The Santa Rosa City Schools board is holding a public meeting Wednesday to appoint a new trustee for Area 2, selecting from three very different finalists to fill a seat that has been vacant since February — all while the district works through one of the most turbulent periods in its history.
Key takeaways
- The board is interviewing three candidates April 22 in an open public session to fill the Area 2 trustee vacancy left by Roxanne McNally, who resigned citing health strain from juggling teaching and board duties.
- The three finalists are Teresa Medina, 19, a Maria Carrillo High graduate and Boys & Girls Club coordinator; Shaun Du Fosee, 60, a retired Sonoma County Sheriff’s sergeant and labor consultant; and Don Gibble Hernandez, 56, a longtime Spanish tutor and special-needs educator.
- Area 2 covers northwest Santa Rosa — north of College Avenue and west of Barnes Road and Highway 101.
- The appointed trustee will serve roughly eight months before the seat comes up for election.
- Santa Rosa City Schools is managing approximately $35 million in cuts, six campus closures, and the elimination of most school-based counseling positions.
The vacancy and the candidates
McNally resigned in February 2026 after more than three years on the seven-member board, saying the demands of simultaneously teaching in the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified district had become unsustainable. It was the second early exit in under a year; trustee Stephanie Manieri had left in April 2025 for similar reasons. Applications for the appointment closed March 25.
Teresa Medina, at 19 the youngest candidate by far, has lived within Trustee Area 2 her entire life and currently coordinates academic enrichment programs for students in grades 5 through 12 at the Boys & Girls Club of Sonoma-Marin’s Roseland Community Clubhouse. A former MEChA president at Maria Carrillo High, she listed fiscal sustainability as a top priority. Shaun Du Fosee brings decades of governance experience — ten years as president of the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association board, service on the Peace Officer Research Association of California, and a seat on the Grange Credit Union board — along with three children in or entering SRCS schools. Don Gibble Hernandez, a 29-year northwest Santa Rosa resident, has spent more than three decades in education and says he wants to act as a bridge to the district’s Hispanic community and improve support for LGBTQ+ students.
A district in financial crisis
Whoever is appointed steps onto a board navigating the hardest stretch Santa Rosa City Schools has faced in recent memory. The district has cut roughly $35 million from its budget, closed six campuses effective June 2026, and eliminated most school counseling positions. A superintendent departure in 2025 left business chief Lisa August serving as acting superintendent. As the county recently cleared the SRCS budget while issuing a “grave concerns” warning, the board will need every voice it can get to stabilize operations and rebuild community trust before the next election cycle.
The three candidates represent sharply different backgrounds — youth and lived experience in the community, institutional governance expertise, and deep roots in education and immigrant communities — giving the board a genuine choice about the direction it wants to set. The appointment is open to public observation; the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday evening at the district office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gets to pick the new trustee — voters or the board?
Because the vacancy occurred mid-term, California law allows the sitting board members to appoint a replacement rather than hold a special election. The three remaining board members and the acting superintendent will conduct public interviews and then vote. The appointed trustee will serve only until the Area 2 seat appears on a scheduled election ballot, likely in late 2026 or early 2027.
Why does northwest Santa Rosa need its own trustee?
Santa Rosa City Schools divides the city into seven geographic trustee areas so that every neighborhood has dedicated representation on the board. Area 2 covers the northwestern quadrant — neighborhoods north of College Avenue and west of Barnes Road and Highway 101 — and its residents deserve a board member specifically accountable to local school concerns in that part of the city.
Will campus closures affect Area 2 schools?
The district has not publicly specified which of the six campuses being closed fall within Area 2 boundaries, but the cuts are district-wide. The new trustee will be involved in any final decisions about closures, program transfers, and the community transition process for affected families. Residents in Area 2 are encouraged to attend or watch Wednesday’s board meeting for updates.
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