Carolyn Tillman: Reflections on 25 years of service, family history, and dreams for the future
By Cynthia Mendoza Pandemic restrictions aside, Carolyn Tillman began 2021 with nothing to do so to speak; no checking emails, no ringing phones, and no jam packed calendar. Welcome to retirement. At the end of 2020, Tillman retired from San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) after nearly 25 years of service as Special Assistant to the Superintendent. Tillman, who holds a degree in speech pathology/audiology from Loma Linda University, joined SBCSS in the fall of 1996 and served as Special Assistant to the Superintendent overseeing various programs throughout the years, including SBCSS Wellness Strategic Plan, the state funded Nutrition Education Program, a regional coordinator for the California Department of Education’s Safe Schools Program, and a manager in the Foster Youth Services initiative. In her role as Special Assistant to the Superintendent, Tillman did what she most loves – working with people. The role was one of serving as a connection between the various sectors of community such as businesses, chambers of commerce, law enforcement, and others, and as a liaison that brought community concerns and feedback directly to the superintendent, and then relaying responses…