President
Gregory Appling
gappling@gusdschools.org

“Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.”

Maya Angelou

Gregory was appointed to the Board of Trustees in May 2016, became the Board Clerk in December 2018, and Board President in 2020. Gregory has always focused his energy and efforts on helping to provide the best education possible for all students in the Gravenstein Unified School District. He has continuously worked with teachers, administrators, and fellow board members to provide an excellent learning experience with enrichments for all students. Gregory has represented the board as part of the ad hoc committees for Facilities and Construction, Kindergarten Discovery Program, and Negotiations. 

Gregory received his BS in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University in 1995. He worked in the environmental sciences from graduation until 2007 where he transitioned to residential construction. While working in construction Gregory became a licensed contractor and formed his own company before moving to the Gravenstein School District in 2014 and transitioning to his current career as a stay at home dad and field trip driver. Gregory has two children who are currently attending Gravenstein Elementary School. 

Clerk
Laura de la Roz
ldelaroz@gusdschools.org

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

William Butler Yeats

Laura was appointed to the Board of Trustees in May 2023 and became the Board Clerk in December 2023. Laura’s mother and grandparents worked in education and instilled in her a belief that a quality education should be free and equitable for all students and benefit the entire community. She considers being a member of the board as a way to honor her family and support the local community.

Laura attended Cabrillo Community College and UC Santa Cruz prior to moving to San Francisco. After working in customer service and administrative positions Laura moved into Human Resources. She was the Human Resources Generalist at The Art Institute of California, supporting both the San Francisco and Silicon Valley campuses for over 10 years. As a member of the Executive Committee she enjoyed collaborating with the academic and administrative departments and learning the nuances of supporting creative arts education and general curriculum requirements. Laura became a stay at home parent after having her son and enjoyed working at his co-op preschool, work that stoked her interest in pursuing a role with the Board of Trustees. In her spare time Laura enjoys hiking, cooking, working in her hobby orchard, reading under a walnut tree, and making cider.

Paula Braunschweig
pbraunschweig@gusdschools.org

"We are not what we know, but what we are willing to learn."

Mary Catherine Bateson

Paula is a lover of learning and nature, a biologist by training, homesteader and mother of two Gravenstein Grizzlies.  Paula was appointed to the Board of Trustees in December 2022.  She enjoys working with and for the Gravenstein community, volunteering inside the classroom, gardening, as well as serving on various committees including the Gravenstein Parent Association, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee and the Strategic Planning committee.

Paula received her PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from University of California, Davis, in 2012 where her research focus was on the intersection of neuroscience and immunology.  She moved in-district with her now husband while finishing her dissertation having come to the conclusion that the best thing for your brain and immune system is fresh air, exercise and being surrounded by plants and animals.  So they bought some land to raise some animals and grow some vegetables and eventually children.  From that land she worked at various colleges including Santa Rosa Junior college teaching biology, until 2019 and since then has been fully immersed in farm and family. 

She believes in the importance of sharing knowledge and instilling a sense of wonder and belonging in our children as a means towards creating a better, more beautiful future.

Jeri McNeill
jmcneill@gusdschools.org

Jeri was appointed to the board of trustees in April of 2021.  Prior to that she was a member of the GSF board and MPF. Jeri moved into the district in 2014, and has been part of the strong community support helping Gravenstein Union School District thrive. Jeri served as board clerk in the 21-22 school year, and has represented the board at the committee level as part of the Negotiations team and is a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging committee.

Jeri’s profession is in network engineering.  She works in the non-profit sector on critical internet infrastructure. She believes in building a secure and trustworthy internet that's focused on honoring the rights of the end-user. She has three children enrolled in the district. Jeri enjoys gardening, camping, cooking, and preserving her harvest. She also dabbles in making hot sauces with her family, in case this whole internet thing doesn’t work out.

Jeri believes deeply in collaboration and building consensus. This involves listening to stakeholders and empathizing with their point of view.

Zachary Saltzberg
zsaltzberg@gusdschools.org

Zach joined the Gravenstein Union School District Board of Trustees in December 2023, driven by his commitment to direct community involvement and ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive. As a Sonoma County native and a resident of Sebastopol for over a decade, Zach greatly appreciates the dedication of the many active teachers, administrators, staff, and parents who tirelessly work to enhance the lives of others.

Professionally Zach is the founder of a boutique digital agency and technology company, and brings his own mix of tech savvy and entrepreneurial spirit to the board.

His greatest source of inspiration is his daughter, a student at Gravenstein Elementary School. Outside of board meetings and the digital world, Zach is likely to be found with his hands in the dirt gardening, coaching soccer with WESCO, or adventuring in the great outdoors.