Board of Trustees
SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT
TERM EXPIRES: 11/2024
Anthony Hunt was born and raised in the Antelope Valley. From a young age, Anthony has been volunteering in the community and has spent the last several years involved in community efforts, all while applying the values that he learned being a former student in the Palmdale and Antelope Valley Union High School Districts.
Anthony holds a BA in Psychology from Brandman University, where his studies focused on how multiple factors influence the lives of individuals and shape communities. Anthony is also pursuing a MA degree in Educational Leadership, where his studies are focused on facilitative leadership skills to promote effective problem-solving and collaborative decision-making in the educational system.
Anthony started his career in the Antelope Valley Union High School District (AVUHSD), in 2011, shortly after graduating from Palmdale High School. Over the course of his tenure in the AVUHSD, he has worked at both Palmdale High School and Quartz Hill High School in the Special Education and Counseling Departments.
Anthony has always been a fierce advocate for students and their success. He has had a main goal of helping students in this community grow and achieve what they set their minds to.
SCHOOL BOARD CLERK
TERM EXPIRES: 11/2026
Trustee Nancy Smith was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Palmdale in 1983, with her husband and three children.
Mrs. Smith received her Bachelor of Arts in Education and a teaching credential from Wayne State College, Wayne, Nebraska in 1969. She taught in Nebraska, Kansas, and California in junior high, high school, adult school, Antelope Valley College (adjunct) and California State Bakersfield.
Mrs. Smith then moved to the business side of the education community. She served as Director of Child Nutrition and Warehousing for Antelope Valley Union High School District, CFO and Interim CEO at Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency, Assistant Superintendent for Business (1990-1993) and Superintendent of the Palmdale School District (1994 to 2003).
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
TERM EXPIRES: 11/2024
Trustee Sharon Vega came to the Palmdale School District from corporate America and became a substitute teacher. A year later, she had her teaching credential and started teaching at Chaparral Elementary School. While at Chaparral, she taught every grade, except 2nd, and 6th, and spent a couple of years as an Arts CRT. When Shadow Hills Middle School opened, Sharon became the Home Economics teacher. Sharon left Shadow Hills to work as the teachers' union president and after she finished her term as president, moved to Tumbleweed Elementary School. Sharon stayed at Tumbleweed for one year, transferring to Cactus Middle School as a Home Economics teacher.
Sharon was very active in the teacher's union, holding several state and local positions: PETA-Site Representative, Treasurer, Vice President, President, Interim Secretary, and Social Chair. At the state level-State Council Delegate, Representative Assembly Delegate. For the High Desert-Service Center council, Treasurer, Chair and Vice-Chair.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
TERM EXPIRES: 11/2026
Simone Niongbo Koivogui Zulu Diol is a recently retired preschool teacher via the Palmdale School District, a parent, and grandparent, and the former president of the Palmdale Elementary Teachers Association. She was one of the original Head Start teachers in Palmdale, and thus, she is a leading proponent of holistic, multi-cultural education that involves the child and the parent or designated caregiver in the educational process. Simone has served as a mentor teacher, multi-linguists advocate (she is bi-lingual) and as a model of excellence based on her administrative skills as a Head Start site director/headteacher, while at Highland High School in Palmdale, California.
Ms. Zulu Diol was also one of the original members of the Guinean Association of Southern California, responsible for the creation of the Association Constitution and Bylaws. And, she has been honored by the Guinean Honorary Consulate in Los Angeles for her community service. She was also a founding member and the second President of this multi-cultural group of Africans from various parts of the continent of Africa. The name of this organization was Friends United, a basic social group that was created to foster unity, and collaboration among Africans in the United States from various countries in Africa, and the diaspora, although she has been here for many years, she has never forgotten her homeland. She continues to make a difference in the lives of children in Guinea, by sending school supplies to children in the elementary schools near where she used to reside in Conakry.
She has a B.S. in Child Development from California State University at Fresno, a mentor teacher for the State of California, and a master teacher, site supervisor, and director-certifications, from the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. She wants to continue making a difference in the lives of children in the USA and Africa by advocating for a great public education for all. She resides in Palmdale, California.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
ELECTED FOR FIRST FOUR-YEAR TERM: 11/2018
TERM EXPIRES: 11/2026
Trustee Ralph Velador is a Southern California native, having moved to Palmdale in 2001. Ralph is a proud Army Veteran, who serves the American Legion Post 348, as Second Vice-Commander. Ralph also served as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Palmdale for 4 1/2 years, where he served as Chair for 3 terms.
In his professional career, Ralph has been a member for 27 years and serves as Director of Organizing for LIUNA's Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition. In this capacity, he has the privilege of assisting workers and contractors to meet their needs in the construction industry.
Ralph has been married to his wife Marcy for 21 years, and they have six children and one grandson.