Voters in Orinda on Nov. 3 will select from four candidates to fill three seats on the Orinda Union School District governing board. Incumbent Eve Phillips decided not to run again, but incumbents Katie Shogan and Edda Collins Coleman are running, joined by John Chabalko and Chloe Aftel on the ballot.

    Shogan, currently board president, and Collins Coleman were both elected to the board in 2022. Coleman was named Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan’s 2026 Woman of the Year. 

    Shogan has worked as a California public school teacher and administrator. She is an experienced board member, having previously served on the boards of both a public school district and a private school. Shogan holds an Ed.M. in education policy and management. As a parent, she has volunteered in the Orinda community and schools in numerous capacities. Shogan promises to maintain OUSD’s academic excellence by strengthening core academic curriculum for all students and offering elective and signature programming in the areas of STEM, art, music and athletics. She also commits to attracting and retaining top teachers and staff.

    Collins Coleman has served as board president and vice president during her tenure on the OUSD board. She identifies her priorities as including strengthening curriculum, fostering a safe school environment that prioritizes mental health and social-emotional wellbeing, improving staff recruitment and retention, and advocating for a responsible budget. Beyond the boardroom, she has also served as a field trip driver at Del Rey Elementary, Girl Scout Troop Leader, library volunteer at Del Rey and Wagner Ranch Elementary, and board member of the Parents' Club at Orinda Intermediate School.

    John Chabalko says that he is running for the school board because he believes that thoughtful, long-term leadership is essential to preserving what makes Orinda’s schools exceptional. As the parent of two children in OUSD, Chabalko says he has become deeply involved in Orinda's schools, most recently serving as president of the Wagner Ranch Parents Club. He says working alongside parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and district leadership has strengthened his appreciation for what makes OUSD exceptional. He relies on his professional career leading large organizations for teaching him the importance of strategic planning, responsible financial stewardship, and making decisions with transparency and integrity. 

    Chloe Aftel has not filed a candidate’s statement with Contra Costa County Elections, but instead has posted her campaign material on several sites on the internet. She advocates for keeping student electronic devices out of daily instructions in TK through fifth grade.  She promises to communicate with families through a monthly newsletter, polling and other methods. Aftel says that she is not running against anyone's record. “I'm offering a different set of priorities: transparency about how and why decisions get made, real two-way communication with families, and a commitment to protecting the early years for hands-on learning. That's it.”

    Also on the ballot is Governing Board Member of the Contra Costa County Board of Education, Area 2. Candidate Pamela West is challenging incumbent Sarah Butler. In Butler’s candidate statement she says that she is honored that her fellow trustees recently elected her President of the Contra Costa County Board of Education for 2026. Butler was first elected in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. She also serves as the second vice-president of legislation for the Contra Costa County School Boards Association. She is a former OUSD board member.

    West has lived in Contra Costa County for over 40 years. She is a small business owner and has four children who have graduated from local public schools through college graduation. She was also on the OUSD board for eight years. She says that her goal on the County Board of Education would be to help ensure that every student receives an excellent education, and a chance to reach their highest potential. and promises to bring a collaborative, results-focused approach to building strong schools and communities where every child can succeed. 

Voters in Orinda on Nov. 3 will select from four candidates to fill three seats on the Orinda Union School District governing board. Incumbent Eve Phillips decided not to run again, but incumbents Katie Shogan and Edda Collins Coleman are running, joined by John Chabalko and Chloe Aftel on the ballot.

    Shogan, currently board president, and Collins Coleman were both elected to the board in 2022. Coleman was named Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan’s 2026 Woman of the Year. 

    Shogan has worked as a California public school teacher and administrator. She is an experienced board member, having previously served on the boards of both a public school district and a private school. Shogan holds an Ed.M. in education policy and management. As a parent, she has volunteered in the Orinda community and schools in numerous capacities. Shogan promises to maintain OUSD’s academic excellence by strengthening core academic curriculum for all students and offering elective and signature programming in the areas of STEM, art, music and athletics. She also commits to attracting and retaining top teachers and staff.

    Collins Coleman has served as board president and vice president during her tenure on the OUSD board. She identifies her priorities as including strengthening curriculum, fostering a safe school environment that prioritizes mental health and social-emotional wellbeing, improving staff recruitment and retention, and advocating for a responsible budget. Beyond the boardroom, she has also served as a field trip driver at Del Rey Elementary, Girl Scout Troop Leader, library volunteer at Del Rey and Wagner Ranch Elementary, and board member of the Parents' Club at Orinda Intermediate School.

    John Chabalko says that he is running for the school board because he believes that thoughtful, long-term leadership is essential to preserving what makes Orinda’s schools exceptional. As the parent of two children in OUSD, Chabalko says he has become deeply involved in Orinda's schools, most recently serving as president of the Wagner Ranch Parents Club. He says working alongside parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and district leadership has strengthened his appreciation for what makes OUSD exceptional. He relies on his professional career leading large organizations for teaching him the importance of strategic planning, responsible financial stewardship, and making decisions with transparency and integrity. 

    Chloe Aftel has not filed a candidate’s statement with Contra Costa County Elections, but instead has posted her campaign material on several sites on the internet. She advocates for keeping student electronic devices out of daily instructions in TK through fifth grade.  She promises to communicate with families through a monthly newsletter, polling and other methods. Aftel says that she is not running against anyone's record. “I'm offering a different set of priorities: transparency about how and why decisions get made, real two-way communication with families, and a commitment to protecting the early years for hands-on learning. That's it.”

    Also on the ballot is Governing Board Member of the Contra Costa County Board of Education, Area 2. Candidate Pamela West is challenging incumbent Sarah Butler. In Butler’s candidate statement she says that she is honored that her fellow trustees recently elected her President of the Contra Costa County Board of Education for 2026. Butler was first elected in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. She also serves as the second vice-president of legislation for the Contra Costa County School Boards Association. She is a former OUSD board member.

    West has lived in Contra Costa County for over 40 years. She is a small business owner and has four children who have graduated from local public schools through college graduation. She was also on the OUSD board for eight years. She says that her goal on the County Board of Education would be to help ensure that every student receives an excellent education, and a chance to reach their highest potential. and promises to bring a collaborative, results-focused approach to building strong schools and communities where every child can succeed.