About the Governing Board

ROB STURM, PRESIDENT (2026)

Rob has been a Lafayette School District Governing Board Member since 2017.

Rob has been a practicing labor and employment attorney and litigator for 30+ years and currently serves as the Chief Litigation Officer for CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer.  Rob obtained his BS in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University and his JD from Boston University School of Law where he served as an editor on the Boston University Law Review.

Rob has spent significant time during his professional career performing volunteer service. His non-profit work has included volunteer teaching and non-profit board service, and Rob served for many years on the Board of Directors for CASA for Children of Klamath Falls, the Northern California Employment Round Table and the Lafayette Homeowners Council. 

His current Board Committee assignments include the Lamorinda Transportation/JPA, the Lafayette joint City/Schools Committee and the District’s Budget Advisory and Benefits Committees. He is also a Board liaison to Stanley Middle School and the Lafayette Education Association.

Rob and his wife Kristina have lived in Lafayette since 2009.  They have two children who attend Stanley Middle School and their youngest is a Burton Valley Elementary School student.

KATY FOREMAN, CLERK (2026)

Katy was elected to the Governing Board in November, 2022. Katy’s experience in our district includes serving on the Lafayette Elementary PTA Board for four years (President from 2020-2021), on the Stanley Middle School PTA Board, as Lafayette School District Rapport Chair, on the Lafayette Elementary Site Council, as Lafayette Elementary DEIB Committee Chair, as Lafayette Elementary’s “No Place for Hate” Parent Lead, on the District’s DEIB Committee for three years, on the District’s Parent Education Committee, on the Las Trampas Creek Council of PTA’s Executive Board, supporting the District’s Traffic Safety Awareness Campaign with the City of Lafayette, and a variety of other roles.

Outside of our District, Katy has volunteered with the Lindsay Wildlife Experience rehabilitating injured native animals, and served on the board of Lafayette Nursery School.

Her current Board assignments include Policy, City/Schools, Rapport, and the Benefits Committee.  She is the Board liaison to Happy Valley Elementary School.

Katy and her husband Todd have lived in Lafayette since 2003, and have two children, one attending Stanley Middle School and one at Acalanes High School. Katy grew up in Portland, Oregon, and earned a BS in Astrophysics from the University of Washington, where she also rowed on the crew team.

DAVE SMITH (2026)

Dave Smith joined the Governing Board in June 2021. Dave is passionate about public engagement, civic education, and social and emotional learning. He served on the board of Lafayette Partners in Education (LPIE) from 2019-2021 and on the leadership team for the Measure L parcel tax campaign for Lafayette schools in 2020.

Dave is the CEO of California Volunteers Fund where he builds public-private partnerships on behalf of California Volunteers, Office of the Governor.  

He is also the founder of X Sector Labs where he's consulted for business, government, and nonprofit clients on issues including executive coaching, leadership development, corporate citizenship, economic development, green manufacturing, service and volunteerism, civic education, community journalism, and mental health.

Dave is a graduate of UC Berkeley and has two decades of experience as an entrepreneur, coalition builder, and cross-sector leader, and he previously served as chief executive for the Presidio Institute, National Conference on Citizenship, and Mobilize.org.

His current Board assignments are Budget and CCCSB. Dave is also the liaison to Burton Valley Elementary and the California School Employees Association.

Dave is a sixth generation San Franciscan, enjoys playing golf, traveling the world, and going to Cal Football games. He lives in Lafayette with his wife, Maya, and their two children.

JON DEANE (2028)

Jon joined the Governing Board in December 2024. Jon is passionate about supporting our schools to provide every child the education they deserve. Jon has worked in K-12 education for more than 20 years, including many years as a middle and high school math teacher and as a high school principal. He currently serves as the CEO of GreatSchools.org, a national education-focused nonprofit organization. Throughout his education career he has focused on ensuring students have the academic knowledge, habits, and skills needed to pursue their passions. 

After receiving a great education at Burton Valley Elementary, Stanley, and Campolindo, Jon earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Stanford University and a master’s degree in education from the Stanford Teacher Education Program.

Prior to working in education, Jon began his career as a Certified Public Accountant. He currently serves on the board of Innovate Public Schools, and previously served as the Board Chair for the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, on the School Site Council at Miraloma Elementary, and on the advisory board for the Data Institute at the University of San Francisco. 

Jon and his family returned to Lafayette in 2021. He and his wife Laney have two children, one attending Stanley Middle School and one at Acalanes High School. 

His current LAFSD Board assignments are working with the Lafayette Education Association, LPIE, the Las Trampas Creek Council Legislation Committee, and the DEIB Committee. He is also the Board liaison to Lafayette Elementary School.

ALIDA SMIT (2028)

Alida joined the LAFSD School Board in December of 2024. She is a career educator, having taught for 36 years in elementary and middle school settings before retiring in 2021. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Saint Mary's College in Moraga, and her Master's Degree from the University of the Pacific with a specialty in special education. Alida's passion has always been understanding "the whole child" - addressing their academic needs as well as their social emotional development.

More recently, Alida earned her College and Career Counseling Certificate from UC Berkeley, and now assists young adults to identify their next steps after high school. She is a volunteer with Matchlighters, a non-profit organization that helps low income high school and transfer students achieve their goal to attend a four year college or university.

Alida's previous volunteer positions include 15 years as secretary for the Springhill Valley Homeowners Association, volunteering in her children's classrooms and for their sports teams, and four years on the Acalanes High School Drama Board.

Her current LAFSD Board assignments are working with the California School Employees Association, the Las Trampas Creek Council PTA, the Sustainability Committee, the Policy Committee, the Arts Planning Committee, and SEED. She is also the Board liaison to Springhill Elementary School.

Alida and her husband moved to Lafayette in 1997 and live in the Springhill Valley. Their two children attended Springhill and Stanley and graduated from Acalanes High School. Their son graduated from UC Davis and is a technology project director. Their daughter graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and is a human resources manager.

Alida grew up on an active dairy ranch in the Central Valley, the oldest of her Dutch immigrant parents' seven children, and the first to attend college. Her hobbies include enjoying the outdoors: hiking, biking, swimming- anything involving sports, gardening, reading, and relaxing with family and friends.