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Board of Directors

Article Highlighting the Leadership and Community Impact of Graciela Villanueva

We are excited to share an inspiring article featuring one of our dedicated Yakima School District Board Members, Graciela Villanueva. As the Chief Human Resources Officer at Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, Graciela’s career is built on a deep commitment to removing barriers and supporting her community. Her journey, rooted in her family's legacy of advocacy and service, reflects the same values she brings to her work on the YSD Board.

From her early experiences with the clinic as a child to her current leadership role, Graciela’s story is one of passion, growth, and making a difference in the lives of others.

To read the full article and learn more about Graciela’s incredible impact, please click here.


Yakima School District Board Of Directors Awarded 2024 Magna Award For Superintendent Student Voice Council

We are proud to announce that the Yakima School District Board of Directors has been honored with the 2024 Magna Award by the National School Boards Association (NSBA). This prestigious recognition highlights the Board's commitment to innovation in education.

The Board's innovative Superintendent Student Voice Council, which enhances student participation in educational governance, was a key factor in our selection as one of the 18 national award recipients. This program exemplifies the Board's dedication to incorporating student voices in decision-making, contributing significantly to initiatives like the Equity Policy and Mental Health Awareness Week.

This award reflects ongoing efforts to create impactful and creative solutions within our educational community. The Board looks forward to continuing our work in fostering an environment where students and staff thrive.

For more information, visit the NSBA website and look for the April issue of the American School Board Journal.

NormWalker2023

Norm Walker

President

Position Number 3

Term Expires: 2027

Phone: 509-575-6443

Biography:
Mr. Norm Walker was born in Yakima and with exception of college and graduate school years, has lived in Yakima his entire life, attending McKinley Elementary, Franklin Junior High and graduated from A.C. Davis High School.  His 40 years in public education began in Yakima, first as a para-professional in the Company 7 Arts Program, then as a special education teacher at Barge-Lincoln, counselor at Franklin, counselor at Davis, and finally as a counselor at Whitney.  He subsequently worked at ESD 105 facilitating school counseling and prevention/intervention grants, then counseled at Mattawa Elementary, and taught teacher and school counselor candidates at Heritage University. Along the way, he coached varsity volleyball at both Eisenhower and Davis High Schools and served a number of years on the YSD’s Employee Benefit Trust. In addition to serving now as a school board member, he also volunteers as a CASA/Guardian Ad Litem for dependent children through Yakima County Juvenile Court. He hopes these experiences will contribute to his ability to effectively represent the needs of all our students, parents, and staff members.

GracielaVillanueva

Graciela Villanueva

Vice President

Position Number 1

Term Expires: 2025

Phone: 509-728-2438

Biography:

Graciela Villanueva was elected to serve a third term on the Yakima School District Board of Directors in November 2017. She was appointed to a second term in October 2014 (previous Nov. 2011-2013). She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Heritage University and a Masters of Business Administration from Washington State University. Graciela is employed at Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic as the Corporate Human Resources Officer. She has been an active volunteer at the local and state level in the areas of education, public policy, health care and civic engagement. Her goal for Yakima schools is to put student needs first, and to ensure all students receive the support they need to graduate on time. Graciela looks forward to serving the students and families of Yakima.

 

MarthaRice

Martha Rice

Legislative Representative

Position Number 5

Term Expires: 2027

Phone: 509-248-7881

Biography:
Martha Rice has served on the Yakima School Board of Directors since November 1998 when she was appointed to fill a vacated position. She attended Plymouth State College (now University) in Plymouth, New Hampshire. In November 1999, Ms. Rice won the election to the board. She was re-elected to the board in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. As a parent, she was active in the Yakima School District, serving on many district level committees. She was also an active PTA leader. She served on the Washington State PTA Board of Directors and the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board. In March 2007, Ms. Rice was appointed to fill the vacant position of Vice President for the Washington State School Directors Association. She went on to be elected as President-Elect in November 2007 and served as its President from November 2008 through November 2009. She continues to be active in WSSDA and is currently serving on the Legislative Committee. Ms. Rice is retired from Hanford after 38 years. She has two grown children who attended and graduated from Yakima schools.

