From a pool of 20 applicants, the Akron Board of Education has narrowed the list of candidates for its vacant board seat to five people.
At least two names are familiar in local public school education. Gwen Bryant is a longtime APS educator who came in fourth place in the most recent school board election. Pastor Gregory Harrison frequently speaks during public comment at board meetings.
William Blake, Carolyn Felton and Evelyn Rizzo also advanced.
The five candidates will be interviewed by the board on Tuesday, Oct. 15. A decision is expected shortly thereafter.
The board vacancy was created when Job Perry resigned from his seat to accept an appointment as a magistrate judge under Summit County Probate Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer. Whoever is appointed to fill Perry’s seat will serve until the end of his term, which ends on Dec. 31, 2025. They’ll be eligible to run for reelection after the term ends.
So, who is in the running for Akron’s public school board, and what are their qualifications? Below you’ll find each candidate’s resume and letter of intent in alphabetical order.
William Blake
Blake is the director of programming for the Rubber City Jazz and Blues Festival and the production manager for Blu Jazz+. He’s also the third vice president for Akron’s NAACP chapter and the director of broadcast production at Faith Temple Church in Akron.
A graduate of Firestone High School in 2011 and a Kent State University’s Stark Campus, Blake enjoys ties to Akron-area nonprofits.
Gwen Bryant
Bryant garnered 9,270 votes (fourth most) in the 2023 Akron Board of Education election, falling just short of earning a seat. She’s a longtime Akron educator, having served as an elementary school teacher (1978-1999). She later worked as a district-level instructional coach and a middle school literacy coach (1999-2011).
Bryant earned a master’s degree in Education from Kent State University and a Bachelors of Science from the University of Akron.
Carolyn Felton
Felton is a long-term substitute teacher at Akron Alternative Academy at Firestone CLC. She has been involved in Akron education for years. She previously worked at the University of Akron in the Upward Bound Classic and Educational Talent Search programs (2005-2019).
In her letter, Felton said she has “the knowledge and skills to be able to contribute sound and reasonable solutions to complex issues.”
Gregory Harrison
Harrison, who frequents Akron Board of Education meetings, is currently the senior pastor at Antioch Baptist Church. The Akron native graduated from Garfield High School in 1983 and the University of Akron in 2013. Prior to stepping into religious leadership roles, he served in the U.S. Army and was a longtime detective with the Akron Police Department, retiring in 2005.
Harrison said he was drawn to advocate for students when his son, also a Garfield graduate, was denied services to which he was legally entitled.
Evelyn Rizzo
Rizzo has enjoyed an extensive career in healthcare management and consultancy. In 2023, she founded Mobility HEOR, a data-driven consultancy firm. She touts her experience with complex datasets and strategic decision-making skills. She’s an Akron resident with two children enrolled at King CLC.
