Board Members
Board President (Area 7)
Anthony Silva
Email: Anthony Silva
Anthony Silva was born in Los Banos and raised on a dairy. He is married, has three children (Lisa, David and Denise), three step-children, six grandchildren and nine step-grandchildren. His wife Cheryl served as Director of Religious Education for twenty-one years. They are very involved with Sacred Heart Parish.
Anthony attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Agricultural Business Management, teaching credential in Agricultural Education and a Masters degree in Education. Anthony began his teaching career in 1970 at San Benito High School, Hollister. He then went to Strathmore High School and on to Turlock High School in 1972. At Turlock High School Anthony taught agriculture science, government, economics and natural resource classes. He served as the FFA Advisor for twenty-four years. Anthony served as an officer for California Agriculture Teachers Association at the local and state level, serving as state president from 1987 to 1988. Anthony continues to supervise and mentor new teachers as they complete their student teaching assignments.
Anthony believes we need to provide a positive climate for students to learn and for teachers to teach; an environment where students desire to learn and teachers are eager to motivate students to learn. He believes in a strong career education model for learning. In high school he studied vocational agriculture and was very active in the FFA. He is a product of that methodology. Teamwork at all levels in our district is important. Turlock has great schools.
Term 2024-2028
Board Clerk (Area 2)
Lori Carlson
Email: Lori Carlson
Lori Carlson was raised in Northern California by her parents, a farmer and a high school teacher, who taught her the value of community service and the importance of high-quality public education. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Human Development and from Fuller Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Marital and Family Therapy. She is married to Steve, a pastor at Hope Church, and together they have four daughters who have all attended or are currently attending schools in TUSD. She is a Realtor at Aspire Home Real Estate, a spiritual director and Enneagram teacher, president of the board of Turlock Youth Performing Arts, a Tree House Club volunteer, and a volunteer at her church. One of her favorite parts of the week is singing with the Turlock Community Gospel Choir on Sunday afternoons. Lori is passionate about equity, social-emotional learning and the importance of educating the whole child. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve the community of Turlock as a TUSD trustee, where she enjoys working alongside a great team of leaders on the board and with the district administration to ensure high-quality education for all students in TUSD.
Term: 2022-2026
Member (Area 4)
Mary Jackson
Email: Mary Jackson
Mary Jackson was born and raised on a farm in west Turlock. She attended Chatom Elementary and Turlock High. She received a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism/Political Science from the University of Missouri and did graduate work at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand as a Rotary Foundation Scholar. Mary was also an American Field Service exchange student in Athens, Greece.
She has three daughters who attend Turlock schools and is active in their classroom and with the PT A at several school sites. Her family attends All Saints Catholic Church.
Mary worked previously as a TV and radio reporter for twelve years; in Missouri, Oregon, Illinois/Indiana, and in our region of California, including a stint covering the Governor, and state Legislature. She has taught for eight years mostly at the high school and community college level.
Mary believes in public service and giving back to our community. She is a former member of the Turlock City Council and the Turlock City Arts Commission, and was a founding board member for the Turlock Certified Farmers Market. She has volunteered with the Carnegie Arts Center, the United Samaritans Foundation, Turlock Shines, and as a board member of the Salvation Army. Currently, Mary and her family serve dinner once a month at the We Care Homeless Shelter and she is a Girl Scout leader with Troop #4012.
She believes every student can succeed and would like to work with the board, staff, and teachers to increase reading literacy and encourage more students to attend and graduate from community college. Mary looks forward to hearing from the people she serves, about any ideas they have to improve our school district community.
Term: 2022-2026
Member (Area 1)
Patti Eighmey
Email: Patti Eighmey
Patti Eighmey is a native Californian who was raised in southern California and later moved to northern California when she was a teenager. When Patti found herself as a single mom, she realized she needed to grow personally and academically to provide for her family. She embarked on her academic journey by attending a vocational career program training as a medical assistant. She worked for several years in various doctors’ offices when she met her current husband, Alan. With his assistance and encouragement, she received her bachelor’s degree in health administration followed by a teaching credential. This foundational education laid the groundwork for her subsequent career and achievements. While raising her two daughters and newborn son, Patti worked as an adjunct professor at Merced College. When her son left for college, she became a full-time professor and coordinator of the Career Advancement Academy at Merced College. She is active in several committees for Merced College, representing noncredit courses and programs.
