DPS Board Members | DURHAM

Bettina Umstead has a bachelor's degree in middle grades education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Bettina is an associate at The Equity Collaborative.

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Bettina previously worked as an equity leadership coach, associate, middle school program director, chief program officer, and student teacher, 

Bettina is currently a member of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education. She was first appointed to the Board in 2016 and re-elected in 2018. She is currently serving her second term and has served as the Board chair for the past two years.

Candidate Questionnaire: Bettina Umstead, Durham Board of ...

Bettina is currently serves as a County Board of Education Member for District 2. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her second term. 

Supports expanding broadband access for students and advocating for financial support to improve connectivity.

- Supports expanding broadband access for students and advocating for financial support to improve connectivity.

School Facilities & Resources

As of January 2, 2026, Bettina Umstead’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Access to Education

Supports increasing educator pay, creating more pipelines for educators, and making the teaching job sustainable.

Supports increasing educator pay and making teaching sustainable.

- Supports increasing educator pay and making teaching sustainable.

Teachers

Supports the adoption and implementation of the Racial & Educational Equity Policy to address racial and socio-economic disparities in the school district.

Supports expanding career and technical education programs.

- Supports the adoption and implementation of the Racial & Educational Equity Policy to address racial and socio-economic disparities in the school district.
- Supports expanding career and technical education programs.

School Curriculum

For Candidate Bettina Umstead on Issue student-wellbeing: Supports addressing the mental health crisis among students by adding more counselors, expanding mental health services, and implementing social-emotional skills curriculum in schools.

Supports addressing the mental health crisis among students by adding more counselors.

- Supports addressing the mental health crisis among students by adding more counselors.
- Supports "LGBTQIA-inclusive policy."

Student Wellbeing

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Bettina Umstead

- Supports addressing the mental health crisis among students by adding more counselors, expanding mental health services, and implementing social-emotional skills curriculum in schools.
- Supports "LGBTQIA-inclusive policy."

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

Plans to address school facilities through a bond for new construction and major renovations to ensure adequate physical space for students and educators.

Supports the Racial & Educational Equity Policy to address racial and socio-economic disparities in education and emphasizes the need for ongoing commitment to equity in the school district.

Nadeen Bir got a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston. She has a husband and two children.

Nadeen helped cofound helped co-found Mothers for Ceasefire, made up of a group of parents and caregivers "calling for an end to violence and for policies rooted in human dignity."

For Candidate Nadeen Bir on Issue school-services-resources: Advocates for honest budget discussions, accurate financial reporting, and transparency to support effective governance and avoid crises.

Advocates for honest budget discussions, accurate financial reporting, and transparency to support effective governance and avoid crises.

- Advocates for honest budget discussions, accurate financial reporting, and transparency to support effective governance and avoid crises.

As of January 2, 2026, Nadeen Bir’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports a simpler, fairer salary system and a living wage for all DPS employees, ensuring no employee struggles to afford basic necessities.

Supports a "simpler, fairer salary system" and a "living wage" for all Durham Public School employees.

- Supports a "simpler, fairer salary system" and a "living wage" for all Durham Public School employees.

For Candidate Nadeen Bir on Issue student-wellbeing:  
Opposes law-enforcement and immigration enforcement activities that put students, families, or staff at risk.

Opposes law-enforcement and immigration enforcement activities that "put students, families, or staff at risk."

- Opposes law-enforcement and immigration enforcement activities that "put students, families, or staff at risk."

Nadeen Bir

Rachel Waltz earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Delaware and a master's degree in social work from Columbia University. She lives with her child in Durham.

Rachel currently works as a system improvement advisor for Community Solutions, Inc., a non-profit seeking to end homelessness. She previously worked as a manager with the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, a clinical instructor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hell School of Medicine, a social worker with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development-Veteran's Affairs Supportive Housing program, and the empowerment program director of Neighbors Together Corp.

Rachel's campaign for Durham County Board of Education, District 2 is her first run for public office.

Supports sharing data and using plain language to build community partnerships.

Supports organizing schools to leverage strength by hearing new voices, collaborating, and implementing feedback.

- Supports sharing data and using plain language to build community partnerships.
- Supports organizing schools to leverage strength by hearing new voices, collaborating, and implementing feedback.

As of January 2, 2026, Rachel Waltz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes schools should retain their teachers and fairly allocate resources to deliver the best instruction.

- Believes schools should retain their teachers and fairly allocate resources to deliver the best instruction.

Rachel Waltz

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 

Durham County Board of Education Member, District 2

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Candidates (3)

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School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

Teachers

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing