For folks interested in serving on the Corvallis School Board, yesterday was the first day for candidates to file – four of the seven seats will be on the ballot this year. The incumbents for those seats are all seeking reelection and prospective challengers have until March 20 to file for a run.
School Board positions are at-large, and the terms are four years. However, for this upcoming May election, position 7 will be for a two-year term – previous incumbent Sarah Finger McDonald left midterm to serve in the Oregon House, and the current incumbent was appointed to fill out the term and is taking the option to run for the remainder of it.
The four incumbents that have already announced their candidacies are:
Luhui Whitebear
Whitebear is enrolled with the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and has dedicated her life to community advocacy, education, and leadership. As a single parent, she understands the importance of resourcefulness and prioritization in decision-making. Her expertise includes budget and facility management, grant writing, academic publishing, and dialogue facilitation. She serves on the Oregon School Boards Association Board of Directors, is President of the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus, and is a member of the Oregon Department of Education’s American Indian/Alaska Native Advisory Committee.
In a release, she said, “I am running to continue to build upon what I learned this past term and advocate for the needs of students in our district both locally and at the state level. My commitment remains to listening to the needs of students, staff, and families and centering the most vulnerable to ensure public education is accessible to all students in our community.”
Shauna Tominey
Tominey is an Associate Professor in Human Development and Family Studies at Oregon State University and serves as the state coordinator for the Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative. A graduate of the Corvallis School District (CV class of ‘97), parent, and aunt of students in the district, Shauna brings hands-on experience across teaching, policy development, program evaluation, and community partnerships. She has managed multi-million-dollar budgets and developed educational programs and policies, ensuring they directly benefit students and educators.
She said, “I am running for re-election to continue giving back to the community I grew up in and love. My hope is for Corvallis to be a community where families want to raise their children, where educators feel supported in their critical roles, and where every student has access to a strong public education that helps them thrive.”
Bernie Wang
Wang has over 33 years of service as a U.S. Navy officer, rising to the rank of Captain, along with eight years in higher education administration. His career has included strategic planning, policy development, multimillion-dollar budget oversight, and leadership in complex operations. He is guided by the “shipbuilding” principle of Leadership, Relationship, and Stewardship, ensuring every decision is made with integrity, collaboration, and a long-term vision for the future of Corvallis students.
“I was appointed to the Corvallis School Board in November 2024 to fill a vacancy, and I am running to complete the remaining two-year term. I am committed to a student-centric approach to decision-making, accounting for the needs of the community, and a strategically driven fiscal framework to ensure every student is supported despite the challenges ahead,” said Wang in a release.
Sami Al-Abdrabbuh
Al-Abdrabbuh is a project manager in the technology industry with a background in engineering and crisis decision-making. He previously taught engineering and systems thinking at Oregon State University, where he earned his Ph.D. in engineering, developing a model for understanding how large-scale protective action decisions are made during crises. First elected to the Corvallis School Board in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, Sami also serves on the Oregon Fair Dismissal Appeals Board (appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate), the National School Boards Association, the Oregon School Boards Association, and the Old Mill Center for Children and Families.
He said, “I am running for my third full term (fourth overall) on the school board because our public school children need strong local advocates to help them navigate an uncertain future. I am committed to making responsible decisions locally and ensuring their voices are heard in our school board room, in Salem, and in Washington, D.C., so they have the tools and opportunities to succeed.
For more information
To find out about filing, go to: Benton County Special District Election Information.
If you have questions, you can contact Corvallis School District School Board Secretary Kim Nelson at 541-757-5994 or Kim.Nelson@corvallis.k12.or.us.
For more information about school board service, including recorded webinars and FAQs, visit the Oregon School Boards Association at www.osba.org/get-on-board.
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