Meet School Board President Kevin Erickson -- A Decade of Service
Publish January 21, 2021
Kevin Erickson was first sworn in as a member of the Ferndale School Board in October of 2010, when he was selected to fill the seat of longtime member Dr. John Hruby, who decided to retire in the middle of his term. Since then, Kevin has been elected for two consecutive four-year terms, which means he completed a decade this past October. During half of those years, he served as Board President, leading the School District through many challenges and also many successes, including a nearly 30% increase in our graduation rate and the passage of the largest capital projects bond in the district’s history.
When asked why he chose to pursue a seat on the Board, Kevin replies, “Initially, my reasons were twofold. I wanted to give something back to my community by helping shape the education of future generations. I also wanted to fix what I thought was wrong with the system. I have learned a great deal as a Board member, including a lot about the incredible complexities and inner workings of a public school system. Like a lot of people who take on a role like mine, I have learned there is more to the system than I realized and not as much wrong with it as I may have once thought. The bottom line for me -- providing input and direction to the education of future generations is the biggest reason I serve.”
A lifetime resident of Ferndale, Kevin and his family have experienced Ferndale schools firsthand. He attended Mt. View and Central as an elementary student and Vista as a middle schooler. He graduated from Ferndale High School in 1984, following in the footsteps of his parents, Rod (Class of 1959) and Darlene (Class of 1962) and paving the way for his younger brother, Kent (Class of 1988). Kevin and his wife, Robin, have three sons who have all graduated from FHS during Kevin’s tenure on the Board -- Daniel (Class of 2015), Andy (Class of 2017), and Mike (Class of 2019).
By profession, Kevin is a veterinarian, co-owner of Kulshan Veterinary Hospital since 1990, and currently managing partner of the business. He works primarily with small animals, specializing in general surgery and orthopedics. When he’s not managing a veterinary clinic, doing surgery on someone’s beloved pet, or governing a school district, he enjoys spending time with his family, camping, reading, and gardening. He is also a member of Ferndale First Baptist Church.
“The thing that makes me proudest of our district,” says Kevin, “is the dedication and heart of the people who work there. They believe each child can and will do great things, and they do whatever it takes to help facilitate that potential.”
Kevin is looking forward to the time when the Ferndale School District can get back to where it was a couple of years ago. He explains, “Between the cuts associated with the reduced levy and the challenges of the COVID pandemic, our students' education has taken a tremendous hit.” He adds, “I also hope we can continue to work toward greater trust and a stronger partnership with the community. Rather than mis-spending so much energy focusing on our differences, I would like to see us come together to create new and improved opportunities for students.”
Thank you, School Board Member Kevin Erickson! We appreciate you!
Antonio Machado was elected to the Ferndale School Board in November 2023. “I thought that if I am serving my kids at home, I feel there’s a lot I can provide to the kids in our community. It’s a desire to serve others.”
Machado works for Western States Petroleum Association as their Senior Manager for Regulatory Affairs. Before this, he worked in multiple positions for Phillips 66 for 13 years. In his spare time, Machado loves playing tennis, golfing, drumming, and spending time with his family and their dog, Rosie.
Machado has lived in Ferndale for about 13 years. He was born and raised in Mexico City, and moved to the United States for educational opportunities. He has three children in Ferndale School District. Machado's main goals as a Board Member are to support Superintendent Dominguez and continue improving the district as a whole.
“I'm here to make sure the things that are going good continue, and to work on the things that can be improved on. I'm here to collaborate -- to add, not subtract."
Nancy Button Legislative Representative
360.961.9323 nancy.button@ferndalesd.org
Term Expires: 11/2027
District Director: 3
Nancy Button was elected to the Ferndale School Board in November 2023. "I felt called to serve on the Board, and I saw that everything that I had done in education had led me to this point."
