Board of Education

MEGAN E. MURRAY SPARKS joined the Centerville Board of Education in January 2018 and currently advises the Board of Education Student Representatives, a group of Centerville High School students who work to better education in both Centerville City Schools and in Ohio.

Megan is a second-generation Elk, and after graduating from Centerville High School, she went on to The Ohio State University where she earned a degree in human ecology and a master’s degree in early childhood education. Her roots in Centerville gave her a passion for learning, and this fall she is starting a second master’s degree.

Megan and her husband have five children. Their oldest child is autistic, and Megan has become a voice for other families who have students with special needs. She was a founding member of the Elks with Special Needs Support Group and coaches for the Centerville’s Special Olympics Track and Gymnastics teams, as well as local soccer and basketball teams. She also volunteers with the district's Destination Imagination program and has served in numerous volunteer roles with PTO, the Academic Volunteer Program, and at Incarnation Parish.

Current term expires December 2029

ALLISON DURNBAUGH began her service on the Centerville Board of Education in January 2020. A 2000 graduate of Bowling Green State University in Business-Finance, Allison has lived in the Centerville-Washington Township community since 2001.

Allison brings almost 20 years of experience in the local financial industry to the board. She currently works as a registered sales assistant for an independent registered investment advisor in Springboro.

Allison is very passionate about volunteering in the community and the schools and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Centerville Education Foundation and on the executive leadership team for Relay for Life of South Dayton. She also enjoys spending time as an academic volunteer for the district as well as lending her time to the Centerville Coed Dance Team parent board and other school volunteer organizations.

Allison and her husband have three children in Centerville City Schools, who are very involved. She enjoys cheering on her children in their athletic endeavors and attending athletic and theater/art events within the district. Allison strongly believes in the outstanding academic and extracurricular opportunities that Centerville offers, and she is proud to serve the district and community to continue to make it stronger.

Current term expires December 2027

DR. AMANDA GRAF joined the Centerville Board of Education in 2024. She is a graduate of Centerville High School and a parent of current Centerville students. She brings her passion for the health and well-being of all children and a desire to serve the schools and community to the board.

Dr. Graf attended The Ohio State University for her undergraduate and medical education. She completed her pediatric residency training at Brown University and her neonatology fellowship training at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She is a neonatologist in the Dayton community and in her spare time enjoys riding the bike paths and time with her family and pups.

Current term expires December 2027

MARK PETERS joined the Centerville Board of Education in 2026. Mark brings professional experience in financial services and analytics to the board. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Missouri State University and a master’s degree in statistics from Iowa State University and has spent his career in roles that emphasize thoughtful decision-making, fiscal responsibility, and long-term planning.

Mark’s children both attended Centerville City Schools and are graduates of Centerville High School. During that time, Mark was actively involved in the schools, including serving as budget advisor for the Centerville Jazz Band for seven years and as the parent representative for boys’ tennis with the Athletic Boosters for four years.

Mark believes strongly in the value of public education as the foundation of a strong community and an opportunity for all children to grow and succeed. He is honored to serve and is committed to listening, learning, and working collaboratively to support the continued success of all Centerville students.

Current term expires December 2029

KATHY CRIPPEN began her time on the Centerville School Board in January 2026. Before serving on the board, Kathy taught in the district for 32 years. She taught most of those years at Stingley Elementary as an Intervention Specialist for grades 2-5. Kathy also had the pleasure of teaching at Tower Heights Middle School for one of those years. 

Born and raised in Centerville, Kathy’s passion has always been education. Working with children to learn how to read has been her greatest joy. Watching the lightbulb of learning and experiencing success with books is a gift the students will take with them throughout life. During her time in the district, Kathy was able to serve on countless numbers of curriculum committees, data driven intervention teams for students and opportunities to promote excellence in education by highlighting programs that benefitted all students. It is an honor for Kathy to continue her passion for education by serving on Centerville School Board. 

Kathy and Phil, her husband of 36 years, have three adult children who also experienced the gifts and opportunities of Centerville Schools.  So many of their teachers from Centerville have been lifelong supporters of Bridget, Conor, and Jack. The community of Centerville was an integral part of support and love through a challenging time with her son Conor’s traumatic accident over 12 years ago. It is another reason why Kathy is so thankful to serve on the board for a community that rallied around her family in a desperate time of need. 

In her spare time, Kathy’s favorite activity is to spend time with her two absolutely delightful grandchildren, Henry and Violet. Her passion for learning and growing continues to be active as she plays and supports and loves them as often as she can. Reading and traveling are also loves for Kathy. 

Kathy hopes to hear from members of the community throughout her time on the board! Open conversation and feedback are important to the partnership of the entire Centerville/Washington Township community.  

Current term expires December 2029