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Livermore school board Trustee Yanira Guzmán is not seeking reelection this November, opting instead to pursue other professional and personal interests, according to a statement from the district.
The upcoming vacancy of Guzmán’s seat means that two spots are wide open on the Board of Education with Clerk Kristie Wang also bowing out to run for City Council.
Guzmán and Wang, who were both first elected in 2020, are currently serving in their fourth year on the board with terms set to expire at the end of the year.
The remaining three trustees – Board President Emily Prusso, Steven Drouin and Craig Bueno – each have two more years left in their current terms.
“I decided to focus on my family and my business,” Guzmán told Livermore Vine of her decision to leave the board. “I have one child who is in her last year of high school and before she heads off to college/career, I want to spend more time with her. Plus, my business is picking up and is requiring more travel of me,” she added.
Guzmán is the founder of her own career coaching firm called The Career Gem. She is also a trained educator who previously taught Spanish language immersion and later worked in the technology field before launching her own business.
Noting that she’s not completely closing the door on serving in public office again in the future, Guzmán shared that the timing of her initial run during the height of the coronavirus pandemic was sparked by specific factors.
“I always knew I would run for school board, but to be honest (and I shared this in 2020), I thought I would run when I was retired or when my children were out of school,” Guzmán said. “However, COVID-19 expedited my run. I wanted to advocate for the students that didn’t have access to wifi and their online learning (the digital divide) when we originally went into shelter in place. That was my impetus.”
With two seats to fill on the five-member board this November, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District is encouraging members of the community who are interested in candidacy to view the district’s website for a “Board Trustee Candidate Information Form” that includes links to details about the district, roles and responsibilities of public service as a board member and the election process.
Also included is a meetings calendar, timelines for candidates, conflict of interest and campaign reporting requirements, the city’s regulations regarding campaign signs and the California Fair Political Practices Commission rules, according to district officials.
“Serving on the local Board of Education is a meaningful way to contribute to one’s community,” district officials said in their statement. “Being a trustee of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District does not require a degree in education or a background in politics. It does require a sincere interest and strong investment in the community and the education of its children.”
Campaign filing documents are available through the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office between July 15 and Aug. 9, which is the official candidate nomination period. For additional information or questions, contact Jennifer Arias at jarias@lvjusd.org or 925-606-3283.
