Candidate for
Member, Governing Board; San Bernardino City Unified School District

Dr. Elsa Valdez has been a school board member for 14 years, and a professor at Cal-State San Bernardino for 18 years. Her areas of research and teaching include: Sociology of Education, Family, and Stratification. Dr. Valdez is a member of a variety of professional and community organizations. She is a mother of three adult children, and a grandmother of five.

Dr. Valdez attended public schools in the Coachella Valley, a small agricultural community near Palm Springs, CA. Her parents were farm workers for many years, and were very active in the United Farm Workers Union during the late 1960's, early 1970's.

Dr. Valdez was a mother and homemaker for several years, but made the decision to return to school at the age of 30. She received her Doctorate in Sociology in 1991 from the University of California, Riverside.

Dr. Valdez has served three terms on the San Bernardino City Unified School District, and was board president for two terms.