The Highline School Board appointed two new Directors at its Mar. 19, 2025 board meeting:
- Dr. Damarys Espinoza will serve as Director of District 4.
- Blaine Holien will serve as Director of District 5.
“I am looking forward to welcoming Dr. Espinoza and Mr. Holien to the school board. Their experience, dedication and perspectives will be valuable as we continue working to provide an excellent education for every student,” said School Board President Joe Van. “This appointment process drew strong interest from the community, with many passionate and qualified candidates stepping forward to serve. We are grateful for this level of engagement and look forward to working together to support our students, families and staff.”
Dr. Damarys Espinoza is an educator and organizational executive leader with two decades of experience working on behalf of youth, families and communities. Dr. Espinoza has a doctorate degree in anthropology and her research and practice focuses on public health, community resilience, and systems and policy change. Dr. Espinoza is the Chief Equity and Policy Officer at Mary’s Place, teaches at the University of Washington, and is co-founder/director of a consulting business that provides capacity building to nonprofits. She lives in Des Moines with her three young children and partner.
Blaine Holien is the product of public education and a first-generation college student, graduating from the University of Washington where he studied political science and economics. He spent several years working in sales and advanced to a district manager role, serving as a strong leader and successful manager for many years. Recently, Holien has taken a step back to spend more time with his family. Holien is a proud father and husband to a Highline educator. He loves to travel, ski and swim with his family.
Dr. Espinoza and Mr. Holien will be sworn in on Monday, March 24, 2025 at 5 p.m. in the Central Office Board Room (map below). The event is open to the public and will be livestreamed and recorded.
The new board members will serve until those elected in the November 2025 election take their oaths.
“I look forward to working with Dr. Espinoza and Mr. Holien as they step into their roles on the school board. Strong governance is essential to delivering on our Highline Promise —to know every student by name, strength and need— and I appreciate their commitment to serving our schools and community,” said Superintendent Ivan Duran.
Learn more about the Highline School Board here.
