Cincinnati Public Schools: See who applied to vacant board seat to replace Mike Moroski

Who is going to join the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education? The Enquirer obtained the list of applicants through an Ohio Open Records Act request on Friday.

Applications for the board's empty seat, vacated by Mike Moroski, were due Wednesday. While 19 people applied, board president Eve Bolton told The Enquirer only 15 of those applicants will be interviewed. Four people − Paul Gibson, Robert Moore, Rome Ntukogu and Taquata Whittaker − have since withdrawn or were otherwise ineligible due to voter registration status.

The board will interview the remaining 15 candidates on Tuesday and Wednesday and make their decision at the Aug. 5 school board meeting. This new member will fill the seat previously held by Moroski, who resigned in mid-July . The new member will serve the remainder of Moroski's term, through the end of December 2025.

Here's who applied to sit on the Cincinnati Public Schools board:

• Gavi Begtrup, a business consultant for Polymath Strategies LLC and a director at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. Begtrup ran for Cincinnati mayor in 2021 and is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention next month. Begtrup has children in the district's schools.
• Amanda Bennett, director of Kiza Solutions, Inc. Bennett has children in the district's schools.
• Michelle Brunner. According to her application, Brunner is unemployed and does not have school-aged children.
• Samuel Burbanks, adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati. Burbanks has children in the district's schools, according to the submitted application.
• Bryan Cannon, a teacher at Mount Healthy City Schools. Cannon unsuccessfully ran for a spot on the school board in 2023 . Cannon does not have children.
• Ashley Carlin, a student at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Carlin does not have school-aged children.
• James Crosset, retired chief financial officer of Mesa Industries and University of Cincinnati College of Law. Crosset does not have school-aged children, according to the submitted application.
• Abria Drummonds, senior administrative specialist for the city of Cincinnati. Drummonds has children in the district.
• Indika Ekanayake, team lead and partner of school design for Transcend Education. Ekanayake does not have school-aged children, according to the submitted application.
• Ryan Hanna, school services specialist for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Hanna does not have school-aged children.
• Tommie Lewis, Jr., a business management consultant for Make It Plain Consulting, LLC. Lewis does not have school-aged children.
• Tyra Oldham, founder of LAND sds, an energy consultant company. Oldham does not have school-aged children, according to the submitted application.
• Craig Rozen, a business consultant for Cincinnati Equitable Engagement. Rozen does not have children in the district, according to the submitted application.
• E. Stephanie Saclarides, an associate professor of mathematics education at the University of Cincinnati. Saclarides has children in the district, according to the submitted application.
• Trenton White, an assistant principal at Saint Bernard-Elmwood Place City Schools. White does have a child that will go to Cincinnati Public Schools, though that child is not yet of school age.

The board will interview with these candidates in executive session, Bolton said. The board will vote on which candidate to appoint on Aug. 5.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Public Schools: See who applied to vacant board seat to replace Mike Moroski