AboutLeadership, organizational structure, benefits, and business partners and affiliates

Chris Ungar, San Luis Coastal USD, for President-elect

In the past four years, we have gone from an association in crisis to the leading voice for students in California. Membership value has increased; our legislative efforts have made us an influential and unwavering advocate for the local control of our schools; and a strong entrepreneurial spirit has boosted our bottom line, ensuring financial stability today and for years to come.

However, challenges remain. Self-serving special interest groups, unethical charter school operators, and overreaching state mandates represent continuing threats to our children's rights to a future "driven by their aspirations, not bounded by their circumstances." Pension reforms, enactment of the LCAP, and implementation of Common Core standards continue to strain our overburdened and underfunded school districts. The debate over the reauthorization of NCLB, federal accountability rules, and special education still requires direct action in Washington D.C. Working together our association must do what is right for children.

I am the current CSBA Vice President, and I have served three terms as a regional director, 14 years as a school trustee, and 29 years as a special educator including 10 as a special education director.  I have been chair of the successful 2008 Annual Education Conference, the finance committee, and board development committee. I am an active member of my local board, and have been president three times.

My experience, dedication, and leadership make me the strongest candidate for President-Elect. I ask for your support.

Sherri Reusche, Calaveras USD, for Vice President

As a candidate for Vice President, I bring a lifelong desire to build a public education system that is one of the strongest in the nation. I find hard work and dedication to a positive cause personally rewarding and will continue to dedicate myself to improving the California system. I am an enthusiastic, education advocate and have served on the Board of Directors for the last 4 years, working with CSBA to continue its important work.

I became a member of the CSBA Delegate Assembly my first year as a board trustee because I really wanted to be a part of an organization that stood up for public education and supported Board members. I am passionate about public education and the role CSBA plays in supporting our schools and I believe I have the talent, skills, time and commitment to make a positive difference for our Association. We as board members are moving, experiencing historic changes in funding (Local Control Funding Formula) and curriculum (Common Core Standards), and now more than every our advocacy efforts are absolutely critical. I am absolutely committed to serving as a leader in the position of Vice President.

Together, we can demonstrate the effectiveness of local public school governance and provide the input and insight our government leaders need to make decisions that support our students. By continuing our work with all stakeholders, we can build an equitable education system and begin to close the Achievement Gap. I ask for your support.

Emma Turner, La Mesa-Spring Valley SD, for Vice President

I am a retired United States Naval Officer seeking leadership on the California School Board Association Executive Committee, as a qualified and experienced candidate. My past experience on the CSBA governance teams and as President of my school board has prepared me for the duties of Vice President. While serving in the position of Director-at-Large Black, I had to think and act strategically in various situations, i.e., Presidents' Council, caucuses and constituents in distress. I presided over delegate caucus meetings, local school board meetings and acted as workshop moderator. I faced local press (television and newspaper) interviews around contentious issues with calm and decorum. While serving on the legislative and policy platform committees, I voted on issues based on delegate assembly general guidelines. I led and facilitated focus group discussions for the policy platform committee, without interjecting my personal views and accurately captured information provided by the delegates.

I will partner with the Executive Director to work hard for all children in California public schools. I will work with the delegate assembly and board of directors to promote the education policies that work best for all children and perform fiduciary duties in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

It is a great privilege to be considered for this auspicious executive committee position and I will continue to dedicate myself to attending all applicable meetings. As a U.S. Navy retiree, I have more free time and will make myself available to perform all duties to the best of my ability.