NikkiLockwood@spokaneschools.org

Nikki Otero Lockwood, president of the board, was raised in Spokane and graduated from University High School in 1986. She and her husband, Bill Lockwood, have raised two daughters, both SPS graduates.

Nikki holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from EWU and worked as a registered dietitian for a decade at Deaconess Medical Center. Her advocacy around special education equity led to her employment with the ACLU of Washington. She volunteered regularly through her children's schooling which included serving as chair-mom of the Jefferson Community of Montessori Parents, Director of the Jefferson Variety Show for three years, serving three years on both the Human Growth and Development Committee, three years on the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee and four years on Superintendent's Work Group on Restorative Practices.

Nikki comes from a Mexican-American family and is the first Latinx/Hispanic to be elected to public office in Spokane.

Term Expires: November 2025

MikeWiser@spokaneschools.org

Mike Wiser, vice president of the board, has served since 2017. He currently works as a health care consultant with Community Link Consulting.

He holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters in Engineering Management from Northwestern University. In addition to his current experience, Wiser was chief strategy officer at CHAS Health, and past roles included behavioral health administration, project management, grants management, and engineering.

Wiser is a graduate of Lewis and Clark High School and has one child attending Spokane Public Schools and one who recently graduated.

Term Expires: November 2029

NicoleBishop@spokaneschools.org

Nicole Bishop brings a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership and a lifelong passion for community service. A proud graduate of Lidgerwood Elementary, Nicole knows firsthand the transformative impact of equitable access to education and resources.

After earning her B.A. in Political Science from Amherst College, where she interned for U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and then-Vice President Joe Biden, Nicole returned to Spokane to dedicate her career to empowering vulnerable populations. She has held leadership roles with organizations like the Jonah Project, where she supported survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, and SNAP, where she currently serves as Philanthropy Manager and a member of the agency's DEI Council, following two years as its second Chair during the council's early development.

Drawing on her heritage as the daughter of an Iranian immigrant, Nicole has volunteered extensively, including as Chair of the Spokane Human Rights Commission and as a board member of various organizations. Her experience with childhood poverty and housing insecurity inspires her advocacy for systemic change that uplifts marginalized communities.

Term Expires: November 2025

HilaryKozel@spokaneschools.org

Hilary Kozel was raised in Moscow, Idaho and graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications and a Spanish minor. She spent over a decade in the banking industry in Boise, Idaho, before moving to Spokane in 2007 with her husband and two children. Her daughter is a recent graduate of On Track Academy, an SPS option school, and her son is currently a student at Lewis and Clark High School.

Hilary has been a longtime volunteer for Spokane Public Schools. She served on auction, alumni scholarship, and hospitality committees at Wilson Elementary, was PTG president at Sacajawea Middle School, and a parent advisor at On Track Academy. She served on the district-wide Citizens Advisory Committee and Long Range Program and Facilities Work Group.

Hilary has volunteered for The Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth.

Term Expires: November 2025

JennySlagle@spokaneschools.org

Jenny R. Slagle is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, and descendant of the Northern Arapaho tribe. The first to graduate college in her family, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration - IT Management. Jenny is currently a program officer at Group Health Foundation.

With her husband of more than 30 years, she raised four children who attended Adams Elementary and Chase Middle School, all graduating from Ferris High School between 2012 and 2018. Jenny was actively involved in Parent Teacher Groups throughout her children's time in Spokane Schools, eventually participating in Ham on Regal for eight years. She was a member of SPS Diversity Advisory Council since 2015, chairing during the 2017-18 school year.

Jenny is also on the Washington Budget & Policy Center Board, Board of Trustees for Every Woman Can and is on the WA211 Statewide Board. As the first American Indian women to sit on the SPS Board of Directors, she enjoys engaging and representing each of the diverse communities in Spokane.

Term Expires: November 2025