The Northbrook District Board of Education has chosen Beth Bazer, Ed.D., a career educator, to fill the vacancy created when Shweta Jinkala moved out of state.
Bazer was selected from 12 applicants, according to a news release. The board interviewed six candidates in executive session on Jan. 25.
According to the release, Bazer has spent her career in education, first as a teacher and administrator with Chicago Public Schools to her current role as senior director Program Design + Strategy with OneGoal, a national organization focused on college education equity. She holds a doctor of education leadership and a master’s degree in elementary education.
A Northbrook native, Bazer attended District 27 schools and graduated from Glenbrook North High School. She has two children who attend Meadowbrook School.
“I’m excited to serve my children’s educational community and look forward to supporting the incredible efforts of our district,” she said in a statement.
Bazer’s volunteer work includes being an advocate for LGBTQIA community in schools, including as a Friend to the Supreme Court on several cases involving the rights of trans students, the release said. She was also a partner to Teachers of Critical Languages Program administered through the U.S. State Department to bring Chinese and Arab language teachers to the U.S.
Board President Tracy Katz Muhl said, in the release, the board had an outstanding pool of candidates from which to choose and is appreciative of everyone who applied.
“Given that this appointment is for an unexpired seat while the district is in the midst of many big issues, we needed someone who could hit the ground running. Beth certainly has a background that will bring important perspective to the table,” Muhl said.
Bazer will serve on the board until April 2023, when the seat will be up for election as a two-year term.
