The Dalton Board of Education voted today to select Manuel “Manny” Meza to fill the vacant board seat. The seat was left empty after former Vice-Chair Palmer Griffin announced his resignation at the May board meeting. Meza will serve the remainder of Griffin’s term, which ends December 30, 2025. 

Meza is an alum of Dalton Public Schools who graduated from Dalton High School in 1999. He attended Dalton State College and received a degree in marketing management. Meza has worked locally as a real estate agent for the past 22 years, and he also serves as a counselor for the Whitfield County Domestic Violence Court. 

Board Chair Matt Evans said the board is looking forward to Meza joining the governance team.

“Selecting a new board member to fill Palmer's seat was a challenge, because we had incredible interest, which is a testimony to how Dalton supports our school district,” Evans said. “However, we are excited to welcome Manny to our governance team and all of us look forward to working in partnership with him to make our district better. He clearly and passionately demonstrated that he is ready and committed to serving all our students. Our district will be well served by his life experiences and perspective, by his belief in the power of education and because his only agenda is what's best for all our students.”

Meza’s entire family is heavily involved with the Dalton community. His wife, Mayelli, is a local muralist and artist. Her murals were featured in the New York Times in 2022. Meza has four children who have all attended Dalton Public Schools. Isaac and Jacob have already graduated from Dalton High School and attend Dalton State and Georgia Northwestern Technical College respectively. Andree is a junior at Dalton High School who plays for the DHS soccer team, and Yunuen is preparing to enter her freshman year at Dalton High School. 

Meza said he is looking forward to serving the Dalton community in his new position on the Dalton Board of Education.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve on the Board of Education,” Meza said. “Educators made a difference in my life. My aspiration is to be part of the Dalton Difference by serving and representing our constituents and nurturing engagement among our parents. I know there is a learning curve to this position but I am grateful for this opportunity.” 

Meza’s first official board meeting as a member of the Dalton Board of Education is scheduled to take place on Monday, August 21.