Irma Gonzalez (California)

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Irma Gonzalez

Nonpartisan

Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 7

Tenure

Present officeholder

Term ends

2026

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

California State University, Monterey Bay, 2008

Graduate

California State University, Bakersfield, 2010

Personal

Profession

Retired

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Irma Gonzalez is a member of the Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees in California, representing Trustees Area 7. Gonzalez's current term ends on December 11, 2026.

Gonzalez ran for re-election to the Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees to represent Trustees Area 7 in California. Gonzalez won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Gonzalez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Irma Gonzalez earned a bachelor's degree from Gavilan Community College in 2005, a bachelor's degree from California State University, Monterey Bay in 2008, and a graduate degree from California State University, Bakersfield in 2010. Gonzalez's career experience includes working as an administrator.

Elections

2022

See also: Municipal elections in Santa Clara County, California (2022)

General election

General election for Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 7

Incumbent Irma Gonzalez defeated Jose Martinez-Saldana in the general election for Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 7 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Irma Gonzalez (Nonpartisan)	70.2	5,940
		Jose Martinez-Saldana (Nonpartisan)	29.8	2,522

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,462
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

To view Gonzalez's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

2018

See also: Municipal elections in Santa Clara County, California (2018)

General election

General election for Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 7

Irma Gonzalez defeated Michael Alcorn and Jason Hopkins in the general election for Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 7 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Irma Gonzalez (Nonpartisan)	44.9	3,481
	Submit photo	Michael Alcorn (Nonpartisan)	39.7	3,080
	Submit photo	Jason Hopkins (Nonpartisan)	15.3	1,188

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,749
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Irma Gonzalez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gonzalez's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

A life-long resident of San Benito County, who attended all local public schools. I am an invested member of this community. I have been married for 45 years and have four children and two grandchildren.

Our children and grandchildren are our future and deserve what we in San Benito County have bargained for, a locally accessible community college where a two-year degree can be earned. With the passage of Measure X in 2018, San Benito County was once again promised a local community college. After the realignment of funding, from the 2008 Bond Measure E in 2008 and the passage of Measure X in 2018, I decided to run and was elected as a Trustee to Area #7 of San Benito County. I ran on the promise of bringing us the campus we were promised with Measure E and X, and I am proud to announce that the long-anticipated ground-breaking is scheduled for Spring of 2023 on the corner of Fairview Rd and Pinnacles National Hwy.

Visit my website at www.vote4irma.com

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?

• Advocating for Quality Education
• Advocating for Student Success.
• Just In Time Mobile Food Pantry

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am a life-long champion for public education and have always put students first. Increasing college access has been and continues to be my highest priority. As the country works to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, I believe that community colleges are more important now than ever.

I care about our students and for many food insecurity is an issue. The Fresh Success program is a voluntary employment and training program serving students living in Santa Clara and San Benito County who are receiving or eligible to receive CalFresh (SNAP) benefits.

Our Just In Time Mobile Food Pantry is a food distribution program for students, staff, and members of the surrounding Gavilan college community who are experiencing food insecurity. The program offers a wide selection of foods including fresh produce, dairy items, and more.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

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

I feel that certain traits such as honesty, integrity, humility, courage, and compassion are the most important.

As elected officials, these traits are important since they are in a position of power and must make decisions that affect their constituents for years, or even decades to come. I believe that the character of an elected official reflects the character of the community from which they were chosen.

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

I am a decision-maker who values honesty and integrity, I am not afraid to speak up and make tough decisions that others avoid. I take my fiduciary duties seriously and make all decisions based on how they will affect our students. I do not blindly follow and have a voting history that supports this. I possess active listening skills. I seek to understand before seeking to be understood while being non-judgmental. I have the ability to evolve and adapt as additional information is made available. I am not a 'rubber-stamp' board member. I educate myself on the topics and make independent decisions based on accurate data and facts presented while always keeping the student first.

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

I believe the most important is to be available and attend all Board meetings, Board Committee meetings and review all materials prior to the meetings to assure meaningful participation. A trustee must be invested in their role as a trustee and have the time to devote to the position. We must focus on being a policy maker by supporting the clear distinction between the policy-making functions of the Board and the responsibility of the administration and faculty to administer and implement these policies. Ensure institutional effectiveness through professional management of the College by the President. Approve the annual budget. Promote and support the College in its relations with the public. Support a climate for effective change. Preserve institutional autonomy. Consider the best interest of the College at all times while making decisions based on what is best for our students.

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

I was a migrant farm worker, and like many in our community, I worked in the agricultural fields in San Benito County cutting apricots, picking tomatoes, and cutting garlic.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The board of trustees is responsible for developing and approving the school's mission, strategic goals, and objectives, and establishing policies related to programs and services always placing the student first. We adopt fiscal policies that require prudent use of funds, and boards set policy standards that ensure high expectations and fair treatment of students. We have a fiduciary duty to ensure sound budgetary and fiscal management of the college.

Who are your constituents?

San Benito County Area 7 of Gavilan Community College, our students, their families, faculty, and staff.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Gavilan students can participate in up to six, free mental health sessions per semester through Discovery Counseling. Visit the counseling website at www.gavilan.edu/counseling or call the counseling support office at 408-852-2895 or 408-848-4723 to schedule a convenient appointment or view the walk-in schedule.

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.

2018

Irma Gonzalez did not complete Ballotpedia's 2018 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

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Gavilan Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Area 7

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