LAS VEGAS – The Clark County School District (CCSD) Board of School Trustees welcomed three new members and one returning member during a special board meeting Monday, January 4, 2021. During the ceremony, each newly elected and re-elected Trustee individually took the oath of office.
“We are excited to welcome our newly elected Trustees to the CCSD family, and congratulations to President Brooks for being elected to another term in District E,” said CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara. “Our future is strong, and we will conquer all obstacles, and triumph together. We have a truly dedicated staff of educators, support professionals and administrators who are committed to student success each and every day. Congratulations and welcome!”
Current Board of School Trustees President Lola Brooks took the oath of office after being elected to a second term. Newly elected Trustees Evelyn Garcia Morales, Lisa Guzmán and Katie Williams all took the oath for the first time.
Lola Brooks – Trustee District E
Lola Brooks first moved to Las Vegas in 2002 and was first elected to the School Board in 2016. She represents District E, which includes Summerlin and parts of northwest Las Vegas. Mrs. Brooks earned her B.A. in Psychology and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Trustee Brooks currently works as a Student Data Analyst at a local independently operated charter school. She reports student data to the state, manages various technology platforms, and performs other duties related to data collection and analysis. She previously worked as a nonprofit consultant, helping nonprofits improve their data, technology, and operational practices. She was also previously employed as a Project Coordinator at United Way of Southern Nevada, where she focused on education initiatives and data projects.
As the first member of her family to receive a traditional high school diploma and complete college, Trustee Brooks is passionate about reaching and serving at-risk students. She is also passionate about meaningful stakeholder engagement and amplifying the voices of teachers, parents, and students.
Trustee Brooks has been married to her husband, Steve, since 2002. They have one son attending school in CCSD.
Evelyn Garcia Morales – Trustee District C
Evelyn Garcia Morales was elected to the CCSD Board of Trustees on November 3, 2020 to represent the students, families, and educational community of District C. She is a first-generation American whose parents worked tirelessly and reinforced the long-term value of an education. “¡Échale ganas!” (translated, give it all you’ve got!) were her mother’s daily reminder, to make the most out of every opportunity.
So she did. Evelyn is a proud graduate from Mojave High School, located in the north part of CCSD’s District C. After high school, she went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and later a Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Knowledge Management from George Mason University in Virginia. She holds certificates from the American Express Nonprofit Leadership Academy and the Dare to Lead program, based on the research of Dr. Brene Brown.
Evelyn has dedicated her professional career to creating and leading educational opportunities for diverse communities. Early in her career at the YMCA of Southern Nevada, she led outreach programs that provided after school tutoring and drug prevention classes, and managed the Family Resource Center based in District C. Additionally, she spent 11 years managing award-winning national leadership programs for Latino students across the country.
Today, she has the privilege of serving as the Executive Director of the Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas (FFLV), a post-secondary access, and attainment non-profit organization located at Chaparral High School. FFLV’s vision is that all students, regardless of their circumstances, will one day have the opportunity to attend college, graduate, and actively participate in transforming their communities to create a better society. Evelyn has seen this evolution take place in her own life as a first-generation college student which propels her to give back.
Evelyn is an active member of Las Vegas and has continuously advocated for the education of children and adults. She is a founding member of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority,
Inc., UNLV Chapter, an alumnus of the inaugural class of NEW Leadership Nevada, and was selected among 60 leaders to participate in Leadership Las Vegas, Class of 2020.
Evelyn proudly resides in District C with her husband Victor, their son Ezra, and their dog, Spot.
Lisa Guzmán – Trustee District A
As an educator and education advocate, I have supported public education issues since my father had me walk the strike line in Deer Park, New York. I grew up in Stony Brook, New York, went to high school in Gainesville, Georgia, and attended Arizona State University to get away from cold weather. I met my husband of 30 years in Arizona. We have two amazing boys that are now 26 and 20. Our eldest has a degree in political science and English from ASU. Our youngest is pursuing his degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on English as a Second Language at Arizona State University. We have Sun Devil Nation in our home.
My teaching career was in Arizona both in urban and rural districts. My undergraduate degree is in Elementary Education with an English as a Second Language emphasis. I have a master’s degree in Educational Technology and Business Leadership. I started advocating for educational issues full time in 2007 when I joined the Arizona Education Association team. I trained educators across the United States in online education when I joined the NEA Member Benefits team in 2013. Now, I advocate for Nevada educators every day. I have been a Henderson resident since I joined the Nevada State Education Association’s team in 2015. I have enjoyed advocating for educators from around the state of Nevada and for the last two years, I worked with the Education Support Professionals in Clark County.
I have confidence that my experience with educators across the county, my education, and my advocacy skills will bring a different perspective to the board. I am certain this is why my community put their trust in me. I understand the difference between urban and rural schools. As the representative for District A, I want to familiarize myself with all the needs of the students and communities that the Clark County District serves.
Katie Williams – Trustee District B
Katie Williams is a Combat Veteran and Current member of the Nevada Army National Guard. Katie was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1990 and moved to Illinois in 2003 where she graduated High School from Altamont Community High School in 2008.
She joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 2007 and deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 where she was stationed with Alpha company 634th BSB out of the 33rd Infantry Brigade. Katie returned from Afghanistan and served various positions in the Illinois Army National Guard such as Administration, Joint Operations Center Team Member, and Recruiting and Retention where she first learned to love education.
In 2018, Katie was offered a Master Recruiting position in Las Vegas, Nevada with the Nevada Army National Guard and immediately jumped on this new adventure.
In 2020, Katie was elected to the Clark County School Board for District B in a landslide, bringing an outsider’s voice in education and bringing her military experience to the district.
It is Katie’s hope that we can better serve our students and parents by giving them more opportunities and setting up their path for success, whichever path they choose.
