Franklin County School Board Member-at-large Penny Blue was first elected to the seat in 2013.
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
Penny Blue
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
Gregory Maxwell
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Ti
Gregory Maxwell is one of two Franklin County School Board write-in candidates to challenge Snow Creek incumbent G.B. Washburn. He interviews with The Roanoke Times on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021.
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
TRT Dawn McCray
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
G.B. Washburn
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
G.B. Washburn interviews with The Roanoke Times on Aug. 19, 2021.
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
Carletta Whiting
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
TRT Carletta Whiting
HEATHER ROUSSEAU, The Roanoke Times
Franklin County School Board Vice Chairman Jeff Worley interviews with The Roanoke Times on Aug. 27, 2021.
Franklin County School Board meetings have radically changed in character during the past few months, with lengthy, intense public comment sessions leading into heated debates over issues that are both politically and emotionally charged — such as whether kids should wear face masks, and whether critical race theory is being taught in the school system, even though school staff members repeatedly insist it is not.
Franklin County School Board Vice Chairman Jeff Worley
Dawn McCray is running unopposed for the Franklin County School Board seat that will be left open when current Boone District Representative Donna Cosmato steps down.
Franklin County School Board Member-at-large Penny Blue, who has attracted national news coverage for her stands on race and against the Confederate flag.
G.B. Washburn has represented Snow Creek on the Franklin County School Board for two decades. Up for reelection this year, he chose not to seek signatures, instead planning as running as a write-in candidate, and now has a write-in challenger, Carletta E.Whiting.
Carletta Whiting is challenging longtime incumbent G.B. Washburn for the Snow Creek District seat on the Franklin County School Board, both are running as write-in candidates.
Family/Community: Franklin County native; the ninth of ten siblings.
Education: Franklin County High School, 1978; Hampton University, Bachelor’s in Math and Computer Science, 1982; Duke University, Master of Business Administration, 1995.
Time in office or additional information: Elected as Franklin County School Board member-at-large in 2013, winning five-way race; ran unopposed in 2017. Her late father, Charles Edwards Sr., served as member-at-large from 1977-1981.
M. Kevin David
Age: 50
Residence: Penhook
Family/Community: lifelong Penhook resident; married to Christie David, 52; the couple have two grown children, a son and a daughter, from previous marriages, and two sons together, 16 and 11.
Education: Franklin County High School, 1989; B.A. in biology, University of Virginia, 2013; D.O., Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2017.
Career: Owned a landscaping company after high school, returned to school to pursue a career in healthcare after 2008 recession; primary care physician with Martinsville Family Medicine since 2019; assistant professor at Edward Via College and Liberty University's College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Gregory Maxwell
Age: 36
Residence: Sontag
Family/Community: Married to LaToya Maxwell, 35; 3-year-old son; two daughters, 10 and 12, from previous partner.
Education: Franklin County High School, 2003; Advance electronics degree, U.S. Navy College, 2007; business degree, American National College, 2014.
Career: U.S. Navy, 2004-2011, 2nd Class Petty Officer, Sonar Technician Submarine (Sub Service); worked sales and technology related jobs. In February became information technology deployment technician for Kentucky-based computer service firm.
Additional information: Founding member of advisory committee on diversity formed in 2020 by Franklin County Supervisor Ronald Mitchell.
Dawn McCray
Age: 48
Residence: near Boones Mill
Family/Community: Christiansburg native; married to Jay McCray, 54; one daughter, 19, freshman at Ferrum College.
Education: Christiansburg High School graduate, 1991; B.S., professional communications and technical writing, 1999, M.S., occupational and technical studies, 2009, Old Dominion University; working toward a juris masters at Florida State University College of Law.
Career: began in human resources, transitioned to legal and compliance; works as senior management over legal services and compliance for a Roanoke dental insurance company.
Office: running unopposed to replace Boone District Representative Donna Cosmato on the school board. Cosmato is stepping down.
G.B. Washburn Jr.
Age: 57
Residence: Snow Creek
Family/Community: Married to Krystal Washburn for 36 years; a daughter and son who are grown and one grandchild.
Education: Franklin County High School, 1982; B.S. degrees in education and agriculture, Virginia Tech, 1987.
Career: 34 years with U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. Executive director of Franklin County/Henry County service center.
Office: Elected as Snow Creek District Representative on the Franklin County School Board in 1995, the first year school board members were elected, besting one opponent. Has held the office since, mostly running unopposed. Defeated a challenger in 2013 to retain seat.
Carletta E. Whiting
Age: 50
Residence: Snow Creek
Family/Community: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native. Moved to Franklin County in December 2018. Mother has lived in Roanoke 20 years; two brothers and one grown son in Franklin County. Two grown daughters and three grandchildren in Philadelphia.
Education: John Bartram High School, Philadelphia, 1988; B.S. in business management, University of Phoenix, 2012.
Career: 11 years in business office at DaVita Kidney Care in Pennsylvania; on disability since 2015 after surviving breast cancer.
Political activism: Recorded promotional video for National Rifle Association, shared March 2020 on the organization’s official social media accounts.
Jeff Worley
Age: 52
Residence: Rocky Mount
Family/Community: married to Leanne Worley, 48, Gereau Center principal; 12-year-old daughter.
Education: Franklin County High School, 1987; B.S. in psychology, Virginia Tech, 1991.
Career: 27 years with U.S. Post Office; sales and service clerk, Cave Spring.
Office: Ran unsuccessful campaign for board of supervisors, Rocky Mount district, 2013; won four-way race for school board, Rocky Mount district, 2017; unopposed in 2021. School board vice chair, starting second year.
Gregory Maxwell is one of two Franklin County School Board write-in candidates to challenge Snow Creek incumbent G.B. Washburn. He interviews with The Roanoke Times on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021.
