Fifteen applicants will vie for a vacant seat on the Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) board created by the resignation of former board secretary Pam Forton.

TCAPS received 15 applications for the open board seat by the district's 5pm filing deadline Monday. Forton resigned her seat effective November 23 for a term lasting through December 31, 2022. In the wake of her resignation, the board accepted applications to fill an interim board seat by appointment through the end of 2022. To be eligible, a candidate must be a registered voter in the TCAPS district, at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a resident of the state of Michigan for at least 30 days, and a resident of the school district on or before the 30th day prior to the date of the appointment. Property ownership is not a requirement.

The 15 applicants who will vie for the board seat include (in alphabetical order with brief biographical details pulled from their letters of interest):

> David Barr: Former TCAPS board member from 2005-2009, served as treasurer and vice president. Former National Cherry Festival board president, current LEAP coach, has two children in TCAPS system.
> Rebecca Cairns: Executive assistant and project manager for a confidential client in Chicago (working remotely from Traverse City); past experience working as an executive assistant for multiple clients in Los Angeles and Chicago. Has experience working for nonprofits including the Sundance Institute and Easter Seals.
> Amy Collins: 22 years of experience as a registered nurse, 16 years of experience as a local nurse practitioner, and experience as a faculty member at Northwestern Michigan College. Currently employed at Traverse City Orthopedics.
> Megan Crandall: Former TCAPS board member from 2008-2016, served as board vice president. Formerly served as an associate at Boomerang Catapult and as board secretary for the Local Community Stabilization Authority in Lansing. Founding board member of Traverse City Young Professionals.
> Kris Ernst: Sales professional with 27 years of experience. Life consultant for Protective Distributors, former wealth management consultant at Saybrus Partners. Single mother of four children ages 15-23, including TCAPS attendees and graduates.
> Jeremy Henner: 30 years of public service experience, including in the U.S. Air Force, Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, and as a defense advocate for Michigan's Veterans' Treatment Courts. Recently chaired the Michigan State Bar - Veterans' Law Section and is a current managing member and attorney at Henner Law PLLC. TCAPS father.
> Melissa Hogan: 12 years of experience as a physician assistant for Munson in Urgent Care, holds bachelor's degrees from Saint Louis University and Alma College, mother of a TCAPS student.
> Ian Kramer: Owner of Kramer's Bread and Butter Cafe in Traverse City, has extensive TCAPS ties (raised by two TCAPS teachers, wife and two siblings are current TCAPS teachers), holds a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University.
> Dannielle McGuire: Reading specialist for Michigan Virtual Charter Academy, adjunct professor at Ferris State University, current law student at Pepperdine University with an emphasis on educational law. Mother of TCAPS student.
> Monique Oosse: 12 years of experience as a TCAPS volunteer in elementary classrooms, libraries, robotics, band and DAC. Current treasurer of Friends of Sci-Ma-Tech for TC West Senior High School, training and work as a demographer and statistician for the U.S. Census Bureau.
> Andrew Raymond: Chief financial officer and vice president of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, former senior internal auditor at Munson Healthcare, former senior board trustee of Elk Rapids School District. Father of TCAPS student.
> Nicholas Roster: Current assessment coordinator and instructor at Northwestern Michigan College, instructor for Grand Valley State University in Traverse City and Westshore Community College (online), PhD graduate from Oklahoma State University with a focus on education, TCAPS father.
> Kevin Smiley: 35 years of experience at the Michigan Department of Corrections, president of the TC West Band Parent Organization from 2014 to 2017, current president of Music Boosters (TCAPS music program affiliate). Served on the Manistee Board of Education from 1998 to 2001. 
> Justin Van Rheenen: Owner of digital marketing company Kaleo Media, public relations manager and media contact for community group TCAPS Transparency, delivery driver for Moomers Homemade Ice Cream, holds a bachelor's degree from Faith Baptist Bible College in Iowa. TCAPS father.
> Hannah Witte: College student finishing associate's degree from Northwestern Michigan College in spring 2021, president of NMC's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and PTK regional officer of Michigan, student representative of the NMC Foundation. Recent TCAPS graduate.

TCAPS board members are required to fill the board vacancy within 30 days of Forton's resignation date. The timing of her resignation means several outgoing board members will vote on the appointee choice as their last action on the board on December 21 before a new slate of board trustees - who won seats in the November election - take office in January. Those new board members will not have a say in the appointee selection, but will serve with the chosen applicant for the next two years on the board.