Nadeen Bir

For Candidate Nadeen Bir on Issue school-services-resources: Advocates for honest budget discussions, accurate financial reporting, and transparency to support effective governance and avoid crises.

As of January 2, 2026, Nadeen Bir’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports a simpler, fairer salary system and a living wage for all DPS employees, ensuring no employee struggles to afford basic necessities.

For Candidate Nadeen Bir on Issue student-wellbeing:  
Opposes law-enforcement and immigration enforcement activities that put students, families, or staff at risk.

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Buket Urgen

Nadeen Bir got a bachelor's degree from the College of Charleston. She has a husband and two children.

Nadeen helped cofound helped co-found Mothers for Ceasefire, made up of a group of parents and caregivers "calling for an end to violence and for policies rooted in human dignity."

Advocates for honest budget discussions, accurate financial reporting, and transparency to support effective governance and avoid crises.

- Advocates for honest budget discussions, accurate financial reporting, and transparency to support effective governance and avoid crises.

School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

Supports a "simpler, fairer salary system" and a "living wage" for all Durham Public School employees.

- Supports a "simpler, fairer salary system" and a "living wage" for all Durham Public School employees.

Teachers

School Curriculum

Opposes law-enforcement and immigration enforcement activities that "put students, families, or staff at risk."

- Opposes law-enforcement and immigration enforcement activities that "put students, families, or staff at risk."

Student Wellbeing

Bettina Umstead

Bettina is an associate at The Equity Collaborative.

Bettina is currently a member of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education. She was first appointed to the Board in 2016 and re-elected in 2018. She is currently serving her second term and has served as the Board chair for the past two years.

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DPS Board Members | DURHAM

Bettina Umstead has a bachelor's degree in middle grades education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Bettina previously worked as an equity leadership coach, associate, middle school program director, chief program officer, and student teacher, 

Candidate Questionnaire: Bettina Umstead, Durham Board of ...

Bettina is currently serves as a County Board of Education Member for District 2. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her second term. 

Plans to address school facilities through a bond for new construction and major renovations to ensure adequate physical space for students and educators.

Supports expanding broadband access for students and advocating for financial support to improve connectivity.

- Supports expanding broadband access for students and advocating for financial support to improve connectivity.

Supports the Racial & Educational Equity Policy to address racial and socio-economic disparities in education and emphasizes the need for ongoing commitment to equity in the school district.

As of January 2, 2026, Bettina Umstead’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports increasing educator pay and making teaching sustainable.

- Supports increasing educator pay and making teaching sustainable.

Supports the adoption and implementation of the Racial & Educational Equity Policy to address racial and socio-economic disparities in the school district.

Supports expanding career and technical education programs.

- Supports the adoption and implementation of the Racial & Educational Equity Policy to address racial and socio-economic disparities in the school district.
- Supports expanding career and technical education programs.

Supports addressing the mental health crisis among students by adding more counselors, expanding mental health services, and implementing social-emotional skills curriculum in schools.

- Supports addressing the mental health crisis among students by adding more counselors, expanding mental health services, and implementing social-emotional skills curriculum in schools.
- Supports "LGBTQIA-inclusive policy."

Rachel Waltz

Rachel Waltz earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Delaware and a master's degree in social work from Columbia University. She lives with her child in Durham.

Rachel currently works as a system improvement advisor for Community Solutions, Inc., a non-profit seeking to end homelessness. She previously worked as a manager with the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, a clinical instructor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hell School of Medicine, a social worker with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development-Veteran's Affairs Supportive Housing program, and the empowerment program director of Neighbors Together Corp.

Rachel's campaign for Durham County Board of Education, District 2 is her first run for public office.

- Supports sharing data and using plain language to build community partnerships.
- Supports organizing schools to leverage strength by hearing new voices, collaborating, and implementing feedback.

As of January 2, 2026, Rachel Waltz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Believes schools should retain their teachers and fairly allocate resources to deliver the best instruction.

Candidate website

Supports sharing data and using plain language to build community partnerships.

Supports organizing schools to leverage strength by hearing new voices, collaborating, and implementing feedback.

Believes schools should retain their teachers and fairly allocate resources to deliver the best instruction.

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 