WCSD Board of Trustees
Appoints New Member, Elects Officers
Reno, NV (January 14, 2025) —At a special meeting of the Washoe County School District (WCSD) Board of Trustees, Trustees appointed James “JJ” Phoenix to represent District C, following the resignation of former trustee Joseph Rodriguez who was elected to serve on the Sparks City Council. Following his selection, Trustee Phoenix was immediately sworn in and took his place on the Board for the first regular public meeting of 2025.
Trustee James “JJ” Phoenix is a retired Reno Police Officer who has also served as Chairman of the Pyramid Lake Tribal Council and Chairman of the Board of Education for the Pyramid Lake Jr/Sr High School. He wants to ensure equality for all students and families while engaging with members of the community to better understand their concerns and guide them toward feasible solutions. He is specifically interested in ensuring that native and rural WCSD students have the opportunity to receive the best education, resources, and representation possible. He and his children graduated from WCSD schools.
At the regular public meeting following the appointment of Trustee Phoenix, trustees re-elected Trustee Elizabeth “Beth” Smith to serve as president of the Board for 2025. Trustee Adam Mayberry was elected to serve as vice president of the Board, and Trustee Alex Woodley was elected to serve as clerk. Each of the votes was unanimous.
“I am grateful that my colleagues have selected me to continue leading the Board, as we work together to serve and elevate one another, our students, families, and staff members,” said President Smith. “I am so proud of what we have accomplished as a team over the past two years, with historic pay raises for our staff that enable us to attract and retain high quality team members, impressive academic achievements for our students, and the selection of our outstanding Superintendent Joe Ernst, which I believe has launched an era of stable leadership for our district. I look forward to the year ahead.”
Board President Beth Smith was originally appointed by the Board of Trustees to fill the vacant District D seat and later won an election to maintain the role. She previously served as President of the Board during the 2023 and 2024 calendar years.
She is a gaming industry professional with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and relationships. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Hampshire, majoring in Communication and double minoring in Business Administration and Political Science.
President Smith has been involved in our community, advocating for domestic violence support, mentoring, and public education. She is passionate about the district's mission of creating an education system where all students receive the tools they need to achieve academic success. She has two children who are also WCSD students. She was elected New School Board Member of the Year by the Nevada Association of School Boards (NASB) in 2023.
Vice President Adam Mayberry joined the Board of Trustees in November 2021 representing At-Large District F, which is comprised of the eastern part of the school district. He was elected to a four-year term in November 2022.
He is a native Nevadan who has worked for the City of Sparks and currently serves as the Communications Manager and Public Information Officer for Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District. He earned his undergraduate degree in business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, and a master’s degree in political science at the University of Nevada, Reno. His career has focused on public administration, communications, public information, and legislative affairs, with a strong focus on crisis communications and building relationships at all levels of government.
He is the parent of two students who attend school in WCSD.
Clerk Trustee Alex Woodley began his term as trustee in December 2022 after being unanimously appointed to serve as representative of 17 schools in District E, which is located in Northwest Reno, Northeast Reno, Verdi, and Mogul. He was elected to his seat in 2024.
As a former Title I student, Alex Woodley relied on his public school for emotional support, social interactions, and the most basic living necessities. He feels indebted to his community and country and is an active participant who serves on numerous boards and committees. He is a former Marine and law enforcement official.
Trustee Woodley understands the importance of pursuing consensus as a group for the betterment of the organization as a whole, while providing guidance to the district superintendent. He is proud to represent the families in his district in which he is a proud resident, and an even prouder parent of a Washoe County School graduate.
Joining the Board of Trustees during its first regular meeting of 2025 is Trustee Christine Hull, who was elected in 2024 to represent 20 schools in District A, located in south and southeast Reno, Washoe Valley, and Incline Village.
She was an educator for two decades, which was her dream since her first day of kindergarten, and strived to make classrooms safe spaces where all students could learn through inquiry, sharing, and collaboration. She led professional learning, where she developed curriculum and helped create life-changing programs. She coordinated We the People, History Day, and a variety of other programs to support students and teachers.
Trustee Hull is an active community member and has served in several leadership roles throughout her life. Most recently, she volunteered her time to serve on the Washoe County School District Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC). Her interest in this committee began because she had children in WCSD schools that were facing overcrowding issues, and she wanted to be more informed and involved.
Her passion for involvement is also evident through her previous participation on the Facility Modernization Plan committee, advocating for all schools.
Also serving on the Board of Trustees are Trustee Colleen Westlake (District B) and Trustee Dr. Diane Nicolet (District G At-Large).
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Washoe County School District’s promise is to know every student by name, strength and need so they graduate prepared for the future they choose, and we will deliver on this promise in partnership with our families and community.
