Candidate for
Board Member; Gilroy Unified School District

I have served eight years on the Board and have passionately worked to improve academic performance for all students. Standardized test scores have steadily increased; we boast three California Distinguished Schools, our Early College Academy is ranked best in the State, and Newsweek ranked Gilroy High in the top 6% of the nation's high schools. We continue to create environments which enhance learning; Christopher High School and other renovations are examples of our progress.

As Board President in 2007, I led the search for our current Superintendent and developed the process used to evaluate her. I've led the District to publish the Board agenda material on the web to promote transparency for the community, as well as to save paper, fuel, and energy costs.

I'm continually looking for examples of high-poverty, high performing schools in California and introduced the District to the remarkable performance of Sixth Street Prep School of Victorville, CA. We invited the principal of that school for a show and tell -- which inspired James Dent and a cadre of his staff to visit the school and see firsthand what was going on. They brought that model to Eliot school + which now serves as a showcase to other GUSD schools.

I served in the Marine Corps, and earned a degree from the University of San Francisco. I currently work for Nvidia as an IT program manager.

My wife and I are committed to Gilroy; we've lived here 30 years, our six children attended Gilroy schools, two of our grandchildren are enrolled in this District, and a third will start in a few years. My family has had a long history of actively supporting local public schools and the arts.

I have a record of demonstrated leadership, eight years of experience, and commitment to excellence which I will apply to the continuous improvement of our schools. I ask for your vote in order to continue building a school district in which we can all take pride.