Coleman, Welsh tapped for local

School Board

SEAN JONES

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Two new School Board members will begin their tenures in Hanover County in a little over a month.

The start of Greg Coleman and Whitney Welsh’s terms on the board coincides with a tumultuous period for the panel as a long-time board member — and the current chairman — is being replaced, and also coming off a school year that saw several heated political debates.

Hanover is one of around 15 localities in Virginia that appoints its School Board members through the Board of Supervisors. Each supervisor chooses a nominee for their respective districts, to be approved by the rest of the board.

In the Beaverdam District, supervisors voted to appoint Coleman to the board at the recommendation of Supervisor J. Robert Monolo.

Coleman, an Air Force veteran, is an account manager and sales representative for Alson, a medical equipment manufacturing company. He and his wife have three children in county’s school system. Coleman told supervisors that he has a “servant’s heart” and that he takes a great deal of pride in his work for a health care system supporting doctors and nurses.

He was chosen as the appointee from a pool of eight candidates from the county who came forward looking to fill the seat.

“While I had several outstanding candidates, after interviewing them all I nominated (Coleman) because he is a strong Christian with leadership experience and he has kids in Hanover schools, giving him firsthand knowledge of the issues faced by parents of school children,” Monolo said. “I felt he would do the best job advocating for parents and children in our schools.”

In the Henry District, Welsh was appointed at the recommendation of Supervisor Sean Davis.

Welsh is a retired business owner who graduated from Atlee High School. She has two children at Rural Point Elementary School. She said she was “humbled and excited” to serve on the panel.

Please see BOARD, Page 13