By Mark Ambrogi
Amber Willis started at 5:45 a.m., greeting voters on a wet Election Day. She then had to wait through a night filled with delays. to learn she won the Westfield Washington School Board race about 11 p.m.
Willis topped Birch Dalton by 367 votes (2805 to 2,438) for an at-large position.
“I enjoyed meeting people especially (Nov. 4) in this crummy weather we had,” Willis said. “It was very encouraging to see a lot of voters come out and support the school system. I know there are a lot of people that want to be engage so hopefully they stay engaged.”
Willis said her big initiative is connecting the community for all the kids involved.”
“I’m looking forward to getting a committee together of parents, teachers and community members,” Willis said. “I think our community needs to continue to come together and working as team. I think there is a lot of opportunity to continue to strengthen those opportunities of building relationships with business owners, parents and students.”
Willis said one major factor that may face the board soon is finding a replacement for Superintendent, Dr. Mark Keen, who made it known he will be retiring in the near future.
“I think that’s a key finding a replacement for someone who has done a great job for our school system,” Willis said.
Willis, 34, is an account executive at CSI Signs. Willis, whose maiden name is Huff, is a 1999 Westfield High School graduate. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Miami (Ohio) University in 2003.
Willis and her husband Anthony have two children, son Gabriel, 6 and daughter Ava, 5. Gabriel is a first-grader and Ava is in kindergarten at Maple Glen Elementary. Willis’ parents still live in Westfield and her brother and her family are Westfield residents.
“My grandfather, aunt and uncle and cousins live here,” Willis said.
Willis had been thinking about running for school board since graduating from the Hamilton County Leadership Academy program in 2013.
“Being a graduate of the system and a long time resident, with children in the schools, she brings a nice perspective to the board,” Keen said.
