School board elects officers for 2017

Shamann Walton elected board president; Hydra Mendoza-McDonnell as vice president

January 11, 2017 (San Francisco) - At this week's regular meeting, the San Francisco Board of Education elected its officers for 2017. Commissioner Shamann Walton is now president, and Commissioner Hydra Mendoza-McDonnell is vice president.

President Walton has begun his third year of his first term on the board. He served as vice president in 2016.

"I just want to thank my colleagues for electing me to serve as president of the San Francisco Board of Education," said Walton. "There is no greater honor than to be chosen for leadership by your peers."

Walton added, "I am truly humbled and excited about our work together. I know we will move closer toward our equity goals for our students over the course of the year."

About Shamann Walton

Walton has served on the San Francisco Board of Education since 2014 and has co-authored resolutions to implement pathways to SFUSD careers and internship programs, pathways for Arabic and Vietnamese Language, and supports for African-American students in SFUSD.

Walton currently serves as the executive director of Young Community Developers (YCD), a workforce development agency located in Bayview-Hunters Point. At YCD, he manages, develops and implements job readiness training, job placement and case management services for participants. Under his leadership, YCD has worked directly with SFUSD to provide quality tutorial, credit recovery and job training programs in several SFUSD high schools. He has increased the organization's budget by over 300 percent and grown the staff to 31 employees.

Prior to joining Young Community Developers, Walton had developed an extensive record of collaboration and leadership within Bay Area schools and nonprofits. He has taught in the juvenile justice system through the Solano County Office of Education.

Walton is a native San Franciscan who has been a leader within local public schools and youth-serving organizations for the past eighteen years. Walton holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Morris Brown College and a Master of Public Administration from San Francisco State University.

Walton says he inherited his love for his community from his mother, Catherine Cartwright, and his mentor and surrogate father, Philmore Graham. Impacting the lives of others, particularly children, is the biggest motivator in his life.

About Hydra Mendoza-McDonnell

Hydra Mendoza-McDonnell has served on the Board of Education since 2006 and has previously served as president and vice-president during her tenure. She is the first and only Filipina elected to office in San Francisco. She has received the Parent of the Year award from the California Association for Bilingual Education, the Public Service Award from San Francisco State University's Department of Public Administration, the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S. Award from the Filipina Women's Network, the Access and Equity Community Education Award from Pin@y Educational Partnerships, the Hero Award from College Track, and the Extraordinary Service Award from the Mission Economic Development Agency.

Previously, she taught preschool and served as a founding member and the executive director of Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco. In 2005, Mendoza-McDonnell was appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom to his Policy Council on Children, Youth and Families; and later as his education adviser and liaison to the San Francisco Unified School District. She continues to serve under Mayor Edwin Lee as senior adviser on education and family services.

She also serves on the boards of SPUR and the Quesada Gardens Initiative and on the advisory boards of College Track, Old Skool Cafe, Youth Speaks, and CASA.

Mendoza-McDonnell, her husband and their two children are all graduates of SFUSD.

Page updated on 01/11/17