Board of Education Selects Martin Veliz to Serve as Trustee
We welcome Martin Veliz to the Holland Schools Board of Education.
Veliz is a dad of a student at Holland Middle School and a leader in the community (LAUP, Jubilee Ministries, and Southshore Village Business Improvement District).
Veliz will serve on the Board of Education until the general election in November 2026. He is filling the seat left vacant by Linda Falstad who retired from the Board of Education in August.
As a proud graduate and parent of Holland Public Schools, I have experienced first hand the evolution of the district, students and families. Holland Public Schools has long been a leader in valuing diversity of both thought and culture and responsibly adapting to making that a priority. I strongly believe in this mission and being intentional with actions that reflect this strategy in my own personal and professional life. In order to be fully committed to this mission, we need to reflect the community we serve. As a trustee I hope to bring another voice of representation to the table through a strong network of collaborative partnerships. HPS faces unique challenges and with that comes an opportunity for creative solutions.
With over 15 years of experience in the financial industry,I believe I can bring new perspectives and resources to complement amazing programs like "Teachers Live Here" as well as new solutions to help drive financial sustainability for the district. In my professional career I also lead our internal Hispanic/Latina Affinity group, helping to drive inclusion, development and retention. I hope to be able to add additional insights to help not only with retention of our teachers and staff, but also the recruitment and onboarding of diverse talent.
Educational achievement is and should be at the forefront of Holland Public Schools. I see this as a parent of a Holland Middle School student: through curriculum, checkpoints such as the parent portal and engagement of our staff. I strongly believe that the strategic plan has laid out the foundation of actionable steps and benchmarks. However, we know that a big piece ofsuccess comes from the support and partnership with those at home. We need to meet families where they areat and help educate and support in their journey through HPS and beyond. But we do not need to reinvent the wheel, there are so many in the community already doing amazing work. We can continue to build on those relationships to work together in walking alongside our families and students.
I have had the privilege of serving on multiple nonprofit boards over my career including Jubilee Ministries, Southshore Village Business Improvement District and currently as the Board President of Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP). Throughout these roles I have gained experience in operational excellence, program development, financial stability and governance. In my years of service, I know I have been able to implement strong collaboration and partnerships with other leaders in the community that have helped propel growth.
Best,
Martin Veliz