RaymondNavarro

Raymond Navarro, Jr.

Position Number 4

Term Expires: 2027

Phone: 509-312-0008

Biography:

Raymond Navarro, Jr., was appointed to the Yakima School Board of Directors in November of 2011 and previously served as a board member from 2006-2009. 
Raymond graduated from Wapato High School and received an AAS degree from Yakima Valley Community College, a BA in Psychology from Central Washington University, a BA in Theology from Nantional Apostolic Bible College, a M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from Heritage University, and a MA in Human and Organizational Systems from the Fielding Graduate University.
He serves as the Director of the Central Washington University Academic Achievement Programs and Principal Investigator for the TRIO Student Support Services Program and TRIO Educational Opportunities Center. He has been an active volunteer in the community for many years as a Yakima County Veterans Advisory Board member, coach and mentor for the Southeast Yakima Saints Grid Kids Football Program, and mentor for the YMCA ASPIRE Program. Raymond is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army who served as a Squad Leader with C Company, 307th Combat Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
He is married to Anita Acosta Navarro and together they have three children, Nicholas Navarro, a 2016 Davis High School graduate; Kenista Navarro, who attends Eisenhower High School; and Raymond Navarro, III, a 2012 Davis High School graduate. Raymond considers it an honor to serve the students and families of the Yakima School District and as a role model to inspire and motivate all students to achieve their educational dreams and goals.

RyanBeckett

Ryan Beckett

WIAA Representative

Position Number 2 

Term Expires: 2025

Phone: 509-945-1022

Biography:
Ryan Beckett was elected to the Yakima School Board in 2021. He is a lifelong resident of Yakima, a graduate of Yakima Public Schools, and of Central Washington University, where he participated in both instrumental and vocal music programs. From 2001-2009 he volunteered as a board member of the Yakima Schools Foundation, serving as president from 2006-2008. Ryan is a second-generation Realtor, managing residential transactions for more than 25 years. He is a board member and former President of the Yakima Association of Realtors and serves on the executive committee of the Washington State Association of Realtors. Since 2003, he has been a member of Southwest Rotary, where he is an active supporter of the Rotary International Foundation. Ryan spent nine years on the Yakima Valley Tourism board, and today he sits on the City of Yakima’s Public Facilities District which provides oversight for the Yakima Convention Center. Married to Robin Salts Beckett since 2005, they have one son, a current student in the Yakima School District, and one overly-energetic Goldendoodle. They live in midtown and are proud to call Yakima “home.”

Contact the Board

To contact the YSD School Board, please email schoolboard@ysd7.org  or leave a voice message at 509-573-7117

Please note that this group e-mail address is provided to facilitate providing information to Board members. It is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be an address from which individual Board members can comment, correspond or submit replies. Before a Board member sends any e-mail, they are reminded to review the impacts of the OPMA (Open Public Meeting Act). Information about OPMA compliance and Board member e-mails has previously been supplied to each Board member.

Submit Request to Speak Publicly (provide public comment) to the School Board.

All board meetings offer two opportunities for public comments. The first opportunity is for comments on agenda items only and the second opportunity is for comments on any topic.

You can submit public comment requests using this link prior to 3pm the day of a meeting, or attend the board meeting in person.

Board Information

swearing in board members

Yakima School Board members: Martha Rice, Norm Walker, and Raymond Navarro, Jr. are sworn in by Superintendent Greene on December 9, 2019.

YSD BoardDocs

For information on the Yakima School District Board of Directors, please visit our BoardDocs website.

The site includes:

  • Board member bios;
  • Meeting schedules and agendas;
  • Meeting broadcasts; and
  • Archived meeting minutes.

Board Member Elections

For information on local elections, please visit the Yakima County Elections webpage.

For information about becoming a school board director, please refer to the Washington State Directors Association (WSSDA) website.