Holli Johnson considers herself a lifelong learner and has the experience to show it.
For 25 years, Johnson has worked in education, with a focus on community colleges that comes from having worked at five. For 18 of those years, she was a student at the same time, earning enough credits for three degrees from associates to masters.
Now she ll be on the other side, making decisions for Lane Community College as the Board of Education s newest member and the first African-American woman to sit on the board.
The board appointed Johnson, who lives in west Eugene, to fill the Zone 1 seat, which represents western Lane County including west Eugene and Florence. Johnson was sworn in March 3, on her 53rd birthday.
Four seats on the Lane Community College Board of Education are up for election in the May Special Election.
The seats are broken up by the areas of Lane County they represent. Three of the seats are currently held by board members. One of the seats is vacant because of a resignation and will be filled for the remaining months of the term (to June) by board appointment in early March.
Zone 1: Represents western Lane County, including west Eugene and Florence. This seat was vacated last month when Melanie Muenzer of Eugene stepped down to accept a position with the Biden administration in the U.S. Department of Education, according to a news release from LCC.