The Berkeley Unified School District appointed Beatriz Leyva-Cutler to fill a vacant seat left by the resignation of former board member Ana Vasudeo on June 30, 2026. Vasudeo resigned to join the Alameda County Board of Education, leaving with over two years left on her term. Leyva-Cutler, a previous board member and school-age bilingual child care director, was chosen unanimously for the position on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, and will serve throughout the remainder of Vasudeo’s term, with no plans for reelection.
During her time on the school board, Leyva-Cutler plans to work with other members on matters relating to education, curriculum, facilities, budget, policies, and personnel. According to Leyva-Cutler, she is most excited to contribute to closing the achievement gap and improve conditions for Berkeley students’ learning and education, regardless of age.
“I appreciate the support, and look forward to being part of the board,” Leyva-Cutler said, “I am working to catch up on current matters that the board will be addressing. Right now, I am listening, reading a lot, learning, and doing my homework.”
The school board voted unanimously against holding a special election for the open position. Instead, they reviewed 22 applications, resulting in six finalists moving forward to the final stage: a public interview during a regular school board meeting. Out of the finalists — Reichi Lee, Kevin Gilmore, Scott Hofmeister, Mina Sun, Dyamen N. Williams, or Leyva-Cutler — one would then be selected by a majority vote from the board.
Before the interviews, community members spoke during public comment to express their support for the candidates. Daniel Brownson, a clerical assistant at Berkeley High School, encouraged the board to appoint Leyva-Cutler because “she was the only one of the applicants who respected BCCE (Berkeley Council of Classified Employees) enough to reach out to us.”
Gladys Ocampo Stout, a BUSD parent speaking on behalf of Latinos Unidos de Berkeley, highlighted Leyva-Cutler’s leadership and understanding of Berkeley through a long history of public service and previous experience on the board.
“I have to say it was really apparent, her experience and what she was bringing to it (the school board) and that she knows what the challenges are when you’re working on a school board,” Stout said, “The very fact that she had reached out to the various unions and was taking into account various workers throughout the district, I think that’s very telling.”
The interview began with an opening statement from each candidate, followed by three questions from the board, and a closing statement. The candidates had two minutes for each section of the interview. The board then rated each candidate’s responses on a scale of one to five.
During the interview, Leyva-Cutler spoke about her experience on the school board and as the executive director of the non-profit Bay Area Hispanic Institute for Advancement, which focuses on bilingual education in early childhood. When the board asked what she thought were the most important responsibilities of a school board member, Leyva-Cutler emphasized being ethical, open-minded, inclusive, and prepared.
“Her interview was very strong. I think she showed that she is prepared and ready to hit the ground running,” school board Vice President Jen Corn said, “And beyond her service to BUSD, she has a lifetime of experience as an educational leader that she will bring to our governance and decision-making.” Corn also pointed out the support Leyva-Cutler had from constituents and former board members.
Lee, a technology health educator and children’s attorney, expressed feeling disappointed at not being appointed, while also hopeful about the future. “Our movement for strong literacy and math outcomes for every child and a distraction-free learning environment for them to learn in is growing stronger by the day,” Lee said.
Hannah Sinead Slattery-Weisberg, BHS’ school board representative, shared her thoughts on the process and enthusiasm about working with Leyva-Cutler. “It’s definitely sad that we couldn’t have more people, because everyone seemed like they were really passionate and dedicated to being a school board member, but overall, I’m just excited to have her in that position, and I think that she’s going to be a really valuable member of the school board,” she said.
The appointment is provisional, meaning a petition with a sufficient number of signatures, filed within 30 days of the appointment, could prompt a special election. Unless such a petition is filed, the appointment will become effective on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, and Leyva-Cutler will serve on the board until Nov. 2028.