Finalist emphasizes immigrant experience, equity and community presence in board interview

During the board’s vacancy interview debrief the candidate identified in minutes as Mr. Sedda described a personal and professional background he said gives him perspective on student needs. He said he left Kenya after the assassination of a family member, moved to Gresham in 2013 for its cultural diversity, is a frequent school volunteer and helped found a Black Student Union Family Connection. He also noted his service on the district Budget Committee and that he was appointed chair of the Oregon Department of Education’s Refugee and Immigrant Student Success Advocacy Group, where he said participants completed a grant process allocating $4 million to agencies serving immigrants and refugees.

When asked how transparency is built between a school board and community, the candidate emphasized consistent communication, authentic representation and visible accountability, saying that board members need to show up in everyday community settings rather than only at meetings. He outlined approaches to conflict resolution, prioritizing student well‑being in scarce resource environments and centering historically underrepresented voices in decision‑making.

Chair Blake Petersen told the candidate the board intends to work toward an appointment by March 5, 2026 and noted any appointment would later appear on the March 5 business meeting agenda with language conditioned on the appointee accepting the position. Board members discussed rankings after the interview; Candidate B ranked highest in collective scoring, Candidate D second.