Jennie Clayton is a parent, active community member, and elected governing board member of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District since November 2024. Her commitment to public education is deeply rooted in her own experiences as a product of public K–12 schools and universities. She holds an undergraduate degree in Legal Studies from UC Berkeley and a Master’s in Social Work with a dual concentration in Mental Health and School Social Work from San José State University. As both a board member and the parent of an ASJUSD 6th grader who has been in the district since preschool, Jennie brings a thoughtful blend of personal investment, professional insight, and community partnership to her leadership.

Professionally, Jennie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Statewide Mental Health Pre-Release Coordinator for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), where she serves as a subject matter expert in reentry mental health and oversees the Institutional Mental Health Pre-Release Programs for 16 of the 31 California state prisons. Her work gives her a unique perspective on the long-term impact of early support in schools, reinforcing her commitment to prevention-focused approaches within ASJUSD.

Jennie also serves as an appointed member of the Monterey County Behavioral Health Commission, is an active Rotarian supporting youth and community initiatives, and sits on several local scholarship committees.

On the school board, Jennie champions social-emotional learning, student mental health, and early intervention—key strategies she believes are essential in reducing the school-to-prison pipeline. She advocates for systems that identify and support student needs early, as well as for expanding opportunities to earn college credit, such as through Hawk Academy (having benefited from a similar program), ensuring that all children feel connected, safe, and able to succeed. Jennie is committed to transparent, community-guided decision-making and to strengthening the relationships among families, educators, and school staff. Her goal is to ensure that every student graduates prepared for college or careers, with the emotional and academic foundation they need to thrive.

Through her combined experience as a parent, licensed mental health professional, and public servant, Jennie Clayton remains dedicated to building strong, equitable school environments that help every student thrive and find their own version of success."

Contact Board Clerk Clayton: jclayton@asjusd.org

Casey Powers is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2018. Casey grew up in Aromas and spent all 13 years of her primary and secondary education in the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District.  Ms. Powers is currently experiencing the district from the parent perspective as she has a daughter in ASJUSD schools.

With a career focused on caring for and supporting the most vulnerable of our society, Public Service has always been a strongly held value for Casey. She began her career working with families in need of employment services, moving to working with children and families in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, and she currently works with people experiencing homelessness, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders.

Casey brings a depth of experience to the Board of Trustees which includes expertise in mental health, public policy, and personal experience with the district and community. 

Contact Board Member Powers: cpowers@asjusd.org

Kristen Schaefer is a parent, Aromas community member, and elected governing board member of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District.  First seated on the Board in December of 2022, she has served as Clerk and Board President of the Board during her three years of service. As a Board trustee,  she is committed to giving back to her community and supporting all of the children in the district from both Aromas and San Juan Bautisa. 

Kristen earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University at Monterey Bay. Professionally,  Kristen is the Sales manager for  Canadian Commercial Sales Team for Driscoll’s Inc. She has worked for Driscoll’s for three and a half years.  Her work experience has equipped her with skillsets in people management, cross functional communication, and leadership, all beneficial to her role on the board. Her knowledge of this important local industry partner has been invaluable to our efforts to expand our career pathways for students as we strive to prepare students for employment that will sustain our communities.

As a parent and board member, Kristen has been interested in the district’s efforts to bring music and the arts back to each school.  She also has stressed the importance of developing extracurricular activities and second language opportunities for all students in each school. In addition, she underscores the importance of a focus on Anzar High School.  Kristen’s husband is a graduate of Aromas School and Anzar and Kristen is looking forward to sending her two children to Anzar to continue the family tradition. 

Kristen is most proud of the parent involvement in our district which unites the community in support of the schools and the children they serve.  She points to the successful bond campaign supported by the board and its voters and the attendance at various district town halls as signs of the unity and excitement at the progress being made first in the rebuilding of San Juan School and now the current plans being discussed for continuing the work at Aromas School and Anzar. She also recognizes progress being made as graduation rates are improving at Anzar and the focus on math in early grades shows promise. Her hope for the future is that Aromas - San Juan Unified  reclaims its status as a destination district serving the needs of all of its children.

Contact Board Member Schaefer: kschaefer@asjusd.org

Jessie is a parent, active community member, and elected governing board member of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District. She has lived in San Juan Bautista since 2018 and has been a dedicated Rotarian since 2008. Community events she fundraises for and volunteers with include the SJB Rotary Holiday Lights Parade, Family Holiday Giving, the Rainbow Run, Rotary’s support of ASJUSD scholarships, and the Community Schools Foundation partnership (which provided internet access, tablets, and Wi-Fi hotspots for district students during the pandemic). As a mother of eight and grandmother of five (with another grandchild on the way), she brings a strong sense of family, service, and long-term community investment to her leadership. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, grounding her work in sustainability, systems thinking, and responsible stewardship of public resources.

Professionally, she is a public servant, serving as the Director of Multimodal Planning and Real Estate for the Valley Transportation Authority. She has more than 25 years of experience in project and construction management, environmental clearance, land-use entitlement, and facilities planning. Her work includes overseeing complex capital projects, coordinating environmental compliance, and managing large-scale real estate and infrastructure efforts from concept to completion. This background gives her deep insight into the long-term planning and maintenance needs of public institutions and directly informs her service on the district’s Facilities and Maintenance Committee.

Her expertise in facilities, site maintenance, and asset management allows her to advocate for safe, efficient, and future-ready learning environments. She has a strong interest in addressing workforce housing needs within the district, recognizing that stable, affordable housing is essential for recruiting and retaining high-quality educators and staff. Her early career as a park ranger also shaped her commitment to land stewardship, community service, and hands-on problem solving.
On the school board, she champions strategic facilities planning, thoughtful infrastructure investment, and collaborative community engagement. She is committed to transparent decision-making and to ensuring that district resources are used responsibly and equitably to support every student’s success. Her goal is to build and maintain school environments that are safe, sustainable, and supportive of both academic learning and staff well-being.

Through her combined experience as a parent, community volunteer, environmental professional, and public servant, Jessie O’Malley Solis remains dedicated to strengthening the district’s facilities, supporting its workforce, and ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality educational environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

Contact Board Member O'Malley-Solis: jsolis@asjusd.org