Board Members
Diana Elliott
Diana Elliott, 1st Vice President
Term : November 2023 – October 2027
Diana Elliott was elected to her first term on the Strasburg SD 31J Board of Education in 2019. Her hope is to continue the work she has begun on the board after the next election cycle.
Diana is a retired special education teacher and a life-long advocate for public education in rural Colorado. A Colorado native, married to a band and choir teacher, she is the granddaughter of two, one-room schoolhouse teachers, a graduate of Strasburg High School and Metropolitan State College of Denver (now Metropolitan State University) with a degree in Special Education, the mother of two SHS graduates and the grandmother of five granddaughters, three who attend Strasburg Elementary School. She has an investment in Strasburg School District and is serious in her work on behalf of its students, staff, and administration.
Before retiring in 2019, after 25+ years in Eastern Colorado schools, Diana served on East Central BOCES Transition Team working to improve her students with special needs transition into the adult world. She also worked with the Response to Intervention and Crisis Intervention teams, both in the schools and EC BOCES, as well as the District Accountability Committees. Diana has an extensive knowledge of education on many levels.
Diana believes in public education and currently dedicates her time at both the local and state level to improve outcomes for students. As well as serving as Secretary of Strasburg’s Board of Education, she is the Secretary of EC BOCES Board of Directors and a member of the Colorado Association of School Board’s (CASB) State Legislative Resolutions Committee.
Diana considers it an honor to serve her community as a Director on the Board of Education of Strasburg School District 31J.
Gema Gomez
Gema Gomez, Treasurer
Term : November 2024 – October 2028
Mother of 3, two of which attend Strasburg school district. One is a senior in Strasburg high school and the other is a sixth grader in Strasburg elementary. They are both involved in sports. She is a Strasburg resident since 2019 and absolutely loves this community. Her husband and her own three 7 Leguas Mexican Grille restaurants, but she mostly manages the one located in Strasburg. Obtain her associates degree in applied science in human services for social work. She was born in Chihuahua Mexico. She loves spending time with her children. You can say it’s her self-care moment.
Michael Marrero
Michael Marrero, President
Term : November 2023 – October 2027
Michael was first elected to the board in 2018 and re-elected for a full 4-year term in 2019. Michael is a 20-year resident of the district and he and his wife Caroline have 4 children attending eleventh, ninth, seventh, and pre-school grades in the Strasburg schools. Michael is a Director of On-Highway Business Development for Cummins Inc. and has over 35 years of experience in Supply Chain Strategy, Manufacturing and Operations including 13 years in Management Consulting. He earned his BA in Economics from UCLA in 1991 and his MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina in 1998. Michael also served in the United States Navy’s Submarine Service for 9 years at both the enlisted and officer ranks. He is originally from Luquillo, P.R. and enjoys spending his free time watching his kids play sports, traveling and scuba diving.
Mary O'Malley
Mary O'Malley, 2nd Vice President
Term : November 2023 – October 2027
Elected to the board in November 2023, Mary has been a dedicated member of the Strasburg community for the past 12 years. Together with her spouse, they have three children enrolled in the Strasburg School District—one each in the elementary, middle, and high school. Mary helps manage her family's business, O’Malley’s Mercantile, where she has worked for over 20 years. With a strong passion for 4-H, Mary has served as a leader and volunteer for 18 years. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality moments with family and supporting her children's sports and animal show activities.
Courtney Vance
Courtney was elected to the board in November 2025 and is currently serving her first term. A Colorado native, she was born and raised along the I-70 corridor. Courtney and her husband, Matt, have lived in Strasburg for the past 10 years and have two children, Maximus (8th grade) and Reese (6th grade). Who attend the Strasburg School District.
She became a registered nurse 13 years ago and holds a master’s degree in Nursing Administration. Courtney currently works in quality and education for Kaiser Permanente across the Washington, Colorado, and Northwest Regions. While nursing is her profession, people are her passion.
In her free time, Courtney enjoys reading real paper books (not on a Kindle), skiing, golfing, and chauffeuring her kids to their activities.