Trustee Michelle Nelson
Michelle Nelson was elected to the Board of Education in November of 2020. She is filling the vacancy created by the resignation of a previous Board member and as such, will serve two years rather than the customary four before the seat for Trustee Area 3 is up for election again.
As a veteran of 39 years with the Gilroy Unified School District, Michelle taught science at South Valley, Brownell, and Christopher High School. As a staff member, Michelle served on several school committees, and held various leadership positions, including department chair at both South Valley and Brownell.
Beginning in 1989, Michelle became active in the Gilroy Teachers Association, eventually filling every position, including negotiator (over 20 years, often as the lead), and President (12 years, 10 of which were full-time).
It was during her tenure as President and/or negotiator that Michelle learned the inner workings of the District. She also served on several district level committees, including those dealing with facilities, professional development, health benefits, and budget development.
In June of 2019, Michelle retired from GUSD and focused on traveling, birding and photography. In the summer of 2020, with travel plans on hold, a seat on the Board opened. With the encouragement of teachers and other staff, Michelle filed papers and entered the race.
Michelle’s top 3 goals during her campaign were (1) attracting and retaining qualified staff, (2) holding people and programs accountable, and 3) improving communication between GUSD and all stakeholders.
While the other Trustees share these goals, Michelle hopes that with her background and experience, she can bring a fresh perspective to the Board as we tackle the challenges ahead.
| Contact | Michelle Nelson |
| Phone | (669) 205-4091 |
| Michelle.Nelson@GilroyUnified.org |