Board members and staff are excited to celebrate the success of senior, out-going student Board member, Pavan Venkatakrishnan. Pavan joined the Board as a junior in 2021 and quickly became a knowledgeable voice. A fervent politico, Pavan brings passion for policy to each meeting. During his time on the Board, he advocated for the passage of SB 5497 (student voting rights on the Board) and was a dynamic presence in testimony.

“There’s nothing average about Pavan,” said State Board of Education (SBE) chair, Bill Kallappa. “He’s one of the most intelligent, well-spoken, yet down-to-earth students I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to see what he does in the future. We’re grateful for his school and family for sharing him with the Board—his voice has been invaluable.”

Pavan plans to attend George Washington University in Washington D.C. He plans to study political science and economics.  

“In my first conversation with Pavan, I knew he was going to be an asset to the Board,” said SBE executive director, Randy Spaulding. “He’s very wise and you can tell he thinks about the ‘big picture’ when speaking and making decisions. We’ll miss him. We will see him again when he’s President.”

Photo: Pavan and Rep. Suzan DelBene. Find some highlights from Pavan’s time on the Board:

• September 2022: Podcast | Is Washington ready for this school year? (Crosscut)
• March 2022: Students close to getting voting power on WA education board (Crosscut piece)
• March 2022: Pavan and Gov. Inslee celebrate student vote bill signing (video)
• February 2022: House Education Committee (testifying on vote) (video)
• January 2022: Students Testify on Vote (blog)
  • Pavan’s testimony (video)
• December 2021: Request Legislation on Student Vote (blog)
• August 2021: These Washington state teens think students deserve voting rights on the state’s highest educational board (Seattle Times piece)
• June 2021: State Board welcomes Pavan (blog)