Governor appoints new State Board of Education member

LOGAN — Gov. Gary Herbert has appointed Tami Pyfer, 48, of Logan, to fill a vacant seat on the Utah State Board of Education.

"This is a unique opportunity to be involved in a significant way," Pyfer said.

She was approved Thursday evening by the Senate Education Confirmation Committee.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on Pyfer's confirmation on Feb. 17.

Pyfer would replace board member Shelly Locke, of North Logan, who resigned in December, citing an overloaded personal schedule. Locke is a national parenting speaker.

She will serve the remaining three years of Locke's term representing District 1, which comprises Cache, Rich, Morgan, Box Elder and part of Summit counties.

Pyfer said she has no specific agenda on the board but is concerned about budget cuts and over-testing of students. While she served in the PTA and volunteered at her children's schools when they were younger, she said, she now wants to get more involved in public education.

Pyfer is a mother of five children; the youngest two attend Logan High School. She serves on the Logan High Community Council.

She also works for Utah State University, teaching clinical courses that prepare education students for real life in the classroom, including courses in technology instruction for special-education children.

Pyfer spent seven years working for the Logan School District Foundation and said she was encouraged to apply for the state board position by two Logan District Board members, as well as the district superintendent.

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