Longtime educator and consultant Elizabeth “Betsy” Dirks has been appointed to the San Benito County Supervisors District 1 seat.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment Oct. 28. County staff revealed the appointment in a press release.
Dirks, 44, will serve the remainder of former Supervisor Mark Medina’s term, which is set to expire in 2023. Medina resigned from the board June 7.
Following Medina’s resignation, the remaining four supervisors decided to ask Newsom to appoint a local resident of District 1 to replace Medina, instead of calling a special election. Interested residents were required to submit applications to the governor’s office.
Dirks ran for the District 1 seat, against Medina, in the March 2020 primary election. She gained 39% of the vote, to Medina’s 61 percent, according to county election returns.
Dirks has been an independent education consultant since 2005, according to the county’s press release. She was a teacher at Christopher High School from 2020-21, and at Gilroy High from 2001-05.
She also worked as a public relations account associate at Walt & Co. from 2000-01.
Dirks is a member of the Live Like Geno Foundation, BenitoLink’s strategic planning committee and the Measure G Citizens’ Oversight committee.
