The WIAA announced John Cerna, the Superintendent of the Toppenish School District, as its newest Executive Board Member, Wednesday. Cerna will fill the Region C seat vacated by Dr. Pam Veltri, who had served on the Board since 2010.
Cerna will begin his 40th year with the Toppenish School District where he began teaching in 1979 before moving into administration. He has served in his current position as Superintendent since 2010 after spending seven years as the Assistant Superintendent for seven years prior.
In the realm of athletics, Cerna has coached high school football, wrestling and baseball earning four WIAA State Championships from the coaching ranks. As an interscholastic athlete himself, Cerna was a three-sport athlete at Toppenish and twice qualified for Mat Classic.
Cerna attended Yakima Valley Junior College before earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Central Washington University and his Master’s degree from Heritage University, while earning his Superintendent’s credentials from Washington State University.
The WIAA Executive Board is comprised of 13 school or athletic administrators from WIAA member schools or school districts. The Board consists of representatives from each of the nine districts, three regional members and one at-large representative.
Assistant Athletic Director of Seattle Public Schools, Pat McCarthy, will serve as the Board President for the 2018-19 school year while Greg Whitmore, Athletic Director at Lind-Ritzville High School will assume the role of Vice President.