Linda Winikoff
Linda Winikoff (Democratic Party) ran for election for an at-large seat of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools school board in North Carolina. Winikoff was on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Winikoff completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Linda Winikoff graduated from Boca Ciega High School. Winikoff earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University and a graduate degree and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. Winikoff's career experience includes working as an educator.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, North Carolina, elections (2026)
General election
The primary occurred on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools school board At-Large (3 seats)
Jason Lucero (R) and Michael Quinones (R) are running in the general election for Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools school board At-Large on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Jason Lucero (R) | ||
 | Michael Quinones (R)  | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools school board At-Large (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools school board At-Large on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Richard Watts | ||
 | Valerie Brockenbrough | |
| Vondell Davis | ||
| Donald Dunn | ||
 | Frank James | |
 | Gwendolyn Johnson | |
 | Ronda Mays | |
 | Henry McCarthy | |
 | Elisabeth Motsinger | |
 | Linda Winikoff | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary
The Republican primary scheduled for March 3, 2026, was canceled. Jason Lucero (R) and Michael Quinones (R) advanced from the Republican primary for Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools school board At-Large without appearing on the ballot.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Linda Winikoff completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Winikoff's responses.
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Throughout my career, I have focused on one central question: What makes a school community thrive, and how do we ensure every school reaches that level?
I am not a bandwagon person, but when I learn about a promising approach, I listen, take time to understand and learn, then act. That's how I became the Executive Director of Old Town Community Freedom School.
From that experience, I’ve seen firsthand how affirming and responsive literacy instruction, access to resources, mentorship, parent engagement, and enrichment opportunities shape student success and well-being. I'm running for School Board because our community deserves leadership that listens, takes time to learn and understand, then acts.
School boards set direction through policy, and should have at the forefront a relentless quest for student success and student and teacher well-being. Our entire community depends on it.- I am an educator, advocate, and lifelong public servant who believes every child in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County deserves access to a high-quality education—no matter their background, neighborhood, or family income.
For decades, I have worked inside classrooms and alongside families, gaining firsthand experience with the challenges facing our schools. My career has been shaped by real students, real communities, and real solutions.
I bring a deep understanding of education, a proven record of leadership, and an unwavering commitment to equity and opportunity for all. - I hold a Ph.D. and M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree from Duke University. I have spent my career teaching in public schools and university laboratory settings, working directly with students across a wide range of learning environments. One of the most impactful chapters of my career was teaching for 14 years in a public school where nearly all students qualified for free or reduced lunch. That experience gave me a clear understanding of how poverty, access to resources, and policy decisions affect student outcomes—and why one-size-fits-all approaches don’t work. There are solutions. We need the vision and will to look for and apply them. I can provide that leadership. Our entire community depends on it.
- Key responsibilities of a member of this county's Board: 1) Having a strong understanding of the structure of public school financial systems, and providing strong oversight over those systems. This responsibility requires participating in rigorous training offered by either the NC School Board Association (NCSBA) or the UNC School of Government. 2) Having strong rigorous hiring and evaluation procedures for the Superintendent. Participating in training by the NCSBA for this responsibility should be required. 3) Setting the direction for the district so every school is a safe, responsive, high-achieving school community. There are thriving schools in the district. All schools must attain that level. Every school: a thriving school.
2. Implementation of the Community School Model in underserved communities. Community Schools focus on the whole child, the whole family, and the whole teacher. They meet students and families where they are, and provide resources that removes barriers to learning and promotes well-being.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 1, 2026
