[StBernard] Six candidates vie to be appointed to Villere's seat on St. Tammany School Board

[Westley Annis]

Six candidates vie to be appointed to Villere's seat on St. Tammany School
Board
By Jim Derry, The Times-Picayune 
April 13, 2010, 4:36PM
Six people -- including a lawyer, a substitute teacher and a former official
at Nunez Community College in Chalmette -- have submitted applications to
the St. Tammany Parish School Board to fill the 6th District seat vacated by
Donald Villere after he was elected mayor of Mandeville.

Board President John Lamarque received applications from:


.Heath Jones, 33, a volunteer coach at Mandeville Jr. High School. He has
been employed by the U.S. Army for the past 13 years, currently as a
civilian, and he has held a variety of positions, including emergency
manager.
.Brian Keating, 63, who retired in 2006 as the vice chancellor of academic
affairs at Nunez Community College in Chalmette. He has a master's degree in
secondary education.
.Alan James Klein, 69, a psychologist with a private practice in Covington.
He has a PhD in clinical psychology from Texas Tech University.
.Erin Lorio, 39, a Covington attorney specializing in commercial litigation,
health care and insurance. She has a law degree from Loyola University Law
School.
.Ginny Saxton, 35, a private tutor and substitute teacher in St. Tammany
Parish. She has a master's degree in education from Loyola University
(Maryland)
.Roanne Tipton, 51, a parent volunteer and secretary of the Fontainebleau
High School Bulldog Athletic Booster Club. She also is a photographer for
the yearbook and sports booklet at Fontainebleau and is on the school's
Project Graduation Committee. Tipton has a bachelor's degree in social
science from LSU.

The appointee will serve out the rest of Villere's term, which ends Dec. 31,
and will be eligible to run for the seat in the Oct. 2 election, when all 15
School Board seats are on the ballot for a new four-year term. The 6th
District covers parts of the Mandeville area.

Villere's successor is expected to be sworn in Wednesday and participate at
Thursday's regularly scheduled School Board meeting.