Civic Ticker

Aja Jester appointed to vacant seat on MCCSC board

Candidates to fill the vacant District 7 seat on the MCCSC board are interviewed by six current board members, from left: Cori Thornton Hammock, Aja Jester, and Gabriel Holbrow. (April 10, 2025)

Aja Jester has been appointed to fill the District 7 vacancy on the MCCSC (Monroe County Community School Corporation) board.

Making the appointment were the six members who remained, when the seat was left vacant after the resignation of Brandon Shurr on March 14.

Jester is a finance specialist with South Central Community Action Program. She described herself during the interview like this: "I am not one of many words in a moment, because I am a thinker. I really like to take my time to reflect …when communicating to others, constantly trying to be thoughtful of everyone's opinion, how everyone else's lived experience would play into something."

Jester said during the interview she has six children, which means that she understands what it means to be creative in finding ways to compromise.

The decision to appoint Jester came Thursday night (April 10), after the six board members deliberated for about an hour in an executive session that was closed to the public. Reviewing applications to fill a vacancy for a "public official" is on the list of allowable reasons for an executive session under Indiana's Open Door Law.

Before the closed session, board members interviewed three candidates at a public event held at the Co-Lab at 553 E. Miller Drive. The other two candidates interviewed by the board were Gabriel Holbrow and Cori Thornton Hammock.

Blake Garland-Tirado was scheduled to be interviewed but did not attend the meeting the interview.

Voting unanimously to appoint Jester were Erin Wyatt (District 1); April Hennessey (District 2); Ashley Pirani (District 3); Tiana Iruoje (District 4); Erin Cooperman (District 5); and Ross Grimes (District 6).

Jester will serve out the remainder of Shurr's four-year term, which goes through 2026. Also serving through the end of 2026 will be Wyatt and Pirani. The others (Hennessey, Iruoje, Cooperman, and Grimes), who were elected in November 2024, will serve through 2028.

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