Wayne County Commissioners appointed Detroit school board member Angelique Peterson-Mayberry on Wednesday to fill the seat left by Irma Clark-Coleman, who died last month.
Peterson-Mayberry held various positions with the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education since 2017.
Her appointment fills the vacancy created by Commissioner Irma Clark-Coleman, a former state senator who died on June 11. She was 88 years old.
Peterson-Mayberry will represent the 5th District, which covers the north-central part of Detroit.
“With her experience in the Detroit schools, along with a successful career in the private sector with Ford Motor Company, I am confident Commissioner Peterson-Mayberry will be an immediate asset to the Commission,” Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell, D-Detroit, said in a statement to Michigan Chronicle.
Peterson-Mayberry will need to run for re-election in 2026 to finish the term, which concludes at the end of 2028. She announced her resignation from the school board Wednesday on Facebook.
“After 8.5 incredible years of service on the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education, l’ve officially stepped down to embrace a new chapter as a Wayne County Commissioner,” Peterson-Mayberry said in a post on social media. “I’m so grateful to God for the opportunity to serve with purpose, passion, and a heart for this community. Every challenge, every student, every decision has shaped me, and I carry those lessons forward. Though my seat has changed, my calling remains the same – to lead, to lift, and to love the people I serve.”
The new county commissioner gave a shout out to Superintendent Nikola Vitti, the DPSCD board and district families and staff.
“…know that the person I am today has been shaped by our experiences, accomplishments, purpose, growth and commitment to our students and families,” she said.
Peterson-Mayberry was recognized as United Way Woman of Influence in 2024, received the African American Leadership Educator Award in 2023, and was named March of Dimes Regional Chairwoman in 2022 and Green Garner National School Board Member of the Year Finalist in 2021.
She’s a third generation UAW member, beginning her career as a custodian at Ford Motor Company nearly 30 years ago.
“The value of labor was instilled in Angelique at a very early age and attending protests; marches; and community meetings with her mom was just a routine way of life in her home,” her bio on the DPSCD website reads.
About Post Author
