The Mingus Union High School District Governing Board has a new member, Will David, Ph.D., who was appointed by Yavapai County Superintendent of Schools Steve King on April 21.
David is a retired 30-year U.S. Army veteran, who was serving as an intelligence officer, and most recently an associate professor at the National War College, where he taught in the National Security Strategy graduate program. David earned a doctorate in May 2014 from the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University.
David fills the seat vacated by MUHSD Governing Board member Dr. Misty Cox, who resigned on March 25.
Daulton Venglar/Larson Newspapers
Overall, David was one of nine candidates who put their name for consideration in the appointment process. The other candidates included:
■ John Brown, owner and founder of Red Rock Collision and Bonecollector Wildlife Studio, who coached softball at Mingus Union High School for 22 years before retiting in 2022
■ Molly Davies, Economic Development director for the Town of Camp Verde
■ Jason T. Keller, owner of Signs 928 LLC
■ Michael Nisito, a Verde Villages resident
■ Corby Rice, a Cottonwood police officer
■ Ysabella Rongo, a Clarkdale resident who works for Raytheon Technologies
■ Julia Root, the Recreation Center supervisor for the Cottonwood Parks and Recreation Department
■ Brittney K. Walsh, an attorney with LaBenz Law in Cottonwood
David said that his career involved leading units into combat, conducting intelligence operations, preparing intelligence assessments and advising civilian and military officials. He worked in the office of the Secretary of Defense for three years and spent a year deployed to Iraq, and has commanded units ranging from platoons to brigades.
He said that his research interests include critical security theory, risk theory, conceptions of security, threat identification processes, elites and power, American political conflict, dominant discourses and oppositional knowledge, meaning making and environmental issues.
“I am both excited and humbled by my selection,” David said. “I spent 30 years in military service and one of the most challenging parts of transitioning to civilian life was that I felt the loss of camaraderie and shared values that were essential to mission success.
“Thankfully, my background, education and passion for teaching were a natural fit for a new path, one that has now led to this great opportunity to serve the students and people of this community. In short, my credentials were once based on mission accomplishment and soldier success. My credentials now rely on academic excellence and student success, and I am laser-focused on my new mission.”
“My two sons went to many different schools in many districts, a result of being a military family,” David added. “My wife and I were actively engaged with the schools although frequent deployments often disrupted my contributions. However, the breadth of those experiences revealed that all districts have issues, some unique to them, but most often not.
“I would like to address the challenges facing the district, such as funding, staffing, maintenance and technology upgrades, but I would like the community to see what I have already seen — remarkable teachers and staff who are also focused on student success and don’t have time to make excuses. They are passionate about what they do, and I want to work with the other board members to help Superintendent [Melody] Herne to further empower and resource them. As we know, the board ties the community to their school and Mingus Union is a major part of this community.
“Let’s all strive to make Mingus Union a standout school that attracts families from everywhere to the beautiful Verde Valley.”
