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The Detroit school district’s board is in the midst this week of interviewing 15 candidates for an open seat, including two who ran for at-large positions in the November election.
Ten of the 15 candidates have already been interviewed before the board in public meetings. The remaining five will be interviewed on Thursday. They are vying to fill the seat left vacant by Angelique Peterson-Mayberry, who resigned this month. The candidate selected by the board will finish out her term, which runs through the end of 2026.
Here are the candidates:
- Pageant Atterberry is the owner and executive director of New Beginnings Child Care & Academy in Detroit. She’s led several early learning centers and was previously on the board of the Urban League of Detroit & Southeastern Michigan.
- Kenya Avant was previously a teacher, school council member, and an administrator at Somerville Public Schools in Massachusetts. She was also a state-level policy analyst and has two children.
- Sonja Beasley-Hall is the deputy director for the faith-based youth development organization Wellspring Detroit and former professional development manager for the Michigan Afterschool Partnership.
- The Rev. Dr. Steven Bland Jr. is the senior pastor of Liberty Temple Baptist Church in Detroit and a community activist. He leads several community-based ministries and outreaches to youth, including Project R.I.S.E., which stands for Rigorous Instruction to Supplement Education.
- Whitney Clarke runs a childcare center and is a minister. He is also a father and previously served as a child advocate for the nonprofit Children’s Defense Fund.
- Jonathan Demers works as legal counsel for Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network and has two children enrolled in DPSCD. He previously was a teacher in the district.
- Debra Duren is a real estate agent and former owner of catering and cleaning businesses.
- Bonzetta “Bonnie” D. Ferrell is assistant operations manager for Huntington Place and former administrative specialist for the Detroit Health Department.
- Bessie Harris is a retired special education teacher and principal who worked in the district. She unsuccessfully ran for the board in 2022 and in 2020.
- Dr. Shinese Johnson is director of school-based and community programs for the Black Caucus Foundation of Michigan and founded the education consulting organization Making Education Count Group.
- Aliya Moore is an education advocate and district parent who addresses board members frequently with critiques and suggestions. She unsuccessfully ran for the board in 2022 and 2024.
- Ashley Pearson is a social services coordinator for Optalis Health and Rehabilitation center.
- Traci Ricks is an advocate and an educator who works with at-risk youth from underserved communities.
- Jeremiah Steen is a philanthropist and youth advocate. He created a foundation that helps teens develop career pathways. He unsuccessfully ran for the board in 2024.
- The Rev. Curtis Williams is the CEO of Trinity Chapel Funeral Homes in Detroit and a retired pastor. His children graduated from the district and he previously unsuccessfully ran to be on the board.
The remaining interviews will take place on the 12th floor of the Fisher building from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Each candidate submitted a letter of intent to apply for the seat, a resume, and responses to survey questions earlier this month. Chalkbeat asked the district for all of the submitted materials, but officials said an open records request was necessary to review them.
That request was filed on Monday. On Tuesday, the district responded that it needed 10 business days — the maximum permitted under state open records law — to provide the documents.
The district on Tuesday night posted the candidates’ survey responses on its website, but not the letters of intent or resumes.
The board will score the candidates on their interviews and application materials. They will be tallied by the board’s chair and vice chair, along with an independent third party, on Friday.
Board members will vote to fill the empty seat at a public meeting starting at 5 p.m. on Monday.
Editor’s note, July 21, 2025: This story has been updated to reflect that Sherisse Butler is no longer an applicant for the open board seat.
Editor’s note, July 23, 2025: This story has been updated to include biographical information for the candidates, as well as the district’s response to providing their application materials. It was also updated to reflect that Brandy Mitchell is no longer an applicant for the board seat.
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