement to Sacramento County.
Sacramento County Office of Education Trustee Area 4 candidate Jennin “Jay” Martinez.Courtesy Jay MartinezJennin “Jay” Martinez: Small Businessman
Martinez grew up in South Sacramento and graduated from Sacramento State in 2010, the first person in his family to graduate. He now lives in Orangevale with his wife and two children. He said if elected, he would focus on “literacy, school safety, and school choice (especially charter schools).”
Endorsements: Sacramento County Republican Party, Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and California Parents United.
Sacramento County Office of Education Trustee Area 4 candidate Murad "Moe" Sarama.Courtesy Murad "Moe" SaramaMurad "Moe" Sarama: Father/Businessman
A father of five, Sarama said he has lived in the district for more than 20 years. He said he plans to “ensure to elevate the parental voice” and “hold schools that mismanage taxpayer money accountable.”
Endorsements: Sacramento City Council members Eric Guerra and Caity Maple, former state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and Citrus Heights former mayor Porsche Middleton.
Trustee Area 5
This area covers Folsom and much of western Sacramento County south of Highway 50, including Rancho Cordova, Rosemont, the Vineyard area and Sloughhouse. School districts represented in this region are portions of Elk Grove Unified, Sacramento City Unified, and Folsom Cordova Unified.
Incumbent trustee Orie Alfred Brown Sr. is running unopposed.
Sacramento County Office of Education Trustee Area 5 candidate Orie Alfred Brown Sr.Courtesy of Orie Alfred Brown Sr. Orie Alfred Brown Sr. (incumbent): Retired and CEO of a nonprofit
A professor emeritus at Sacramento State, Brown is the Vice President of the Sacramento County Board of Education. In his career he has also worked in the Sacramento City Unified School District as an English as a Second Language teacher and as the first affirmative action officer and special assistant to the vice president of Academic Affairs at UC Davis. He has served as a trustee since 2016.
Endorsements: None reported
Trustee Area 6
This area covers much of southern Sacramento County, including Elk Grove, Galt and Rio Vista. School districts represented in this region are a majority of Elk Grove Unified, and all of Arcohe Union, Galt Joint Union (Elementary), Galt Joint Union High, and River Delta Unified.
Heather Davis (incumbent): Parent
Davis was elected to the County Board of Education in 2016, where she supported the creation of the Sacramento County Family and Community Engagement program. In her candidate statement, Davis wrote “I promise to ensure all students receive a quality education in a safe environment.”
Endorsements: None reported
Shazleen Khan: Education Analyst/CPA
Candidate did not respond to requests for information or provide a candidate statement to Sacramento County.
Trustee Area 7
This area covers South Sacramento, including Greenhaven, Lemon Hill, Pocket and parts of South Land Park. School districts represented in this region are Elk Grove Unified and a large portion of Sacramento City Unified.
Incumbent trustee Harold Fong is running unopposed.
Harold Fong (incumbent): Administrative and Business Processes Analyst for California Department of Health Care Access and Information
Candidate did not respond to requests for information or provide a candidate statement to Sacramento County.
Twin Rivers Unified School Board
Trustee Area 1
This area covers parts of Old Foothill Farms and North Highlands.
Incumbent trustee Micahel Baker is running unopposed.
Michael Baker (incumbent): Businessman
A board member since 2012 and the current board vice president, Baker graduated from Foothill High School and has two children who attend Twin Rivers schools. He is the director of compliance and strategy for an emergency medical agency in Northern California and has served as president of the Old Foothill Farms Neighborhood Association, vice president of the Foothill High School Alumni Association and chairman of the Foothill High School Hall of Fame Committee.
Endorsements: None reported
Trustee Area 3
This area covers McClellan Park, most of North Highlands and Del Paso Heights.
Incumbent trustee Christine Jefferson is running unopposed.
Christine Jefferson (incumbent): Community activist for civil rights and education
Jefferson assumed the position of trustee on the board in 2020. She is a graduate of Grant Union High School and worked for the school district for 37 years before retiring. She also served as a union steward and is one of two District mediators for classified and certificated employees. She has served on the board of UCAN, as a volunteer chaplain at Folsom State Prison, and helped to form the Del Paso Heights Community Association.
Endorsements: None reported.
Trustee Area 5
This area covers North Natomas and Robla.
Incumbent trustee Basim Elkarra is running unopposed.
Basim Elkarra (incumbent): Director of the Sacramento chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations
Elkarra has been on the school board since 2016. He says in that time period, he has worked in partnership with students, parents, teachers, and the community to provide the resources needed for students to succeed in the 21st century. He says his work has been to be accessible to the community and always puts kids first. Elkarra’s priorities include: safe, healthy, technologically modern classrooms; programs that help kids stay on the right track and out of trouble; increased student achievement; smaller class sizes; and resources to recruit and retain the best teachers.
Trustee Area 7
This area covers parts of Arden Fair, Woodlake and Old North Sacramento.
Linda Fowler (incumbent): School administrator
Fowler has been a Twin Rivers board member since 2007 and served on school boards in the region since 1971. She worked for 25 years as a civil rights investigative auditor with the Office of Attorney General and the Department of Justice, and as a compliance officer with the California Gambling Control Commission.
Endorsements: None reported
Twin Rivers Unified School Board Trustee Area 7 candidate Sascha Vogt.Courtesy Sascha VogtSascha Vogt: Child Development Teacher
A parent in the Twin Rivers Unified School District, Vogt has served as a member of the Black Child Legacy Campaign Community Leadership Roundtable, a former Director of Youth Services for the Healing 5 Foundation, and a parent board member of the Roberts Family Development Center.
Endorsements: Democratic Party of Sacramento County, Central Labor Council, Latino Dems and Twin Rivers United Educators.
Correction: A previous version of this story did not order candidates by last name. It has been corrected.
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