The National Rural Education Association held elections for three open Executive Board positions in December. The ballot was open for voting to any member of the NREA in good standing until December 31, 2024. The NREA is pleased to announce the newly elected members of the Executive Board. The President-Elect Designate will serve in the presidential sequence ending December 2029, and the other two elected positions will serve in their roles until December 2027.
Thank you to all who ran, and those who voted in the election. Please read more below about each of the new Executive Board members, and join us in congratulating them on their new roles.
President-Elect Designate – Dr. Darris Roshawn Means
Hailing from South Carolina, Darris Means is an associate professor and Dean’s Faculty Scholar in Equity, Justice, and Rural Education at the University of Pittsburgh.
Darris has been actively engaged with the National Rural Education Association, serving as a member of the NREA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team from 2019-2022 and serving on the editorial board for The Rural Educator since 2019. During his tenure as a member of NREA, he developed a partnership between NREA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team and the American Education Research Association’s Rural Education Special Interest Group to co-host a webinar series in spring 2022 on equity, diversity, and inclusion in rural education.
In his role, Darris hopes to expand opportunities for rural education researchers, K-12 leaders, higher education, and policymakers to learn from each other and build upon the assets in rural communities to address pressing challenges and opportunities in rural education.
Board Member at Large – Mrs. Allison Nys
Allison Nys grew up in Montana and has spent her entire educational career in Montana. Allison taught for 16 years in a rural school (average 60 students K-6) which happened to be the same rural school she attended as a child. She served another 11 years in administration as a principal and curriculum director. She holds degrees in Art (K-12 teaching), K-8 Teaching and Educational Leadership along with a Superintendent Licensure.
Allison is heavily involved with rural education and has been an active member of the National Rural Education Association since 2006, after winning the Montana Rural Teacher of the Year award. She has sat on the Executive Board since 2010 and was the President of NREA in 2016 & 2022.
School Administrator Representative – Mr. Jeff Byrd
Jeff Byrd is the current superintendent of Dalhart Independent School District, with previous superintendent experience in Vernon, Claude, and Gorman. According to the Dalhart Texan, Jeff graduated from Eastland High School in 1989 and went on to earn a BS degree from Tarleton State University in 1993. He also has an MS degree from West Texas A & M University.
Jeff has been involved with the NREA for the past 11 years, including his involvement with NREA State Affiliate, Texas Rural Education Association. He has been both a regional representative and President of TXREA in his time there. Jeff is honored to be able to continue supporting the work of the NREA in this new capacity.