With just four months left on her first term, Colorado Springs District 11 school board treasurer Lauren Nelson submitted her resignation, which was approved by the board at its regular meeting Wednesday night.

In her resignation letter, Nelson cited the increased workload over the past month with her new commitments to the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners as the primary reason. She was appointed in June this year to represent District 5 on the county commission after Cami Bremer’s resignation.

“Supporting the education of children in our community is incredibly meaningful and I did not make this decision easily,” Nelson wrote in her resignation letter.

“I feel I would not be able to maintain providing the level of dedication to the work of the district I have operated by and believe is deserved as well as prioritize my family and new role as an El Paso County Commissioner for District 5.”

Nelson was not in attendance at the school board meeting.

According to her biographies provided on both the school district and county commission websites, Nelson grew up in Colorado Springs and attended Palmer High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in nutrition and food science from Colorado State University.

In addition to working as a food scientist for six years, Nelson has volunteered as co-president and secretary on the board of Quaker Ridge Camp and Conference Center, taught a children’s Bible study and played violin in the Pikes Peak Philharmonic Community Orchestra.

As an appointed commissioner, she will need to defend her position this fall in the 2025 primary, when Republican and unaffiliated voters will be able to vote for their preferred candidates. She previously told The Gazette that she plans to run as a candidate for the 2026 general election for District 5.

Nelson serves on the Pikes Peak Library District Joint Appointment Committee, the El Paso County Board of Health, the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority and the Region 16 Opioid Abatement Council.

Interested candidates can submit an application and resume by 5 p.m. Aug. 14. The application and supporting documents were available on D-11’s website starting Thursday.

Candidates will be interviewed by the board on Aug. 20 at a public work session and the board will vote on the appointment at an Aug. 27 special meeting.

With Nelson’s term ending this year, the appointee will serve until the newly elected director takes the oath of office at the organizational meeting following the Nov. 4 election.