Following a tumultuous few years for the Carmel Unified School District, four seats are up for reelection this year, including board president. In 2022, the board approved a revision to the trustee area boundary map. This election is the first time the new trustee areas will be implemented.

Terms are up for governing board member at-large and Trustee Areas 1, 3 and 5. Karl Pallastrini, who has served as a board member since 2018 will not be running for reelection. Board clerk Seaberry Nachbar served one four-year term as a board member and is not running for reelection this year.

The district has had a slew of personnel changes, is currently in litigation for multiple sexual harassment allegations and was recently the subject of a federal investigation that found the district had mishandled multiple instances of antisemitism.

The Herald asked each of the eight candidates for their thoughts on the culture and direction of the district and if change is needed.

Governing board member at-large

Jake Odello

Odello, 33, is currently the chair of the California Agriculture Education Advisory Committee. He was appointed by the State Superintendent of Schools, Tony Thurmond, last year. Odello is also the chair of the Monterey County Community Action Commission. He is a Carmel native and graduated from Carmel High School in 2009.

“Carmel Unified School District has faced some significant challenges over the last year, however, there are signs that the district is already making strides toward improvement,” said Odello. “I think there is more work to do, in terms of engaging stakeholders, including teachers, parents and students, to gain valuable insights to help build a stronger, more cohesive community. A culture change can be beneficial to foster a more positive and collaborative environment while at the same time leveraging progress made.”

With the new trustee areas, the board member at-large represents everyone in the district. “I have the ability and experience to represent our large geographic district and effectively represent the outlying areas, and everyone in between, which was the primary goal of creating specific trustee areas,” said Odello.

Odello’s endorsements include the Association of Carmel Teachers and school employees CSEA Carmel Chapter 190.

Monica Tavakoli

Tavakoli, 41, is an attorney with an engineering background and parent of two children currently enrolled in Carmel Unified. Before opening her own law firm, Tavakoli worked in intellectual property law as well as working as associate general counsel for a corporation. She aims to utilize her analytical skills to navigate the district’s key issues.

“(CUSD) needs a new path forward, and that starts with a new board. The board sets the tone for accountability, but the current board has not effectively navigated these challenges with integrity,” said Tavakoli. “It is essential for ethical governance to proactively address these issues rather than being forced to address the issues as a result of federal findings and litigation.”

Tavakoli is currently serving her second term on the Executive Board of the Carmel River PTO and participated on the school site council last year.

“I would take a proactive approach, providing the necessary leadership to confront tough issues directly and foster a healthier, more accountable culture within the district. This approach would not only work to restore the community’s trust in the district, but would also be fiscally responsible.”

Tavakoli’s endorsements include Daniel Hightower, physician and former board member and Victoria Torcolini, retired educator. Candidates Rita Patel, Jeannette Witten and Tavakoli have endorsed each other.

Trustee Area 1

Molly Bozzo

Bozzo, 52, currently serves as Stevenson School’s Chief Culture Officer, focusing on creating a unified culture across all grades levels. She served as the head of the school’s Carmel campus for 14 years.

“The responsibility of a school board is to support the superintendent of schools, Sharon Ofek, and to fairly and as effectively as possible, address the needs of the students who are learning and growing up within the district, and the teachers and staff who work within it,” said Bozzo. “The Carmel Unified School District is poised to continue to strengthen in these necessary endeavors. I would be honored and humbled to be part of this process.”

Bozzo’s endorsements include the Association of Carmel Teachers and the California School Employees Association, Carmel Chapter 190.

Rita Patel

Patel, 54, previously served as a Carmel Unified trustee from 2011-2019. Her four children have graduated from Carmel High, but Patel says she remains committed to the district. Patel is also a business owner.

“I do feel there is a need for a culture change,” said Patel. “I believe no one, of any specific gender, race, or ethnicity should ever be made to feel unsafe anywhere, especially within CUSD. It is crucial for our school district to foster a safe and inclusive environment.”

Patel’s goals include strengthening community engagement, student achievement and boosting financial management and transparency on the board.

