FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Issued By:  
Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi
Board President Ryan LaLonde
          

Alameda, California -- September 23, 2026 -- At its September 22 public meeting, the Board of Education for the Alameda Unified School District voted unanimously to appoint Erick O. Bell to the seat left vacant when Board Member Jennifer Williams resigned in mid-August.

Mr. Bell will be sworn in at the October 13 meeting and will serve through November 2028, which would have been the end of Ms. Williams’ tenure.

“My commitment to education is 100% driven by my personal experience of the difference a solid education can make in the life of a kid who is underperforming, but not forgotten,” Mr. Bell said.

The Appointment Process
The process for filling a Board vacancy is governed by Board Bylaw 9223. Once Board Member Williams announced that she would resign from her position, the first step was for the Board to vote on whether to fill the vacancy via appointment or special election. At its regularly scheduled meeting on August 25, the Board of Education voted unanimously to fill Ms. William's seat via appointment.

Applications for the Board seat were available from August 26 to September 11, and the application process was publicized via AUSD’s newsletter, website, and social media channels, as well as via local media partners.

The Board received 13 applications for the seat, and three candidates were selected to be interviewed at the September 22 public Board Meeting.  Those applicants were Erick O. Bell, Doug Biggs, and Joyce Boyd.

During the interviews, each applicant first gave a one-minute statement and answered questions from Board members. After audience members made public comment, the Board discussed their preferences and ultimately voted 4-0 for Mr. Bell.

“We appreciate the outpouring of interest in this position,” says Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi, “and we were impressed with the many types of expertise these applicants offered. We encourage all who applied to find other ways to get involved with our schools and the district as a whole. We enthusiastically appreciate those who share their time and talents with the school district, and such service is an excellent way to learn more about our organization.”

Professor and CPA
An accounting and financial wellness professor, Mr. Bell has his own accounting firm and teaches at Las Positas College and UC Berkeley’s Haas School Business. He is the former chair and executive director of the Accounting Career Awareness Program (which aims to increase the number of high school students going into finance and accounting), has served as a board member to a local charter school in Oakland and Alameda Youth Basketball, and chaired the DEI committee at his children’s school. 

He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from California State University Hayward, and his Master’s Degree in Accounting from Golden Gate University. He lives with his wife and two children here in Alameda.

“This was not an easy decision,” says Board President Ryan LaLonde, “in part because we had so many qualified candidates. But given Mr. Bell’s experience in education and community service, we are excited to extend a warm welcome to him, and we look forward to learning from his experience and perspectives over the coming two years.”