FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tampa, Fl. (November 18, 2025) – Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) announced the election of new leadership on the School Board following the annual reorganization meeting. The Board elected Karen Perez as Chair and Nadia Combs as Vice Chair.
Karen Perez was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 2018, representing countywide District 6. She holds a master’s degree in social work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida and New York. Perez works with patients and families at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and operates a private practice, Embracing Changes Center for Wellness. She is certified in multiple specialties, including trauma, domestic violence counseling, forensic counseling, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Beyond the board, she serves on numerous boards and committees, including Safe and Sound, the Florida School Board Association (FSBA), Veterans Transportation Service (VTS), and the LGBTQSA Committee.
Nadia Combs was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 2020, representing District 1. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies education and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of South Florida. Combs began her teaching career in Japan and later served in Hillsborough County Schools as a teacher, department head, and district trainer, earning multiple teaching awards. Beyond the board, she serves on the Glazer Children’s Museum Board, USF Dean’s Advisory Council, Career Source Education Consortium, and the Children’s Cancer Center Knead for Knowledge Scholarship Committee.
Superintendent Van Ayres commented on the new leadership, stating, “I want to congratulate our newly elected School Board chair and vice chair, as well as each member of our Board, on today’s reorganization. As a governance team, we are united in keeping students at the center of every decision we make. I look forward to working side by side with the Board in the year ahead as we continue to expand opportunities for every student.”