
The Prince William School Board Chair At-large race is now three-way.
Carrie Rist, 43 will seek the Prince William County School Board Chairman At-large seat.
Rist will seek the Prince William County GOP endorsement. She’s running against Babur Lateef, the incumbent with an endorsement from Democrats, and Julia Biggins.
By law, school board members do not campaign with party affiliation.
In a press release, Rist said she aims to draw a contrast with the current school board and will run on a pro-parent and pro-achievement platform.
“I am driven to give the parents, the families, and the students in Prince William County a voice to be heard and not dismissed,” Rist told a gathering of supporters on Monday night.
The candidate summarized her priorities with the acronym “TEAM”: “transparency,” “empowerment,” “accountability,” and her conviction that Prince William County’s students and parents deserve “more.”
Rist has lived in Prince William County since 2014, when her military family returned from overseas. She previously lived in Germany, Guam, and South Korea, where she taught at Sunchon Boys’ High School and earned her Juris Doctor at Handong International Law School, focusing on human rights advocacy.
“My first job was as a teacher,” Rist said in Monday night’s announcement speech. “I have a passion to teach and the utmost respect for teachers.”
In addition to working full-time and raising her family, Rist remains active in the community, volunteering at the school cafeteria and coaching boys’ soccer.
Rist has five children, ranging from 8 to 15 years old. In addition, two stepchildren, ages 23 and 26.