School Board picks new member

Sal Chavez, a business owner who grew up attending local schools, has been chosen to fill the empty seat on the Sonoma Valley Unified School District board.

By unanimous vote Tuesday night, Chavez was named to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Cam Hawing. The other finalist was John Van Dyke.

Chavez attended El Verano, Altimira and Sonoma Valley High School. After graduation in 2004, he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Sonoma State University.

Chavez said that his experience in the local schools, and through his degree and subsequent business ownership, taught him important lessons he can pass on to students. And as a member of the Hispanic community, he said he would best represent the concerns of that ever-growing population to the board.

Fluent in Spanish, Chavez will serve as board trustee for the El Verano Attendance Area. He joins Nicole Abate Ducarroz, Dan Gustafson, Helen Marsh and Gary DeSmet on the five-member panel.