During her 30-year tenure at Merced College, Patti Eighmey has distinguished herself through her unwavering dedication and significant contributions to the field of education. As the coordinator of a vocational program, she plays a pivotal role in shaping the curriculum and providing guidance to both students and faculty alike. Her efforts are instrumental in enhancing the vocational program's reputation and success.
Patti believes in lifelong learning. There can be many roads to success for students, whether it is a college degree or completion of a CTE program. She firmly believes that education is the cornerstone for individual and societal growth. She believes that every student should be given the opportunity to succeed, regardless of background or socio-economic status. She would like to see that students are not only able to excel academically but also feel supported in their well-being so that they will be prepared for their educational journey and future. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve as a school board member and looks forward to working in partnership with the other board members.
Term: 2024-2028
Member (Area 5)
Debbie Martinez
Email: Debbie Martinez
Debbie Martinez was born and raised in San Jose and moved to the Central Valley in 1984 and has been serving her community ever since.
Debbie has worked as a parent and student advocate across the greater San Joaquin region for more than 10 years. She seeks to ensure students receive the best education possible in partnership with families and educators. She strives to build bridges by creating or restoring relationships to ensure success is possible for every child.
Ms. Martinez is the founder of We R La Raza, a parent/student advocacy group. She also serves as the chair of the California School Choice Foundation (Stanislaus County branch) and a member of California Rural Legal Assistance. She has worked with Victory Outreach and started the Children’s Ministry in Modesto in 1984. She worked as a real estate office manager for eNationwide Mortgage.
Term: 2024-2028
Member (Area 3)
Anna Ramirez
Email: Anna Ramirez
Anna Ramirez is a first-generation Californian. Her parents were both born in Mexico and settled in Los Angeles during the 1950’s. They both came to America on work visas as migrant workers. Anna cherishes her family’s history as she recalls stories her parents would share about working in the fields. Enduring all the hardships, they were grateful for the opportunity for a better life they would have in America. They had a chance to live the American dream, the pursuit of happiness, and they did. Her parents met in LA and soon were married. Anna was born early in their married life. Both parents were hard workers who instilled a good honest work ethic in their children. Anna recalls the roles played at home and she was the planner of the family at an early age. She planned all the family vacations from picnics at the beach to Disneyland adventures as she loved helping people.
Anna has always worked with the public and shares that she is fortunate to have worked for a school for 30 years until she retired this past June of 2024 from Chatom Union School District. She worked as a Yard Supervisor, Classroom Aide, Attendance Clerk, and School Secretary.
Anna attended the ABC Unified School District from elementary school through high school and graduated from Artesia High in Lakewood, California. She continued her education at Cerritos Community College and then Modesto Junior College. Her husband of 24 years, John Poat, is a retired English/History teacher of 30 years.
Term: 2024-2028
Member (Area 6)
Patrick Shields
Email: Patrick Shields
A proud native of Turlock, Patrick is dedicated to serving and improving his community. Currently, he works as a field representative for the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, where he has gained valuable experience in public service and community engagement. He also serves as chairman of the City of Turlock’s Measure A Citizen oversight committee.
Patrick is a proud alumnus of Turlock High School, class of 2016. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Liberty University in 2020, with minors in Criminal Justice and Strategic Intelligence. After completing his studies, Patrick returned to Turlock, where he now lives with his wife, Kayla, and their daughter, Parker. His journey has not been without its challenges; he is a survivor of Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Patrick is committed to ensuring that Turlock Unified schools provide the highest quality education for all students. Patrick is focused on improving opportunities for students interested in vocational and trade-based careers, as well as supporting students who seek to pursue higher education degrees. He is an advocate for transparency and accountability for parents, staff, and students.
Term: 2024-2026