<i>The Alexandria School Board consists of nine elected members who represent three geographic areas of the city. Three members represent District A, the eastern end of the city; three members represent District B, the central part of the city; and three members represent District C, the West End. The next election is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2012.</i>
<hr><b>District A — The East End Board Members</b><hr>
<b>Vice Chairwoman Sheryl Gorsuch</b>
<i>703-836-3247</i>
<a href="mailto:sheryl.gorsuch@acps.k12.va.us">sheryl.gorsuch@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Burbank, Calf., Gorsuch has lived in Alexandria since 1986. She was first elected in 2006, and was reelected in 2009. Her home precinct is Cora Kelly Elementary School.
Gorsuch has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., and she is a former restaurant manager who currently owns an independent business. Her previous involvement in the schools includes membership in the Budget Advisory Committee and the Talented and Gifted Advisory Committee. She has held several leadership positions in parent-teacher associations, and she is immediate past president of the Alexandria PTA Council.
<hr><b>Helen Morris</b>
<i>703-739-1379</i>
<a href="helen.morris@acps.k12.va.us">helen.morris@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Kingston, Pa., Morris grew up in Binghamton, N.Y., and has lived in Alexandria since 2001. She was first elected to the School Board in 2009, and her home precinct is the Durant Center.
Morris received a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in early Irish language and literature from University College Dublin. She first became involved with the school system as a member of the Jefferson-Houston Elementary School parent-teacher association. She has been involved in education policy for almost 20 years, working with the National School Boards Association, the Consortium for School Networking, Edvantia and Texas Instruments.
<hr><b>Mimi Carter</b>
<i>703-836-4536</i>
<a href="mailto:mimi.carter@acps.k12.va.us">mimi.carter@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native from Muskogee, Okla., Carter moved to Alexandria with her parents in 1980, and moved back permanently in 1999. She was first elected to the School Board in 2009, and her home precinct is George Washington Middle School.
Carter received a bachelor’s degree in American literature from George Washington University and a master’s degree in journalism and public policy from American University. She became involved with the school system as member of the education committee of the Del Ray Civic Association and was a founder of the annual State of the Schools forum. She has two girls at Mount Vernon Community School, where she directed last year's standing-room-only 4th grade production of "Peter Pan."
<hr<b>District B — The Central City Board Members</b><hr>
<b>Chairwoman Yvonne Folkerts</b>
<i>703-823-6269</i>
<a href="mailto:"yvonne.folkerts@acps.k12.va.us">yvonne.folkerts@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Morton, Ill., Folkerts has lived in Alexandria since 1999. She was first elected in 2006, and was reelected in 2009. Her home precinct is Temple Beth El Synagogue.
Folkerts received bachelor’s degree in journalism from Eastern Illinois University. After an 18-year career in journalism, public relations and association management, she became a stay-at-home parent. She is a former president of the parent-teacher association at MacArthur Elementary School and an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. She is a former Girl Scout leader and member of Twig, the junior auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital.
<hr><b>Marc Williams</b>
<i>703-549-3443</i>
<a href="mailto:marc.williams@acps.k12.va.us">marc.williams@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Versailles, Ky., Williams has lived in Alexandria since 1992. He was first elected in an August 2008 special election after the resignation of former School Board Chairwoman Claire Eberwein, and was reelected in 2009. His home precinct is George Mason Elementary School.
Williams received bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of the South and a juris doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law. Williams joined the IBM Corporation 11 years ago and served as IBM’s national-security counsel for 13 years. He is currently part of IBM’s governmental programs group, and he is responsible for IBM’s global intellectual property policy.
<hr><b>Arthur Peabody</b>
<i>703-798-1002</i>
<a href="mailto:arthur.peabody@acps.k12.va.us">arthur.peabody@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Lynn, Mass., Peabody has lived in Alexandria since 1972. He was first elected in 2006, and was reelected in 2009. His home precinct is Chinquapin Park Recreation Center.
Peabody has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a juris doctorate from Cornell Law School. He is a former career attorney for the United States Department of Justice, and is currently lead medical counsel at the BlueCross BlueShield Association. In Alexandria, he serves on the board of Alexandria Senior Citizens and is a former director of the Alexandria Bar Association.
<hr><b>District C — The West End Board Members</b><hr>
<b>Charles Wilson</b>
<i>703-823-0810</i>
<a href="mailto:charles.wilson@acps.k12.va.us">charles.wilson@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Chicago’s South Side, Wilson has lived in Alexandria since 1983. He was first elected in 2003, and has been reelected twice. His home precinct is Tucker School.
Wilson has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master of business administration from Webster University. A former Air Force colonel, Wilson served on the board of directors of the Cameron Station Credit Union and CrisisLink. First elected to the School Board in 2003, he is the longest serving board member and a former chairman of the Washington Area Boards of Education.
<hr><b>Ronnie Campbell</b>
<i>703-965-3344</i>
<a href="mailto:ronnie.campbell@acps.k12.va.us">ronnie.campbell@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Brookfield, Mass., she has lived in Alexandria since 1985. She was first elected in 2006, and was reelected in 2009. Her home precinct is John Adams Elementary School.
She graduated from Tantasqua Regional High School and attended Worcester State College. A longtime employee of the Untied States Postal Service, Campbell is currently a sales associate. She is a former member of the School Board’s Budget Advisory Committee, the board of the Virginia state Parent-Teacher Association and the first assistant director to the Fairfax District PTA.
<hr><b>Blanche Maness</b>
<i>703-566-5193</i>
<a href="mailto:blanche.maness@acps.k12.va.us">blanche.maness@acps.k12.va.us</a>
A native of Lawrenceville, Va., Maness has lived in Alexandria since 1967. She was first elected in 2006, and was reelected in 2009. Her home precinct is Cameron Station.
Maness has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Virginia State College and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from University of Northern Colorado. She began her career in education as a teacher in Chicago, moving to Alexandria in the late 1960s to accept a position teaching third grade at Charles Houston Elementary School. In 1987, she became an administrative intern at Cora Kelly Elementary School and Ramsay Elementary School. From 1989 to 1996, she was principal of Lyles-Crouch Elementary School. From 1996 to 2001, she was principal at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School. Then she moved to the central administrative building on Beauregard Street to work with the division’s retirement incentive program. She is currently an academy leader for grades one to five at the Community Academy Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.