Nate Russell has been selected to fill a vacant position on the Sycamore School District 427 Board.

Russell, who with his wife has two children attending Sycamore schools, was sworn in to his new role in public office Tuesday night during a special Sycamore school board meeting in the district’s administration building.

That meeting – held at 5:30 p.m. – included the board’s unanimous 6-0 approval of Russell’s appointment to the board and an executive session regarding the compensation of at least one employee. However, nothing was announced to the public when the meeting returned to open session before being promptly adjourned.

Russell’s appointment comes less than two months after former board member Heather Tomlinson stepped down from the position in order to move to Shabbona, bringing her closer to family.

Despite moving from Chesapeake, Virginia, to DeKalb County in 2005, Russell isn’t a stranger to the Sycamore community. He has served as a board member and coaching coordinator for the Sycamore youth football and cheer organization for the past five years, according to a Sycamore schools news release. He has also served as the vice president of the South Prairie Elementary PTO.

Russell said he’s excited for the opportunity to serve on the Sycamore school board.

“I am passionate about helping create an environment where students are able to thrive academically, socially and emotionally, and where educators feel valued and empowered,” Russell said in the release.

Sycamore school board members don’t get paid for their time and effort. Russell, like the other board members, agreed to take on the responsibilities of being a school board member for free while still working his regular job as a senior PTC operations engineer on the positive train control management team for Metra.

He said that his professional experience has strengthened his problem-solving skills and abilities to work with a team and make “thoughtful decisions under pressure.”

“I believe that actions speak louder than words, and I intend to show my dedication through consistent, meaningful action on behalf of students, families and educators,” Russell said in the release.