At a meeting Monday, Mayor John DeStefano Jr. welcomed Elizabeth Torres as a new member of the New Haven Board of Education. He swore in Torres for a four-year appointment, replacing Frances Padilla, whose term expired. Torres recently served as the executive director of the Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust, an organization that specializes in nonprofit housing development for the community. According to DeStefano, Torres “will continue to improve opportunities for our students and build stronger bridges with parents and the community.”