Chris Kretzu

Chris Kretzu ran for election to the Newport-Mesa Unified Board of Education to represent Trustee Area 6 in California. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Kretzu completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Chris Kretzu was born in Wilmore, Kentucky. He earned a high school diploma from Buena Vista High School and an associate degree from Riverside Community College in 2004. His career experience includes working as a consultant.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Newport-Mesa Unified Board of Education Trustee Area 6

Incumbent Krista Weigand defeated Amy Peters and Chris Kretzu in the general election for Newport-Mesa Unified Board of Education Trustee Area 6 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Krista Weigand (Nonpartisan)	47.1	6,142
	Amy Peters (Nonpartisan)	35.1	4,584
	Chris Kretzu (Nonpartisan)	17.8	2,328

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,054
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kretzu in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Chris Kretzu completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kretzu's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’ve been married to the most incredible human for 16 years and we have two boys who are 9 and 13 years old. We’ve lived in the Newport Mesa community for almost 14 years. We’ve got one son in Newport Heights and the other is at Ensign Intermediate school.

Since our oldest son started kindergarten, my wife and I have been investing our time and energy in our kid’s class rooms as room parents and volunteers, at school events, on their PTA, and more.

But my commitment doesn’t stop at the schools my kids go to. For the past 7 years I’ve been involved with Love Costa Mesa as one of the Education Initiative leaders, working to make sure that every school in our district had support from local businesses, non-profits and churches. I also made sure that our home church built a relationship with a local Westside school that doesn’t have as many resources or a foundation to help. For 8 years we volunteered and hosted Christmas events, spring carnivals, school beautification days, teacher appreciation lunches, school supply drives, mural installation, work-room remodels, and more!

I say all this to let you know that I am just as committed as ever to making sure the schools in our district are healthy and thriving places for students, families and faculty.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am a proponent of phone-free schools from bell to bell. The detrimental impact on our students both academically and socially is well documented. It's not the easy or fun decision, but it's the right one for the health and success of our youth.
I believe in community over chaos. What I mean by that is I'm not interested in jumping into national headlines and talking points, culture wars or ideological battles. I'm focused on what is actually happening here, locally, in our school district. It's important that we celebrate the good, and also lean into the areas where growth is needed. Let's use our voice, our power and our influence to move our community forward together.
I want to continue pursuing creative and academic excellence. Let’s continue to expand on math proficiency as well as readiness for creative careers. Costa Mesa is the City of the Arts and we have an action sports industry in our community as well. Together we can increase both technical and arts-based career skill development to open as many doors as possible for our children.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In relation to education policy, I'm most passionate about general funding and teacher pay. The honest truth is that many of the schools in our district have unbelievable programs, but they are funded by foundations. Schools that don't have that type of financial resource are then limited as to what they're able to offer their students.

Additionally, there is a crisis when it comes to teachers. Last year 44% of public schools reported vacancies. There are a few reasons for this - but compensation is absolutely one of them. We must address how we pay, resource and support the educators in our schools.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I think it's crucial that anyone elected to political office be committed to "principle over party." We must do the right thing, even if it doesn't align with our political affiliation. I also think it's important to ask good questions and sincerely listen to others. When we listen for understanding, we build relationship, trust, and unity. It doesn't mean we agree on everything, but it does result in valuing each other and varying positions.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am trustworthy, authentic and inclusive. I've been in non-profit leadership positions for 19 years and it's required me to sit at a table with a diverse group of people to work towards a common good.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Represent the people that live in the school district, set goals, make policies, approve budgets, and support the educators, administrators and facilities in the district.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want my children to be proud of what I stood for, who I cared for, and how I treated others.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first major global event that I remember happening was the Gulf War in '90/'91. It was on the news constantly and I just remember my family being hyper aware of.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was cleaning horse stables in the rural town of Benson, North Carolina, where I grew up. I did it for about a year and have never looked back!

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite leadership book is "Leading With A Limp" by Dan Allender. It's an incredible exploration of the strength that exists when you lead with authenticity and vulnerability. My favorite recent read is Scott Erickson's "Say Yes" - a book about embracing the fullness and wonder of life.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Chappell Roan's "After Midnight" is that song for me right now.

Who are your constituents?

While I would have the honor of representing people that live in Area 6, my constituents would be anyone within the Newport Mesa Unified School District.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Newport Mesa Federation of Teachers, as well as the Retired Teachers.

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

Availability is key. Setting regular and consistent "office hours," whether that's at local coffee shops or being available at school functions, is a priority for me.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I think transparency is crucial for building trust in an increasingly divisive time.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Newport-Mesa Unified Board of Education Trustee Area 6

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024

[1]

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Chris Kretzu

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Newport-Mesa Unified Board of Education Trustee Area 6

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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