Eighteen candidates are in the mix for eight local races on the Morgan Hill Unified School District, Santa Clara County Office of Education and Gavilan College Joint District Board of Trustees in the Nov. 6 election.
The Times offered each of the candidates an opportunity to briefly introduce themselves to local voters and has provided bios on each that elected to participate.
Morgan Hill Unified School District
Board of Education
Trustee Area 1
Peter Mandel
Age: 59
Family: Married with two daughters who attended MHUSD schools K-12
Previously held elected or appointed office:Â Morgan Hill School Board, President and Trustee for two terms, six-plus years ago
Current occupation: Retired software product management
Past political campaigns: For MHUSD School Board
Campaign slogan if applicable: n/a
Emma Nunez
Age: 39
Family: Married; two daughters ages 3 and 5
Previously held elected or appointed office: n/a
Current occupation: Supply Chain Supervisor for medical device company
Past political campaigns: None
Campaign slogan if applicable: Our Kids. Our Future.
Wendy Sullivan
Age: 45
Family: Married for 20 years to my husband, Mike. I have three children: son, recent Sobrato High School graduate and now a freshman in college; daughter, sophomore at Sobrato High School; daughter, 8th Grader at Martin Murphy Middle School
Previously held elected or appointed office: None
Current occupation: Stay-at-home Mom (and professional volunteer). I have been a longtime and dedicated school volunteer. I have served as Home & School Club President for various MHUSD schools for the past seven years and also served in leadership roles on School Site Councils at these same schools for many years.
Past political campaigns: None
Campaign slogan if applicable: n/a
Trustee Area 2
Tara Bevington
Age: 47
Family: Husband Steve and daughter Brooke, who is a sophomore at Live Oak HS
Previously held elected or appointed office: None
Current occupation: Executive Director/CEO of Second Start Learning Disabilities Programs
Past political campaigns: None
Campaign slogan if applicable: n/a
James Dill, Ed.D.
Age: n/a
Family: Significant other, daughter in Elk Grove
Previously held elected or appointed office: No
Current occupation: Realtor/Broker
Past political campaigns: Assisted with city council San Jose
Campaign slogan if applicable: Teachers – Students – Fiscal Responsibility
John T. Horner
Age: 57
Family: Wife: Ann Horner; daughter: Holly Horner
Previously held elected or appointed office: None
Current occupation: President & CEO, Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce
Past political campaigns: Volunteered for Barack Obama campaign 2008, Volunteer Treasurer for John Varela Water District Campaign, 2016
Campaign slogan if applicable: Serve Students, Empower Parents, Respect Educators & Appreciate Taxpayers
Enrique Navarro-Donnellan
Age: 24
Family: Three younger siblings, one of whom is currently enrolled at Sobrato High, and myself. I am the son of immigrant parents.
Previously held elected or appointed office: None
Current occupation: Currently researching for the International Institute of Counterterrorism in Israel
Past political campaigns: No past campaign history
Campaign slogan if applicable: Equal opportunity begins with a quality education
Trustee Area 3
Heather Orosco (unopposed)
Age: 44
Family: married to Michael Orosco (former Morgan Hill Planning Commissioner) with two children, Grace, 19, and Elio, 15
Current Occupation: Teacher/Office Manager for MORE Consulting
Past political campaigns: None
Slogan: Orosco for All the Children
Trustee Area 4
Name: Carol Gittens
Age: 49
Family: Married to husband Williams with three kids, daughter at Barrett, two in college
Current occupation: Professor of Child Studies at Santa Clara University
Previously held elected or appointed office: none
Past political campaigns: none
Campaign slogan if applicable: I stand for high quality education for all Morgan Hill Unified School District students
Robert Guynn
Age: 64
Family: Married with kids (Parent) Daughter at Martin Murphy
Previously held elected or appointed office: School Site Council President, El Toro School, MHUSD
Current occupation: Instructor, Professional Photographer, Parent
Past political campaigns: Volunteer-Obama for President (elect & re-elect)
Campaign slogan if applicable: To make a positive and progressive educational impact upon students attending MHUSD.
Jill Provencal
Age: 42
Family: Married for 13 years with two children
Previously held elected or appointed office: Danbury Place Homeowners Association, Board Member 2009-2013
Current occupation: Marketing Operations/Strategist
Past political campaigns: none
Campaign slogan if applicable: none
Trustee Area 5
Angelica Diaz
Age: 35
Family: Husband and two children (age 2 and 4)
Current occupation: Program Manager
Past political campaigns: Angelica Diaz for Morgan Hill Unified School Board Area 5, 2016 election
Campaign slogan if applicable: none
Santa Clara County Board of Education
Name: Vanessa Sutter
Age: 43
Family: Married with four kids, two who are graduates of Ann Sobrato High School, one eighth grader and one fifth grader.
Previously held elected or appointed office: None
Current Occupation: Student Services Advisor
Campaign slogan, if applicable: The Choice for Better Schools
Santa Clara County Board of Education
Trustee Area 7
Gino Borgioli
Age: n/a
Family: Married with three children, two sons and a daughter who all graduated through MHUSD schools, and grandson attending Britton Middle School
Previously held elected or appointed office: MHUSD Trustee 2014
Current occupation: Retired business consultant, 30 years of high tech with last 10 years in financial industry
Past political campaign: MHUSD 2014
Campaign slogan: A Champion For Our Kids
Claudia Rossi
Age: 50
Family: Mother of two
Previously held elected or appointed office: MHUSD Trustee 2010-2014 and SCCOE Board 2014-present
Current Occupation: Registered Nurse
Past political campaigns: MHUSD, SCCOE
Campaign slogan if applicable: n/a
Gavilan Community College Joint District
Board of Trustees
Trustee Area 1
Laura Perry (unopposed)
Age: 67
Family: Two children, three grandchildren and one great grandchild
Previously held elected or appointed office: Member of the Gavilan College Board of Trustees since November, 1992.
Current occupation: Attorney at Law, Family Law
Past political campaigns: Gavilan College Board of Trustees, first elected November, 1992 Consistently elected since. Candidate for State Assembly, 2000. (Unsuccessful in the primary)
Campaign slogan if applicable: Will not be on ballot, so no campaign slogan. But, thank you to my district for their continued trust and confidence in me.
Trustee Area 3
Edwin Diaz
Age: 64
Family: Wife of 42 years, Delia and two adult daughters Danielle and Brianna
Previously held elected or appointed office: none
Current occupation: Retired after 35-year career in public education. Held positions of teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, assistant superintendent and superintendent of both Gilroy and Pasadena Unified School Districts
Past political campaigns: none
Campaign slogan if applicable: n/a
Walter Ashley Glines
Age: 70
Family: Wife, Kim Matt; son, Ben Glines; grandchildren, Adyson, Gavin, Brayden
Previously held elected or appointed office: 2 4-year terms Gavilan College trustee from Gilroy area
Current occupation: Retired after nearly 40 years working in various jobs at local newspapers. Jobs included MH Times executive editor; Dispatch city editor, sports editor/writer, news editor, education writer; circulation director, advertising representative
Past political campaigns: Measure H (Smart Growth, one of the founders)
Campaign slogan if applicable: Faster, Faster, Faster
