Here are the 27 names recommended for Philadelphia’s new school board

This story originally appeared in The Philadelphia Tribune.

During its public meeting on Tuesday evening, the 13-member Education Nominating Panel recommended 27 candidates for Philadelphia’s new Board of Education.

The list of names for the school district’s governing body will be submitted to Mayor Cherelle Parker, who will consider the names to select nine candidates for the school board.

Nearly 121 individuals have applied to serve on the school board.

“We have identified what we consider to be the best 27 candidates for the mayor’s consideration,” said Otis Bullock Jr., chair of the Education Nominating Panel, during the meeting.

Bullock said the panel went through an extensive process for the candidates, which included an application portal, executive sessions and interviews.

“The application portal for the school board was open from February 1-23 for over 120 residents to apply,” Bullock said. “The panel reviewed all the applications and selected candidates for interviews based on their scores and rankings.

The panel held executive sessions on February 20, February 27 and March 8 and held interviews from March 1-7.

“Each interview consisted of the same questions and each candidate was subjected to the same scoring system,” Bullock said.

Parker will have 10 days to request additional names or if necessary 20 days to make an appointment by providing names to the City Council for advice or consent. City Council must approve the mayor’s selections for the school board.

The current school board members will continue to serve in their role until a new board is seated. Their term expired after Mayor Jim Kenney left office. The next school board term will begin May 1.

The list of finalists include:

• Nakia Carr, district office manager for State Rep. Jordan Harris
• Timothy Crowder, political and legislative director International Union of Painters
• Crystal Cubbage, executive director of Philadelphia Learning Collaborative
• Cindy Farlino, former teacher, administrator and principal
• Cheryl Harper, former teacher, administrator and director of human resources
• Keola Harrington, chief financial officer at the Philadelphia Parking Authority
• Michael Henderson, entrepreneur
• Jameika Id-Dean, member of the school district’s parent and community advisory council
• David Irizarry, superintendent of Delaware County’s Juvenile Justice Services
• Dominique Johnson, special events and training coordinator at Achieve Reunification Center
• Whitney Jones, chief financial officer at Children’s Crisis Treatment Center
• Letisha Laws, senior program officer at Elevate 215
• Maddie Luebbert, Philadelphia teacher
• Colleen McCauley, nurse and public health professional
• Cheryl Mobley-Stimpson, former educator
• Wanda Novales, executive pastor of City Reach Church
• Michelle Palmer, executive director of Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia
• Marissa Shaaban, director of constituent affairs for Rep. Ben Waxman
• Joan Stern, public finance attorney

The list also includes seven current board members:

• Sarah-Ashley Andrews, therapist and founder of Dare 2 Hope
• Leticia Egea-Hinton, social worker and former city employee
• Chau Wing Lam, former director of operations for the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders
• Lisa Salley, engineer and business executive
• Reginald Streater, current school board president and lawyer
• Cecelia Thompson, longtime education advocate
• Joyce Wilkerson, former school board president and longtime education advocate