Mrs. Button taught at Central Elementary School for 20 years (primarily in 4th and 5th grades) before retiring in 2021. She also spent a year teaching in the Philippines. In her spare time, Button loves outdoor activities like skiing, boating, kayaking, and spending time with her family. She’s actively involved in the Ferndale Heritage Society and enjoys singing in a local Dixieland band, too.
Button, originally from Bellevue, moved to Whatcom County to attend Western Washington University in 1978. She fell in love with the area, as well as her future husband, Dale. Their son and daughter attended Skyline and Vista, and graduated from Ferndale High School in the 2000’s. Their children were well prepared for their futures by attending Ferndale Public Schools; now one is an RN and the other is finishing law school.
Button says that her main goal as a Board Director is to promote academic rigor. She does not want any students that come from our district to need remedial education in order to take their place in any college, university or workplace. She wants all students to be prepared for fulfilling lives beyond their school years. She believes parental involvement is paramount to students’ success. She is happy to see that during the first half of her 4-year term a Strategic Plan was developed and adopted by the board, giving focus and direction to everyone in the district. Another win, the cell phone policy, implemented in the fall of 2024, is showing positive outcomes for students, socially and academically.
Button is grateful for the opportunity the voters have given her to serve our community on the School Board. She welcomes people reaching out to share their ideas, dreams and opinions to help her navigate the decisions she makes, keeping students front and center
I am honored and excited to serve the Ferndale School District as your Board Director for District #4. As a lifelong Ferndale resident and 1996 graduate of Ferndale High School, this community is home in every sense of the word. My wife Wendy and I are proud to be raising our family here—our daughter is a senior at Ferndale High School and our son is a 6th grader at Vista Middle School. Go Ferndale!
While attending Ferndale High School I was heavily involved in both marching band and athletics — experiences that taught me discipline, teamwork, and the value of strong school programs. I still volunteer regularly with the Ferndale High School marching band to this day because I know how much those activities shape young lives.
After graduation, I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Technology from Western Washington University in 2001. For nearly 30 years I have worked in the communications industry, currently helping build and maintain one of the nation’s premier fiber-optic networks. The skills I’ve developed in project management, long-term planning, and fiscal accountability directly support my focus on responsible stewardship of district resources.
I ran for the school board because I believe Ferndale students deserve a state-leading educational experience that prepares them for lifelong success. My priorities include strong fiscal responsibility, proactive facility maintenance, safety for every student, and robust academic and extracurricular programs that develop well-rounded, future-ready adults.
Community involvement has always been part of who I am. I proudly coach both the boys’ and girls’ tennis programs at Ferndale High School, serve on the Golden Eagle Booster Club, and am a former member of the Bond Oversight Committee that helped deliver our beautiful new high school. I also create and manage motion graphics for our athletic video scoreboards and help with set construction for FHS musicals—anything to make our student-athletes and performers feel valued and supported.
When I’m not at a school event, you’ll probably find me out on my lawn mower keeping our green grass meticulously manicured or daydreaming about a getaway to Palm Desert playing tennis in the sun!
I’m grateful for the trust you’ve placed in me and look forward to working together to keep Ferndale School District among the very best. Please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m always here to listen.
Peggy Uppiano was elected to Ferndale School Board in November 2021: “When approached in 2021 with a request to run for school board, I decided to file. I appreciate the community support I received in earning a spot on the board. I also am grateful for the help from other board members and school staff as I begin my duties.”
Mrs. Uppiano has worked as a tutor for many years, beginning by helping fellow classmates in college. She currently tutors students in math and English, online and in person. She also works scoring essays and extended response math problems on standardized tests. In her spare time, Uppiano enjoys working on geometry puzzles, reading, and watching movies about history and science fiction.
Uppiano and her husband, Karl, moved to Ferndale from Caldwell, Idaho in 1986. Their four children attended Ferndale schools and nearby colleges. Three have earned their degrees, and one is nearing graduation. Uppiano says that her main goal is to see that all students receive a quality education, as strong public schools benefit the local community.
