The Bend-La Pine School District offices on NW Wall Street. 

Ross Tomlin was unanimously approved to fill the vacant Zone 6 board seat on the Bend-La Pine School Board on Tuesday night.

Previously president of Tillamook Bay Community College, Tomlin is scheduled to be sworn in at the Dec. 10 board meeting. He will serve until June 2025. Tomlin lives in La Pine.

The board interviewed three finalists and voted in Tomlin 5-0.

The Zone 6 seat, which was previously held by Melissa Barnes Dholakia, will be on the ballot in the May 2025 election for a two-year term.

Tomlin has had 42 years of experience in community college roles. He recently taught forestry at Central Oregon Community College.

He said much of his community college experience related to K-12 students as he worked with high school students as they transitioned to college.

The board selected three finalists from seven applicants on Oct. 8. The other finalists were Brandy Berlin and Jenn Lynch.