The Maricopa Unified School District governing board voted unanimously this week to install Patti Coutré as its new president and Carolyn Lopez as vice president, a leadership change shaped less by a head-to-head contest than by members’ blunt assessments of what jobs they were, and weren’t, willing to take on.

The annual January officer election came late in the meeting, with Coutré, then serving as vice president, explaining the board’s tradition of polling members about which leadership roles they want for the calendar year.

Before any nominations, board members publicly staked out their positions.

Board member Ben Owens said he could step into the vice presidency “if need be,” but drew a hard line at the presidency. “I’m unable to step into a … president role,” he said.

Board member Carolyn Lopez went further, saying she wanted no part of the top job but was interested in the second-in-command role.

“I do not want the president role,” Lopez said, “but I would like to try the [Vice President] role.”

Coutré, by contrast, said she was willing to serve wherever the board wanted and signaled she was open to being president again, noting she had held the post previously.

“I always like to serve in whatever capacity the board wishes me to serve in,” offering Coutré humbly. “I would really be honored to represent our governing board if the board wishes.”

Board member Shawntae Rothchild offered to stay exactly where she was. 

“I am happy serving as the member that I am,” she offered concisely. 

With all other members ruling themselves out of the presidency, a board member moved to elevate Coutré from vice president to president.

“I move that Vice President Patti Coutré serve as the president,” the member said.

The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

“Thank you very much. I appreciate the vote of confidence,” Coutré said after the roll call. “I hope to serve you well.”

Former Board Vice President Ben Owens then nominated Lopez for vice president.

“I’ll nominate … member Lopez to the VP role,” he said, after briefly recognizing Coutré as president.

The board again voted unanimously, and Coutré congratulated Lopez: “You are now Vice President.”

Coutré’s new leadership role also comes with a notable recent history in district politics.

This is a return for Coutré to the Board President role. She previously served on the governing board for nearly a decade. In 2020, she resigned to take a job with the district after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her family’s employment situation. In a Facebook post at the time, she wrote that the pandemic forced a change in her work status and made it necessary “to seek stable full-time employment close to home,” adding that she had long hoped to work for the district after her board service ended.

“I have been offered a job at Maricopa Unified,” she wrote, “and I couldn’t be more thrilled than to have this opportunity to continue to be a part of the MUSD family.”

Coutré accepted a position as the Facilities & Operations Department administrative assistant, submitted her resignation to Superintendent Tracey Lopeman, and said she would remain active as a volunteer and advocate in the community, even as she left elected office.

In an InMaricopa interview from 2016, Board President Coutre said one of her priorities was teacher retention. The same issue exists a decade later, as the Arizona Department of Education recently released a report showing a devastating number of teacher resignations. At tonight’s board meeting, Coutre asked the district human resource officials to conduct detailed exit interviews and prepare budget proposals to help keep teachers in place.  

After electing its officers, the school board moved to adjourn. The first school board meeting of the 2026 began and ended in less than 30 minutes.