The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Monday appointed Misty Navarro to fill the Trustee VII seat vacated in September by Jennifer Holm.
Navarro is an emergency room physician at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center. She lives in Aptos and has children who attend Aptos Middle and High schools.
Navarro’s appointment to the seven-member board passed with a 6-0 vote, with Holm no longer a seated member.
The trustees held public interviews Monday, with Navarro and Victoria Haller each taking turns answering six questions.
These included what they think the trustees’ role is in education, what skills students should have when they graduate and what they hope to accomplish while on the board. They were also questioned about how they would handle controversial issues.
Navarro said she applied for the board at the urging of several community members. She recently termed out from the Salinas Valley Health Foundation Board of Directors, and stepped down from her role as Emergency Department Chair.
“That allowed me the bandwidth and the space to find something new to be passionate about,” she told the board. “Just like I am very passionate about my job and what I do, and I bring that energy to work every time I show up.”
Holm announced her resignation in early September, citing a conflict with her busy work schedule.
The trustees voted later that month to appoint a new member, rather than holding a costly special election.Trustee Area VII includes the La Selva Beach and Rio Del Mar areas.
