Tam Union High School District board: meet the candidates

Seven candidates are running for three seats on the Tamalpais Union High School District board in the Nov. 3 election. This week, each of them gets a turn here. We asked all seven the same two questions: who they are and why they're running, and what their top two priorities would be. Every answer had a 90-word limit.

We're running them in the order they filed to run, earliest first.

Earlier this week we ran Brian Sutherland, Cynthia Roenisch, Maria Sandoval and Leslie Harlander. Today we close it out with Kevin Saavedra, a two-term incumbent who filed July 31; Valerie Wynn, a retired district teacher who filed Aug. 5; and Joy Scully Koo, a community advocate and parent who filed Aug. 7.

Briefing: Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
Saavedra: I'm a Bay Area native, a product of the public school system from kindergarten through UCLA, and a supporter of public education, and I know that my expertise has resulted in positive outcomes for the district. I am running for reelection in order to maintain the current trajectory and build on our work.

Briefing: What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
Saavedra: My primary focus is on maintaining sound financial management in order to underwrite smooth operations for the district. That should generate improving student outcomes, and we are already seeing the results.

Editor’s note: This profile draws on Saavedra’s answers to our candidate questionnaire, submitted on Sep. 16. On Oct. 8, a Marin County Superior Court judge granted a petition for a civil harassment restraining order against Saavedra (case CV0011301), according to the court’s online docket. EdSource reported that the petitioner is a district parent. We emailed Saavedra on the evening of Oct. 8 for comment and had not received a response by publication. We will update the web version if he responds.

Briefing: Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
Wynn: Until 6/2025, I taught social studies for nearly a decade at Archie Williams, and before that I was an attorney with the San Francisco City Attorney's Office representing public boards and agencies. Both my children graduated from the Tam district, and I've stayed involved for years: the PTA board, Kiddo! board, the Tam High Site Council, and tutoring with Bridge the Gap. I understand how our district actually works, and can hit the ground running. We need a new school board that's trustworthy and thoughtful.

Briefing: What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
Wynn: My top two priorities: first, trustworthy governance. We deserve a board that respectfully and genuinely listens to students, families, community members, and teachers, and acts with transparency, not behind closed doors. Second, making sure every student gets a meaningful, relevant and substantive education that challenges them and prepares them for what's next. This requires fiscally sound decisions to protect the district's resources and a real commitment to equity, so these resources go where they'll actually help kids grow and thrive.

Briefing: Tell us about yourself in a sentence or two: your background and why you're running.
Koo: I am Joy Koo, a Tam parent, Columbia engineer, MBA, with twenty years of professional experience and a decade of community service in our schools. I am running because our board has lost sight of the students, teachers, and families it is supposed to serve. Over the last 18 months, I watched nearly 300 young people address this Board asking for support. I believe this district deserves collaborative leadership and I am running to provide it.

Briefing: What are your top two priorities for the district if elected?
Koo: I will focus on restoring trust between our Board and community because it is foundational. Our district faces urgent challenges: a structural budget deficit, a persistent opportunity gap, an expiring parcel tax, and upcoming teacher contract negotiations. None of these can be solved by a board that lacks the community's confidence. Trust is earned through consistent engagement over time; creating genuine opportunities to evaluate difficult tradeoffs while treating everyone with civility. I'll prioritize respectful board dynamics, transparent decision-making, and genuine partnership with students, parents, and educators.

🗳️ All seven candidates’ answers are here.

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