Gerardo Guzman, a Sonoma native with children currently attending schools in Sonoma Valley Unified School District, was chosen unanimously by its trustees to occupy the Area 2 seat on the board.
Gerardo Guzman, a Sonoma native with children currently attending schools in Sonoma Valley Unified School District, was chosen unanimously by its trustees to occupy the Area 2 seat on the board.
Trustees made the decision after interviewing Guzman and five other applicants at their special board meeting on Tuesday, April 21. Guzman was then sworn in and began serving on the board later in the evening. His term will run through December 2026.
Tarney Baldinger, Melanie Blake, Ryan Dieckmann, Megie Sarah Tuft Marvel and Steve Williams were also interviewed for the Area 2 seat at the meeting.
The seat was previously occupied by Celeste Winders, who resigned on March 13, 2025.
Trustees had the alternative option of either appointing a new trustee or calling for a special election, which would have cost $8,523 to $22,278, according to the Sonoma County Office of Education.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.