Meet the Board

Bayfield School District 10 Jt-R

Board of Education

Rebecca Parnell

President

Rebecca Parnell has lived in southwest Colorado for most of her life. She graduated from Ignacio High School, works as a real estate agent at Bayfield Realty, and is the proud mother of three Bayfield students.

While Rebecca is new to the school board—initially answering the call for a temporary board member and winning her first election in November 2021—she has a long history of public service in this community. In the past, she has volunteered to coach youth soccer, started a community food pantry, and participated in school district hiring committees. Rebecca brings her passion for the community, her degrees in business and marketing, and her experiences as a Bayfield parent into her new role and is excited to be a part of Bayfield School District in this capacity!

In her spare time, you can find her paddle boarding at the lake, watching her children’s sporting events, and hanging out with her family on their ranch.

Debbie Wilhelm

Vice-President

[email protected]

Debbie Wilhelm has been the Information Technology Manager at Basin Coop in Durango since 1997 and is a long time resident of Bayfield. She was born in Durango, and with the exception of a few years, has lived in Bayfield her whole life. She attended the Bayfield School District from Kindergarten until she walked across the stage and collected her diploma her senior year. She has 2 high school students that have attended Bayfield Schools from Kindergarten. Her husband, Brian, has 3 children that graduated from Bayfield. She has been on several committees for years in the school district and the community. She is looking forward to continuing to serve the Bayfield community as a Board of Education Director.

Matt Turner

Secretary/Treasurer

[email protected]

Hello, my name is Matt Turner. I was born and raised on my family's farm in Bayfield. After graduating from Ignacio High School in 2004, I went on to pursue an Associate Degree in Diesel and Transportation Technology from The Community College of Aurora in the Denver area. Upon earning my degree, I spent the next fifteen years working for Wagner Equipment as a mechanic and shop supervisor before moving back home to Bayfield in 2019 with my beautiful and understanding wife, Brandi. Currently, I spend the majority of my time working on our family farm and helping to raise our son and daughter who both attend Bayfield Schools.

My goal as a board member is to ensure the strong community voice of Bayfield is evident in every board decision.

Molly Orendorff

Director

[email protected]

Molly Orendorff is originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, and graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She has worked with children from infants through teens and their families for the past 20 years in the Bayfield area (with a short stint in Colorado Springs). She has worked in the entire district as a substitute, and at the Primary and Intermediate buildings as a Paraprofessional. She is excited to be on the Board and continue to serve the families and staff of the Bayfield School District in a new role.

In her free time, she loves to go to music festivals, camping, paddleboarding, and hiking with her husband, 2 kids, and dogs....or anything outside enjoying nature!

Justin Talbot

Director

[email protected]

Samantha Elk

Student Board Representative

[email protected]