BOARD CANDIDATE ELECTION RESULTS

The May 21 election results are in: Mt. Hood’s District Board will have three new members come July, each bringing new diversity with them.

The closest race pitted former member Diane Noriega against Courtney Helstein for Position 6 (at-large). Noriega won, earning 51% of the vote. Since leaving the board in 2015, she has been involved with the MHCC Foundation. She also brings Spanish-speaking ability prior higher education administration experience.

Position 7 (at-large) went to Laverne Lewis, with about 50% of the vote. She beat incumbent members Tamie Tlustos-Arnold (32%) and Teena Klawa-Ainslie (17%). Lewis brings varied experience as a Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputy, small business owner and director of the Rockwood Center. She plans to quit teaching at Mt. Hood, but hopes to continue elsewhere.

A third incoming board member ran uncontested for the Zone 3 seat. Andrew Speer earned an associate’s degree in economics at Mt. Hood in 2005, and should provide higher understanding of MHCC students.

Incumbent Kenny Polson ran uncontested, so will hold his Zone 5 seat. 

New members will be sworn in July 10. For more on all the candidates, see our previous article: advocate-online.net/mt-hood-district-board-candidates/