Prince George's County Council holds public hearing on nomination of Amy Olivo to Board of Education; final vote not recorded

The Prince George's County Council on April 22, 2025, held a public hearing on the nomination of Amy Olivo to fill the District 4 vacancy on the Prince George's County Board of Education.

The nomination drew extended public comment from residents, former and current public officials, community organizers and education advocates who described Olivo's experience with local schools, community engagement and prior civic roles. Several speakers urged the council to confirm her; one elected school board member asked the council to postpone the appointment so the incoming county executive could name a Latino candidate.

The nomination process. Council staff said the acting county executive’s office posted the opening Jan. 9 and received 27 resumes. According to the administration, five applicants were ruled ineligible for living outside the county; eight were later found to live outside District 4. The administration said 12 applicants were interviewed by panels and Olivo emerged as the top candidate; the education-and-workforce-development committee later reported a 4-0 vote to move the appointment to the full council with no recommendation. Committee chair Charlene Dukes later described a process in which 13 applicants were interviewed by the committee; she made those remarks during her public testimony.

Why it matters. District 4 contains a large Latino student population and several supporters framed the nomination as an opportunity to improve the board’s outreach to Spanish‑speaking families. Supporters said Olivo’s background in community organizing and experience with county education institutions would help the district’s students and families access services and supports.

What supporters said. Amy Olivo, introduced by Miriam Brewer, the acting county executive’s appointments liaison, told the council: “Council members, I am not a stranger to any of you.” Former state delegate Susie Proctor, a long‑time educator, said Olivo “carries with her a thirst for ensuring that the young people enrolled in our public schools have the necessary resources and skills to thrive” and added, “education is in my DNA.” Community leaders representing Latino families, parent‑teachers associations and student advocates described Olivo’s work with translation services, PTA leadership and advocacy on issues affecting immigrant families.

Dissent and request to postpone. Veil Adam Stafford, the elected school board member whose seat is being filled, asked the council to postpone the appointment so the incoming county executive could make a nomination and, she said, ensure Latino representation on the board. Stafford told the council: “I’m asking for us to postpone this so that we'll give the courtesy to our incoming county executive to have a chance to appoint someone, specifically someone, who's Latino that can represent the Latino community that is very strong in District 4.” She said many in District 4 want an appointed representative who reflects the district’s demographics.

Process note and next steps. The public hearing concluded at the council meeting; the transcript of the April 22 session does not record a final confirmation vote on Olivo’s nomination. Council members heard testimony from more than a dozen speakers representing parents, community organizations and higher‑education officials; several speakers identified themselves as long‑time county residents or community leaders and described personal experiences with the county school system.

Clarifying details extracted from the meeting record: the administration said it received 27 resumes for the opening; 5 were ruled ineligible for living outside the county; 8 were later found to live outside District 4; the administration said 12 individuals were interviewed and 2 finalists returned for additional interviews. Separately, committee testimony referenced 13 applicants interviewed by the committee. The nominee is described in meeting materials as the executive director of Art Works Now and as a former chief of staff to a county council member; Olivo also served on the Prince George’s Community College board of trustees and has two children who attended Prince George's County Public Schools.

The council’s formal disposition of the nomination is not contained in the April 22 transcript provided to the council that day.