Mayor Anthony Williams has appointed longtime community activist Carrie L. Thornhill and Smithsonian official Robin B. Martin to fill the two vacant seats on the D.C. Board of Education.

The mayoral appointments require confirmation by the D.C. City Council, which is expected to schedule a hearing on the appointments soon.

Thornhill, a Hillcrest resident, has served as vice president for youth investment and community outreach with DC Agenda for the past seven years. DC Agenda was instrumental in the mayor’s successful campaign to revamp the formerly all-elected school board to a partially appointed body in June 2000.

Martin, 54, a Kalorama resident, is vice chairman of the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History and chairman emeritus of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Both Thornhill and Martin have been affiliated with the Federal City Council, a powerful private business organization that is known to often exerts its influence in the conduct of local public affairs.

Mayor Williams said he expects Martin’s extensive board experience and financial acumen to be helpful to the school board.

"Everyone knows our challenges, and establishing priorities, metrics and accountability must be a critical part of any solutions," Martin said in a written statement released by the mayor’s office.

Martin also is no stranger to the Washington political scene, having served as a staff assistant to former President Gerald R. Ford at the White House. From 1995 to 2002, Martin was a member of the private St. Alban’s School Board of Trustees.

Mayor Williams cited Thorn-hill’s extensive experience in civic affairs and her passion for public education as key reasons for her selection. She currently chairs the Hillcrest Community Civic Association’s Education Committee, is former vice chairman of the University of the District of Columbia Board of Trustees, co-chaired the D.C. Committee on Public Education and has been a member of the Public Charter School Resource Center.

Copyright 2003, The Common Denominator