Two seats on the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education are up for election this November — but only one race will actually appear on the ballot.
Trustee Area 1 is contested by three candidates: incumbent Noemi Hernandez Alexander, Jinane Annous and Duffy Atkinson. Trustee Area 5 drew only one qualified candidate — incumbent Brent Lee — so that race won't be decided at the ballot box. Lee will continue in the seat by default.
Here's where the Area 1 candidates stand, in their own words, along with a statement from Lee.
Trustee Area 1
Noemi Hernandez Alexander (incumbent)
Hernandez Alexander is seeking a second term representing Trustee Area 1. She's currently president of the RUSD Board of Education and describes herself as a first-generation college graduate with more than 20 years of experience across K-12 schools, community colleges and universities — as a teacher, administrator, scholar and parent of RUSD students.
Hernandez Alexander was named dean of instruction for languages, humanities and social sciences at Moreno Valley College in January. She previously served as interim dean of student services at Riverside City College and as a professor of political science and public administration at California Baptist University. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work and a master's in public administration from Cal State Long Beach, and a Ph.D. in political science from Claremont Graduate University.
She's running, she said, to build on progress made during her first term.
"While on the School Board, I have worked to strengthen our district's financial position, promote accountability, improve graduation rates, and expand support for special education," she said. "We have made significant investments and have expanded options to Career Technical Education (CTE) like welding, cybersecurity, construction, trades, biomedical, culinary, sports medicine, game design, automotive, and the arts. In collaboration with our colleges and city partners, we are investing in aviation pathways for high school students. We've been intentional in preparing students with the skills necessary to thrive in college and career."
Hernandez Alexander also cited new safety protocols and facility upgrades implemented during her term.
She said she's been endorsed by the Riverside City Teachers Association, the California School Employees Association and the Riverside Police Officers' Association.
Her priorities include strengthening early literacy and math instruction, expanding support for multilingual learners and improving special education communication with families. She'd also like to broaden access to dual enrollment, CTE and STEM programs, and arts and performing arts offerings. On safety and well-being, she's focused on stronger crisis response protocols, more student voice in decision-making and well-maintained campuses. Hernandez Alexander also said she wants to recruit and retain teachers, work with the city and local colleges on career pathways, and strengthen family engagement.
Jinane Annous
Annous holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of La Verne and spent 39 years in education before retiring four years ago. She worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director and deputy superintendent across Inland Empire districts including Fontana, Hemet and Rialto Unified. Her final five years before retirement were spent as superintendent of a small school district in Monterey County. She's continued teaching in the University of Redlands' graduate education programs after retiring.
Annous has lived in the Orangecrest neighborhood for more than 23 years and has served multiple terms as president of her homeowners association. She has a grandchild currently enrolled in an RUSD school.
Safety is her top priority, she said, along with restoring and expanding programs that help students compete for college admission.
She described her approach to school safety as cultural rather than purely procedural — building a campus climate where students feel accepted rather than targeted for their differences, paired with more training and stronger coordination with city police.
"It's a whole culture," she said. "... You're shifting the whole culture to make sure that people accept each other for their differences."
Annous pointed to programs like Future Business Leaders of America, which gives students research, public speaking and competition experience that strengthens college applications. She said she doesn't believe any RUSD high school currently offers a program like it. She also emphasized supporting English learners and special education students, drawing on her experience running about 150 Individualized Education Programs a year as a principal.
She said she's running a low-budget, grassroots campaign without a campaign committee or yard signs, relying on her experience and involvement in her local community.
"I'm retired, and I live in the community, and I have a granddaughter who still has four more years in our schools here," she said, "and I'm ready to commit my time and my efforts."
Duffy Atkinson
Atkinson, a retired businessman and RUSD parent, said he's running to bring fiscal accountability and business experience to the board.
Atkinson has lived in Riverside for more than 20 years. His wife, Liz, spent more than 35 years in public education as a bilingual teacher, principal and district administrator, and both of their children graduated from RUSD schools. Atkinson holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and finance from the University of San Diego.
"Our district shall be a place where all students learn at high levels, our schools and staff are laser-focused on student academic performance and constant improvement, and public funds are managed through a lens of accountability and long-term purpose," he said.
He also said he'd bring "thoughtful leadership and decision-making, and a commitment to honest representation" to the board.
His priorities include strengthening two-way communication with parents, focusing resources on core academic achievement, expanding career pathways and ensuring responsible spending of public funds.
"I'm running to be a decisive, resolute, and accessible voice for the families of Trustee Area 1," Atkinson said, "and to help build an RUSD where achievement is put first and every student receives an education that delivers results."
Trustee Area 5
Brent Lee (incumbent, unopposed)
Lee holds a bachelor's degree in economics and international relations from the University of San Diego and an MBA from the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at UC Riverside.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the students, families, and community of Riverside Unified," Lee said. "Because I am the only candidate for Trustee Area 5, there will not be a contested election for this seat this November."
Lee said his priorities for the next term include accelerating student achievement, expanding CTE and dual enrollment opportunities, supporting student well-being and safety, and continuing investment in schools, facilities and staff.
"Riverside Unified has made tremendous progress, but there is always more work to do," he said. "I'm excited about what we can accomplish together in the years ahead."
The Gazette will continue covering this race as Election Day approaches. Have a question you'd like to see the candidates answer? Email micaela@raincrossgazette.com and we'll consider it for a future questionnaire.
