Melissa Laramie has resigned her position on the Auburn School Board and left her communications director job with the Kent School District to take a job in Georgia.
Laramie started April 27 as the chief communications officer for Gwinnett County Public Schools. That’s the same district that hired Kent School District Superintendent Calvin Watts last summer to be its new superintendent.
The school board of Gwinnett County Public Schools voted April 22 to hire Laramie, according to gwinnettdailypost.com. She will replace Sloan Roach, who is retiring after nearly 18 years in the position.
The Kent School District hired Laramie in 2018 as director of communications. She resigned from that job April 15.
Laramie had annual salary of $163,221 in 2021 with the Kent School District, according to govsalaries.com. Roach had an annual salary of $171,523 in 2021 with Gwinnett County Public Schools, according to govsalaries.com.
Prior to coming to Kent, Laramie worked just over six years with the Puget Sound Educational Service District as director of communications and public relations.
Laramie started her new job April 27.
“This new role is an honor and a privilege, it is an opportunity that I have worked for and earned, but not without the support of others, many of whom are leaders of color like me,” Laramie said on her linkedin.com account. “Leaders who took the time and energy to pour into me, to develop my skills, talents and abilities. Leaders who helped me learn from my mistakes and accepted me as a whole person.”
Laramie is Sinixt and an enrolled member of the Colville Confederated Tribes-Lakes Band, according to the Auburn School District, and has a daughter in middle school.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity to join #TeamGCPS, to serve the students, families, staff and community of Gwinnett County, and to continue to show young women, especially young Native women, like my daughter, that there are careers where your passion and skills align, where you can be accepted, fulfilled, challenged and find joy, and you do not have to leave your culture, heritage or personhood at the door to do it successfully,” Laramie said.
Voters elected Laramie in November 2021 to the Auburn School Board. She submitted her resignation after the April 25 meeting. Her term would have ended in 2025. Laramie defeated Dirk Dearinger with 57.41% of the vote in the November election.
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