FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Issued By:
Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi
Board President Gary Lym
Alameda, California — November 18, 2025 — At its November 14 public meeting, the Board of Education for the Alameda Unified School District voted unanimously to appoint Carrie Hahnel to the seat left vacant when former Board Member resigned in late September.
Ms. Hahnel, a will be sworn in at the November 18, 2025 meeting. She will serve through November 2026, when the next regular Board election will be held.
“I’m deeply honored to have the opportunity to serve our community and support Alameda’s students, families, and educators,” Ms. Hahnel says. “I’m committed to working collaboratively with the district, the board, and partners across the city to ensure continued progress in the year ahead .”
The Appointment Process
At its September 30 public meeting, the Board of Education voted unanimously to fill Board Member Hall’s seat via appointment. Applications were available from October 3 to October 13; the vacant seat and the application process were publicized via AUSD’s newsletter, website, and social media channels, as well as via local media partners.
Six community members applied for the position. After the candidates were ranked, Ms. Hahnel and Phil Hu were initially chosen to be interviewed at a special meeting scheduled for November 12. When Mr. Hu withdrew his application, Joyce Boyd rose from third position to second position, and a new meeting was scheduled for November 14.
“The community members who applied had impressive resumes and a wide range of skills,” says Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi. “Offering to serve on the board is a big commitment, and we appreciate their willingness to share their expertise and commitment in this way.”
An Experienced Leader
An expert in education policy, finance, and data, Hahnel is currently a Senior Associate Partner at Bellwether Education Partners, a national non-profit. Prior to working at Bellwether, Ms. Hahnel held leadership roles at the Opportunity Institute, Education Trust-West, and the KIPP Foundation.
Ms. Hahnel has served on AUSD’s parcel tax oversight committees (including as chair) and on the Maya Lin School Site Council. She also volunteered for the Measure A (2020) and Measure E (2024) parcel tax campaigns and has been a member of the Maya Lin and Encinal Jr./Sr. High School PTAs.
“We are excited to have Ms. Hahnel join our Board for the next year,” says Board President Gary Lym. “With her background in educational policy and finance and her long experience in the district, we know she will hit the ground running and will be an asset to our schools and our district community.”