Docuseries
Impact from the Board
Impact from the Board is a three-episode mini-series from School Board Partners that showcases the real experiences and influence of SBP Board Members.
Meet The Leaders
The series features visionary leaders, including:
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Antonia Watts
Howard County Board of Education
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Armando Montero
22-year-old President, Tempe Union School Board
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Chinua Rhodes
SBP member and Sacramento school board member
Impact from the Board offers an inside look at how these leaders—and the 90,000 elected school board officials across the country—shape decisions that impact students, families, and entire communities.
Antonia Watts: Engineering Change for Howard County Students
Antonia Watts made a bold pivot in 2019: leaving a successful career as a car safety engineer—where she was literally saving lives—to run for the Howard County Board of Education and save lives in the classroom. Entering the board during a crucial district transition, Antonia brought a rare combination of technical precision and deep commitment to historically underserved students. Her teaching experience revealed a troubling truth: too many families felt unheard. Determined to change that dynamic, she introduced School Board Partners’ superintendent evaluation tool to the district. By aligning policy and practice, strengthening transparency, and holding leadership accountable, Antonia helped rebuild trust and ensure the district’s budget clearly reflected student needs. Her work continues to drive stronger communication, deeper community confidence, and more meaningful outcomes for students.
Armando Montero: Youth Leadership Transforming Mental Health Policy
Armando Montero’s advocacy is rooted in profound personal loss—the suicide of his best friend and his own close encounter with the same crisis. Experiencing firsthand the consequences of inadequate mental health support, Armando began speaking up as a student and eventually served as a student board member. After graduating, he ran for—and won—a seat on the Tempe Union High School District board, becoming its youngest-ever president. He immediately championed comprehensive mental health reforms for both students and staff. The result was transformative: every school in the district earned an A rating for the first time in history, and students now have access to the support structures they desperately need to thrive. Armando’s journey from student advocate to district leader demonstrates the power of lived experience to drive bold, effective policy change.
Chinua Rhodes: Rewriting the System From the Inside Out
Chinua Rhodes’ story is a testament to what’s possible when community-rooted leadership meets unwavering persistence. An SBP fellow and Sacramento school board member, Chinua grew up in South Sacramento and returned determined to dismantle the systemic barriers he had seen firsthand. His journey highlights how someone who began outside traditional education spaces went on to deliver substantial, meaningful change. Chinua played a pivotal role in passing a facilities master plan centered on serving students and families, anchored in the belief that school board members represent people, not buildings—and systems only matter insofar as they serve communities. His story is both a roadmap and a reminder: despite the challenges, transformative local change is not only possible—it’s happening.