Candidate for
Member; Santa Clara County Board of Education; Trustee Area 1

Thank you for taking the time to read my biography. I would like to take this opportunity to share my background and hopefully, give you an understanding of who I am and what I stand for. I am a fourth-generation East San Josean. My great-grandparents and grandparents were farmers in North San Jose in the early 1900s, and I am fortunate that my parents chose to raise a family in San Jose. I am a product of the public education system. I graduated from Berryessa schools and from James Lick High School joining my mother, uncles, and numerous cousins as a proud Comet. My high quality education at James Lick launched me into Stanford University where I earned my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Engineering and am currently pursuing a doctorate. I worked as a research engineer at the NASA Ames Research Center and realized a childhood dream of working on a Mars mission. My work to bring the 3-D imaging technique used in the Mars Pathfinder mission to underwater research was the focus of a hour-long documentary on the Discovery Channel. Following in my parents' footsteps (teaching and engineering), I have chosen to pursue a career in academia as a University Professor in Engineering. I currently work as a Co-Director of an Engineering Research Lab and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Santa Clara University where I also received the School of Engineering's Outstanding Service Award in 1999. In my spare time, I volunteer in our community in numerous capacities including as a board member of a low-income senior citizens apartment complex and as a board member of the charter high school, Academia Calmecac, in East San Jose. I also enjoy snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, wakeboarding, golfing, and playing basketball.

From 1998-2002, I had the great fortune and honor to serve as a Governing School Board Member for the East Side Union High School District. I want to thank the people of East San Jose for giving me the opportunity to serve the community in this capacity and bring my familiy's values and experience to the board. I hope to do the same for the Santa Clara County Board of Education. I will work hard to make sure that we have a school system where each of our students has the best possible chance for personal success, and I hope that you will give me an opportunity to serve and give back to the county that helped my family make a home and helped me achieve my goals and dreams. I believe in public education, and I want to make sure that our public education system works for all of our students in Santa Clara County. I believe that I have the vision, education, and technological understanding to help lead our county. I am fortunate to have a great coalition of parents, students, educators, and community leaders, who have put their trust in me and my vision for the county. I respectfully ask for your faith, your support, your trust, and your vote in November.

Thank you for your time and consideration. --Jeff