“It is in the public interest that citizens have the skills and knowledge to work and engage in society. Strong core knowledge, curiosity, and analytical thinking are essential to independent lifelong learning.”
When Harleen Malli applied for the Student School Board Representative position this spring, she hoped to serve as a voice for students who may not feel comfortable sharing their perspectives to school district leadership.
“To me, a good School Board Student Representative needs to represent your people,” said Malli, a junior at Ferndale High School. “I know a lot of people feel that they can’t speak up, so I want to be the person to speak up for them.”
Malli began her two-year tenure on the Ferndale School Board this summer, joining FHS senior Gabby Lenssen. These two Student Representatives get an advisory vote in Board decisions, and play a critical role by serving as a conduit between Board members and Ferndale students.
And for Malli, that doesn’t just mean high school students. She and Lenssen have already made plans to visit Ferndale’s elementary and middle schools to hear from the district’s youngest students, so they can share those viewpoints with Board members.
“I’m so excited to meet so many different types of students, hearing their opinions, and their perspectives on things,” she said.
Malli has lived in the same Ferndale home for her entire life, attending Cascadia Elementary School and Horizon Middle School before moving up to FHS. She was elected as the high school’s Associated Student Body Vice President for the 2024-25 school year.
Ferndale schools are special because of their diversity and their wide range of extracurriculars and elective classes that students can participate in, Malli said.
“We have so many opportunities for students here, and I just find it so incredible,” she said. “Our CTE (Career and Technical Education) opportunities, all the clubs that we have – there is something for everyone.”
Malli has taken full advantage of those opportunities – she’s on the Golden Eagles girls’ tennis team, participates in National Honors Society and in the FHS South Asian Club, and went to state with the high school DECA team.
Although Malli isn’t sure exactly which college she’ll attend after high school – she’s aiming for either an east coast school or the University of Washington – she plans to study engineering or political science.
“I want to do something that helps people, that’s something I’m really passionate about,” she said.
But for now, Malli is thrilled to start her two-year tenure as a Student School Board Representative.
Meet new Student School Board Representative Marcus Javelosa
Marcus Javelosa became interested in applying for the Ferndale School Board Student Representative position when then-Student Representatives Gabby Lenssen and Harleen Malli visited his history classroom and encouraged students to consider. After being selected by the School Board, he felt “a great sense of relief,” and now he’s excited to be a voice for all Ferndale students.
Ferndale’s two Student Representatives for the 2025-26 school year, Malli and Javelosa, get an advisory vote in all School Board decisions. They also play a critical role by serving as a conduit between Board members and Ferndale students.
Javelosa, an incoming junior at Ferndale High School, began attending Ferndale schools in 7th grade at Vista Middle School. Since day one, he’s appreciated the district’s welcoming atmosphere.
“I just love the community here,” Javelosa said. “Everyone has been so nice to me, and I’ve really gotten to flourish.”
One of Javelosa’s goals as a Student Representative is to continue and expand the student outreach program that began last year. The two Student Representatives will visit with students throughout the school district to gather their feedback on various topics.
“We want more input from all the schools in our district, not just the high school, so we can make better decisions for our district,” Javelosa said.
Javelosa is an excellent student, and his favorite subjects are history and science.
“History still affects how we live today and the choices that we make,” he said. “It’s interesting that there are people that I’m never going to meet, but they had such a big impact on the world.”
In his spare time, Javelosa is a dedicated volleyball player for his club team. He also helps his mother, Ishie Maughan, coach Vista Middle School’s volleyball team and serves as the team manager for the Golden Eagles volleyball team.
Although he still has a couple more years until graduation, Javelosa already has career goals. He hopes to attend a university in a major city, such as the University of Washington or University of California-San Diego, and enroll in medical or dentistry school.
Fun facts about Marcus Javelosa
Favorite food: Chipotle (go-to order: build-your-own tacos with chicken)
Favorite movie/book: The Hunger Games trilogy
Favorite musical artists: Faye Webster and Radiohead
