SPS Board fills open seat with SNAP philanthropy manager Nicole Bishop

The Spokane Public Schools board filled a vacant seat Friday in a 3-1 vote. Nicole Bishop, philanthropy manager at Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners, will be sworn in as an SPS board member next week.

The seat was vacated by Melissa Bedford in August. Bishop was one of three finalists for the position, including former attorney Kate Telis and Arc of Spokane director of community engagements Luke Tolley.

“She’s got great community service connections, organization leadership within her experiences, she has partnerships within and with Spokane Public Schools,” board member Jenny Slagle said of Bishop.

Those experiences lend to a “perspective and mindset” important for the role of a school board member, she added.

School board president Nikki Otero Lockwood said she believes Bishop will help the board to “broadly serve” Spokane and urged community members to both hold her accountable as a public official and “support her in her new leadership role.”

The lone voice of opposition was Hilary Kozel, who supported Tolley. According to the board member, Tolley had worked to “lift underrepresented voices of Northeast Spokane.”

“To me, it was clear he walks alongside and supports those who are historically underrepresented. Luke’s experience in governance shows clear leadership and regardless of today, his strong advocacy in our community is appreciated and seen.”

Kozel also said she looks forward to working with Bishop “in service to students and stakeholders.”

In addition to her role in Spokane philanthropy, Bishop has previously served as chair of the Spokane Democratic Party and Spokane Human Rights Commission. She was unable to be reached for comment following the board’s Friday vote.

Once sworn into the board at the Nov. 6 meeting, Bishop will be the only SPS board member who does not live on the South Hill – residing within Shadle Park’s boundaries.