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Board Elects New Leadership as Three New Board Members Take the Oath of Office
Sylvia Wilson Named Board President
PITTSBURGH, December 2, 2019 –Three newly elected District representatives joined the Board of Education for the Pittsburgh Public Schools following this evening’s Swearing-In ceremony. William Gallagher (District 6), Pam Harbin (District 4), Devon Taliaferro (District 2), each took the Oath of Office. Kevin Carter was also sworn in for an additional term of service.
Following the administration of the Oath of Office, Board Members elected officers for the 2020 fiscal year. Sylvia Wilson was elected President, Kevin Carter was elected First-Vice President, and Terry Kennedy was elected Second-Vice President. The Board also elected Superintendent Anthony Hamlet as Secretary of the Board, along with four Assistant Secretaries and a School Treasurer.
Ms. Sylvia Wilson Elected Board President for a First Term
Ms. Wilson was first elected to the Board to represent District 1 in 2013. Prior to joining the Board, Ms. Wilson served as the Assistant to the President of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) and served as Secretary of the PFT Executive Board for 30 years. Ms. Wilson previously taught elementary school throughout the Pittsburgh Public Schools for 26 years. For more than twenty years, she was an active volunteer with community youth baseball and football organizations. Additionally, Ms. Wilson serves as Board President of ALCOSAN. Ms. Wilson has served as the Board’s First-Vice President, Chair of the Education, Personnel and Communication & Marketing/Public Information committees.
Three New Board Members Take Oath of Office
Ms. Devon Taliaferro – District 2
A native of Pittsburgh and resident of North Side, Devon Taliaferro currently serves as Community Outreach Coordinator for The Midwife Center for Birth & Women’s Health. Ms. Taliaferro’s commitment to public service began early with Public Allies, where she served a year of AmeriCorps service at Amachi Pittsburgh (2015-2016). As a former Program Associate with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Ms. Taliaferro worked to facilitate mentoring matchups with elementary students in PPS and community enrichment opportunities for students at Pittsburgh Brashear through mentor 2.0. Ms. Taliaferro has been recognized for her efforts as part of The Incline’s Who’s Next: Community Leaders & Activists (2017), Pittsburgh Circle of Courage in Education (2018) and The New Pittsburgh Courier’s Women of Excellence (2018).
Ms. Pam Harbin – District 4
The mother of two students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Pamela (Pam) Harbin has been very active in the District from serving as a member and Co-Chair of the Pittsburgh Local Task Force on the Right to Education (LTF) to volunteering on multiple district-wide advisory committees, including the Community Schools Steering Committee, Parental Involvement Policy Committee, and Special Education Delivery Model Advisory Committee. Ms. Harbin is the Co-Founder of the Education Rights Network, a parent-led organization that works with the District and community agencies to improve services for students with disabilities. Ms. Harbin holds a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from LaSalle University. Ms. Harbin resides in Point Breeze with her husband Kerry and their two children.
Mr. William J. Gallagher – District 6
William (Bill) Gallagher is no stranger to the Pittsburgh Public Schools. A long-time educator, Mr. Gallagher served 27 years as a teacher with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Mr. Gallagher also brings 31 years of experience as a football coach in the District as well as for Avonworth, Seton LaSalle, South Fayette, and Washington & Jefferson College. Mr. Gallagher is a lifelong resident of the City of Pittsburgh and still resides in the same Brookline home where he raised his four children, three of which are Pittsburgh Public Schools graduates. Mr. Gallagher holds a B.A.s in Political Science and Education both from Washington and Jefferson College and a Pennsylvania Special Education Certification from Duquesne University.
The chart below shares the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board Members and the District each represents.
Board Member |
District Representative |
Ms. Sylvia Wilson |
1 |
Ms. Devon Taliaferro |
2 |
Mr. Sala Udin |
3 |
Mrs. Pamela Harbin |
4 |
Ms. Terry Kennedy |
5 |
Mr. William Gallagher |
6 |
Miss Cynthia Ann Falls |
7 |
Mr. Kevin Carter |
8 |
Ms. Veronica Edwards |
9 |