Karen Espinoza has announced her candidacy for the Petsworth Magisterial District seat on the Gloucester County School Board. A native of Newport News, she moved to Gloucester in 2013.

Espinoza, 55, said she retired in 2016 from a 30-year career as a small business owner and operator and that she had instructed students in career and technical apprenticeships. She is also a certified Christian Life Coach and operates a women’s ministry called “Sparkling Glass.”

Espinoza said the stories of hardship she heard while listening to young girls during the pandemic is what inspired her to run for the school board. She said she gained a deep understanding of how the shutdown negatively affected Gloucester students’ education and well-being.

Espinoza said she believes it’s important to keep the schools open and to get back to normal as quickly as possible. She also believes that term limits are a good way to ensure that residents have a fresh, new perspective to support local children...