The San Benito High School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 13 appointed Dr. Gina Vallejo Agredano to join them as a trustee. Agedano fills the vacancy created when former Trustee John Corrigan submitted his resignation from the board effective Nov. 15, says a press release from the district.
Agredano is a Hollister High School Class of 1989 alumna and a family physician in Salinas, says the press release.
She noted during the public interview process that serving on the school board would allow her to continue advocating for young people’s success, and she looks forward to bringing new ideas to the board, according to the district.
“I have been a longtime advocate for my patients and for my staff,” Agredano said. “I feel that this important skill will allow me to better advocate for those of our community as the newly-appointed Board of Trustees member. I am honored to be a representative of our community. This organization has been a driving force for generations within our community, and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Agredano and her husband, recently retired Air Force Lt. Colonel Jose Agredano, have two children who attended Hollister High. All five of Agredano’s siblings—four brothers and one sister—are also Hollister High alumni, as are her husband’s parents and in-laws, says the press release.
Agredano earned a bachelor of science in physiology and a minor in human development from U.C. Davis, and earned her doctor of medicine degree from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
She has been a family practice physician for the past 14 years at the Alisal Health Center in Salinas, where she provides care for children, parents, grandparents and prenatal care to expectant mothers, according to the district.
The board of trustees appointed Agredano in a special meeting on Jan. 13, which included interviews with three candidates for the vacant seat. The other candidates were David Burke and Joe Frisco. Each candidate was individually asked the same six questions while the other two waited in a room outside the Davis Library, where the meeting was held, says the press release.
Trustees rated each candidate’s responses on a scale of 1 to 5 for each of the six questions, for a total of 30 points, the press release continues. After the scoring was tabulated by Carol Heiderich, the superintendent’s assistant, it was announced that Agredano and Frisco had the same amount of points after the first round of interviews.
The board then began another round of questioning of the top two candidates, after which it was announced that Agredano was selected to fill the trustee vacancy by a single point.
Agredano will serve on the board until the next regularly scheduled election for the SBHSD Board of Trustees in November 2024, said the district.
Within 60 days of the trustee’s seat vacancy, the board was required to either make a provisional appointment or call a special election to fill the seat that Corrigan held, according to the district.
SBHSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum said he appreciated the three community members who showed interest in the trustee position.
“It is heartening to have someone with such a wealth of experience both personally and professionally represent on the Board of Trustees and I am extremely confident that the addition of Dr. Agredano will be positive, productive and she will be an excellent addition to the Board,” Tennenbaum said.
After the Jan. 13 interview process and announcement, Agredano took the oath of office and attended her first meeting on Jan. 16, a joint meeting between the SBHS Board of Trustees and the Hollister Elementary School District.
