If anyone ever tells you voting doesn’t matter, point them to a nail-biter school board race in Gresham that had the results flip-flop between the two candidates.

Heather Coleman-Cox claimed a spot on the Gresham-Barlow School Board after winning by 107 votes in the 2025 May Special Election. She bested Stefanie Craft to claim the vacant at-large Position 6.

The final election update had Coleman-Cox get 50.11% (4,708 votes); while Craft received 48.97% (4,601). Nearly 9,400 votes were cast in the race.

The seat was vacated following incumbent Mayra Gomez’s withdrawal because she’s moving out of state.

Coleman-Cox’s colleagues on the board got to enjoy unopposed contests — Brenna Puderbaugh (Position 3, Zone 2); incumbent Holly Riegelmann (Position 4, at-large); and incumbent Blake Petersen (Position 5, Zone 4).

Puderbaugh had 97% of more than 6,800 votes; Riegelmann had 97% of more than 7,600 votes; and Petersen had 97% of more than 7,200 votes.

All four positions are four-year terms ending June 30, 2029.

Meet the Board

Coleman-Cox is a former engineer with Intel Corporation and Frontier Communications. She is a Grant High alum and has been serving on the Gresham Community Enhancement Committee since the spring.

Puderbaugh is taking over a position that has been vacant since Cathy Keathley was successful in her bid to run for Gresham City Council. She works as a creative director and is a former preschool teacher. Puderbaugh is a Reynolds High alum and attended Mt. Hood Community College.

Riegelmann is the bookkeeper at Riegelmann’s Appliance and a Barlow High alum. She is the current vice chair of the School Board.

Petersen is a financial analyst with the city of Gresham and served in the U.S. Army. He is a Barlow alum and attended the United States Military Academy West Point. He has been on the School Board since 2017.