In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education appointed Keith Frazier to the position left vacant by former Director Terry Bates, who resigned abruptly after making “racialized remarks.”

The board considered five eligible candidates. The other candidates interviewed were:Christopher Locky, April Rasheeda Ouedraogo, Ross Peterson and Amanda Thayer.

It’s unclear how many people applied for the position.

Bates stepped down in April from the position he had held for just months.

Frazier, who is parent-volunteer in the district, will be sworn in at the June 8 meeting. His term will end in November 2027, according to officials.

 “We had a great set of applicants and we appreciate members of our community stepping forward to serve this District,” the board said in a statement. “Mr. Frazier’s interview was exceptional, and he demonstrated a strong commitment to this District.”

Frazier will be stepping into district leadership at a time of upheaval and mistrust.

Since January, the district has seen former Superintendent Chris Smith resign amid allegations he had created a toxic workplace with his wife, the head of HR, who was later terminated.

An investigation into the Smiths’ travel expenses revealed they likely violated district policies by charging the district for travel that was not entirely related to district business and by encouraging subordinates to do the same. Assistant Superintendent Tony Poole was placed on administrative leave before retiring from the district.

Amid public scrutiny following the recent leadership upheaval, the Cherry Creek School District has announced the launch of an independent audit of its internal controls. The board has also imposed stricter contract approval rules, lowering the dollar threshold for board oversight and requiring additional executive and legal sign-offs on spending.

Additionally, the board placed a freeze on certain travel and intends to review district policies related to nepotism and conflicts of interest.

Cherry Creek is the fourth-largest school district in Colorado with nearly 52,000 students, and consistently ranks among the best in the state, Colorado Department of Education data shows.