“I believe it is essential for the district to prioritize a culture change to combat these problems effectively. I am not aware of what specific steps the district has taken to address these issues and/or if the district is heading in the right direction,” she said. “However, if I were elected to the governing board, I would advocate for education and awareness, establishing and enforcing clear policies, encouraging open and transparent dialogue, and providing support systems for students and staff.”

Patel’s endorsements include five former board members and Gordon Freedman, co-founder of the International School of Monterey.

Trustee Area 3

Jeannette Witten

Witten, 51, has lived in the Carmel Highlands for over 20 years and previously served on the board of Santa Catalina School. She is an attorney and has worked as the managing partner for a local law firm since 2013. From 2007-2017, Witten also served on the board of directors of CASA of Monterey County, a nonprofit supporting foster youth.

“Carmel Unified has had turmoil in leadership for many years with dozens of administrators and top people moving in and out like a revolving door. The Board of Trustees of CUSD through lack of effective leadership have cultivated an unsustainable situation in which our district’s ratings have plummeted putting the community at risk in relation to home values,” said Witten.

When it comes to the district’s budget, “our school board members need to be well vetted by the community as having the appropriate business acumen and experience to steward such a budget.”

“As my District Attorney colleague says, ‘past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.’ The current board is a failure and we can expect the same from them going forward and from those they endorse in this election … as a leader, the ‘buck stops here,’” said Witten.

Witten’s endorsements include Nick Sgheiza, chief operating officer of Tanimura and Antle, Matthew Harris, principal of University Park Elementary School in Salinas and 36 Carmel Unified parents and business owners.

Matt Glazer

Glazer, 43, works in hospitality and is currently the executive director of the Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn. He is a parent of two children in the district. Since 2018, Glazer has been a board member for the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade.

“I think there’s some cultural change that’s necessary in the district, but that’s not to say progress isn’t being made,” said Glazer. “I have to acknowledge that (Superintendent Ofek) is only a couple of years on the job … and is already engaging stakeholders in a strategic planning process, and that to me is definitely in the right direction.”

Glazer is endorsed by the Association of Carmel Teachers, the California School Employees Association, Carmel Chapter 190 and the Monterey County Democrats.

Trustee Area 5

Anne-Marie Lang Rosen

Rosen, 61, was first elected to the Carmel Unified board of education in 2020 and previously represented Trustee Area 4. She was a teacher at Carmel High for 15 years and is a lifelong resident of Carmel Valley.

Earlier this month, Rosen was charged with four counts of felony election fraud by the District Attorney’s office. According to the charges, Rosen changed her place of residence from a residence in Area 4 to one in Area 5 in order to qualify to serve in that district. Rosen told The Herald she denies these charges. Her arraignment is set for Oct. 25 and she remains on the ballot.

“The district is long overdue for a culture change, since the district’s actions and policies do not always reflect our espoused values and the important progress our society has made over the past decades,” said Rosen. “I have been working to shift the culture toward greater accountability, transparency and inclusiveness the entire time I have been on the board.”

“However, changing the culture of this district is difficult for many reasons, including that culture is deeply ingrained in the district’s activities and the expectations and activities of our stakeholders,” she said. “We need our leaders to prioritize cultural change by not shying away from difficult conversations, by acknowledging our flaws and by making decisions that promote a more equitable and inclusive district, even when these decisions are unpopular.”

Rosen’s endorsements include former Monterey County Supervisor Marc Del Piero and Frances Dillard, vice president of marketing for Driscoll’s.

Jason Remynse

Remynse, 45, was appointed to the board last year following the resignation of board member Tess Arthur. Soon after, the board voted Remynse to serve as the governing board member at-large. He is an electrical contractor and lifelong Carmel resident.

Remynse’s goals include maintaining a welcoming environment for students, providing opportunities for academics, arts and vocational education.

“I think the district is in the middle of a culture change,” said Remynse. “I think we’re in great shape and (leadership) is hyper-focused on these issues and we won’t have those same issues in the future, in my opinion.”

His endorsements include the California School Employees Association, Carmel Chapter 190, the Association of Carmel Teachers, former U.S. Representative Sam Farr and former board members Pallastrini and Nachbar.