Get to know Board Member Lalenia Quinlan Aweida

En Español

Prior to becoming a Boulder Valley School District Board of Education member in December 2023, Lalenia Quinlan Aweida devoted her time to various initiatives aimed at safeguarding vulnerable individuals. From her involvement with Blue Sky Bridge, working in classrooms as a Sexual Assault Prevention Educator, serving as a Victim Advocate for the Sheriff’s Office, to her tenure with Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA) and her Restorative Justice work with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, it’s clear that Quinlan Aweida is committed to the well-being of Boulder and the surrounding community.

With a deep-rooted passion for public education and a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing today's youth, she views the school board as a natural extension of her advocacy efforts. 

“We face challenges in changing school culture around sexual violence,” expressed Quinlan Aweida. “It's very difficult to change that culture, and that probably was the impetus for me to run. I think we need to work extra hard in that realm.”

Quinlan Aweida recognizes the difficult task of reshaping school culture, but remains firm in her belief that concerted efforts are necessary. With her wealth of community knowledge and connections, she is poised to make meaningful change in this regard.

Equally pressing for Quinlan Aweida is the issue of dwindling enrollment and its ramifications on the quality of education. She emphasizes the need for fiscal responsibility while ensuring that students receive a comprehensive educational experience. She’s concerned about the consequences of essential resources like art programs and counseling services being compromised due to low student numbers.

“We have to address the primary problem of declining enrollment and what we're going to do to make sure our kids get a comprehensive education,” shared Quinlan Aweida.

“We have schools that are only at 40% or 50% capacity. What happens is they don't get to have art or they don't have a full-time counselor. Sometimes they don't have a full-time principal. Sometimes it's things like accelerated math, which lots of kids like to take, but if you don't have enough students it’s hard to hold those classes. I want to make sure they’re getting a comprehensive education. I think keeping us in a fiscally responsible mode while dealing with declining enrollment is the biggest challenge that we face and I think it's the priority right now.”

Beyond her professional endeavors, Quinlan Aweida finds solace in spending time with her family, as well as activities like tennis and golf. Her personal investment in the school system is further exemplified by her children's enrollment in district schools. As a proud alumni of Boulder High, she remains steadfast in her belief that investing in public education is crucial for the well-being of the community.

“I'm proud to be part of a forward-looking and progressive school district,” Quinlan Aweida added. “I think we're doing a great job and we are going to keep doing a great job. Our schools are a really good investment in our community and I love that our community always says yes on bond measures. I hope they continue to support our schools.”

Have a question or feedback for Lalenia? You can reach her via email at lalenia.quinlanaweida@bvsd.org. To contact all seven board members (as well as the superintendent and the board secretary), email bvs.board@bvsd.org. Contact information for all members of the BVSD Board of Education can be found on the BVSD Board webpage.