Kelly Gonez

Kelly Fitzpatrick-Gonez (born 1988) is a former science teacher and current member and president of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. She was elected as a board member in 2017 and as president in 2020. Prior to her election, she had previously served as an education policy advisor for the Obama administration.[1]

Kelly Gonez
Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, District 6
Assumed office
May 16, 2017
Preceded byMónica Ratliff
President of the LAUSD Board of Education
Assumed office
December 15, 2020
Preceded byRichard Vladovic
Personal details
Born1988 (age 33–34)
Mission Hills, Los Angeles
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
Loyola Marymount University

Early life and education

Gonez was born in 1988 to an immigrant family in Mission Hills. She attended St. Euphrasia Catholic School in Granada Hills for elementary and middle school and graduated from Bishop Alemany High School in 2006.[2] She was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from University of California, Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in political science and history and later Loyola Marymount University with a master’s degree in urban education.[3][4]

Career

Early career

Gonez first taught geometry at an LAUSD high school, later becoming a 6th-grade science teacher from Lake View Terrace. In 2014, Gonez was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to serve as an education policy advisor. As an advisor, she secured over $50 million in additional education funding and led the administration to increase education funding and support for special populations.[5] The Obama administration later endorsed Gonez for the board.[6]

LAUSD Board of Education

On October 18, 2016, Gonez announced that she would be running for the District 6 seat in the Board of Education.[7] She won against Imelda Padilla on May 17, 2017.[8]

In 2020, she was elected by her colleagues to become the president of the Board of Education, becoming the youngest woman president in the history of the board to become one at 32.[9][10] Her election, along with Nick Melvoin as vice president, signified a shift toward more influence for backers of charter schools, as both members were supported by pro-charter donors.[11]

Electoral history
2017 Los Angeles Unified School District District 6 Primary Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Kelly Gonez 15,984 37.16
Nonpartisan Imelda Padilla 13,390 31.13
Nonpartisan Patty López 5,159 11.99
Nonpartisan Araz Parseghian 3,853 8.96
Nonpartisan Gwendolyn Posey 2,483 5.77
Nonpartisan Jose Sandoval 2,149 5.00
Total votes 43,018 100.00
2017 Los Angeles Unified School District District 6 General Election[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Kelly Gonez 16,961 51.46
Nonpartisan Imelda Padilla 15,996 42.77
Total votes 32,957 100.00

References
  1. Bendery, Jennifer (May 17, 2017). "Former Obama Officials Sign Up For Their Next Jobs: Running For Office". HuffPost.
  2. "Congratulations to our Top Ten Scholars". Bishop Alemany High School.
  3. "Voters Say Yes to SOE Alums". Loyola Marymount University. November 11, 2020.
  4. Favot, Sarah (February 14, 2017). "Meet an LAUSD school board candidate — District 6's Kelly Gonez: 'I would bring in an incredibly strong sense of urgency'". LA School Report.
  5. "Meet Kelly Gonez, the Only Teacher Running for LA School Board District 6". La Comrade. May 2, 2017.
  6. Blume, Howard (March 29, 2017). "Obama administration Education secretary endorses Gonez, Melvoin for L.A. school board". Los Angeles Times.
  7. Favot, Sarah (October 18, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Middle school science teacher enters race for San Fernando Valley seat on LAUSD board". LA School Report.
  8. Romero, Esmeralda Fabián (May 17, 2017). "Kelly Gonez declares victory in LAUSD's District 6 race". LA School Report.
  9. "LAUSD elects Kelly Gonez, youngest woman president in its history". Los Angeles Daily News. December 15, 2020.
  10. Blume, Howard (December 15, 2020). "Kelly Gonez, 32, first in her family to attend college, is new L.A. school board president". Los Angeles Times.
  11. Blume, Howard (June 30, 2017). "Q&A: New school board member Kelly Gonez isn't as pro-charter as many donors to her campaign". Los Angeles Times.
  12. "CITY OF LOS ANGELES GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS MAY 16, 2017". Los Angeles City Clerk. May 26, 2017.
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