Two trustees have been appointed by the Toronto District School Board, filling positions left vacant after the provincial election.

Alexis Dawson is the new trustee for Ward 9 (Davenport) and Fowzia Mahamed for Ward 2 (Etobicoke Centre), replacing Marit Stiles and Chris Glover, who were elected in June as NDP MPPs.

“We set out to find two individuals that not only were active in their communities, but champions of public education,” said TDSB chair Robin Pilkey, adding both women exude these qualities.

The appointments, made Thursday, are for the remainder of the current term, which ends Nov. 30.

Neither Dawson nor Mahamed plan to run for the position in the Oct. 22 municipal election, but both say they will consider running in future.

Dawson has lived in the community for two decades and is a long-time volunteer.

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The mother of two — her kids are 3 and 7 — was a co-chair of the Rawlinson Community School Parent Council, co-founded the Oakwood Village Garden Gang and volunteered with the Oakwood-Vaughan Neighbourhood Action Partnership.

She used to work in the private sector as a national account manager, but is currently a stay-at-home mom.

“My main goal at the TDSB is to ensure that the diverse voices of the community are heard and incorporated into every aspect of what we do,” said Dawson, a champion of marginalized communities, particularly the Black community.

She’s especially interested in ensuring Black students have access to resources, information and the necessary supports to achieve academic success.

Similarly, Mahamed has been active in her community over the past decade.

She has worked with youth-based organizations, such as Pathways to Education, where she helped students from inner city communities with high dropout rates achieve their full potential, and Delisle Youth Services, where she was a youth counsellor for mental health services.

She also worked at the TDSB — she was a student equity program adviser and a central co-ordinator for parent and community involvement — and was a professor of social service work at Humber College.

She’s currently an entrepreneur, working on a startup in health and education technology.

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“I’m passionate about equity and achievement,” said Mahamed, adding she’s committed to helping those who have traditionally faced barriers to education.

Given the short period of time until the municipal election, as well as the significant cost involved, the board opted to appoint two trustees rather than hold a byelection.

A selection committee made up of trustees, working with the executive search and recruitment firm Phelpsgroup, reviewed 27 applicants for the two positions.