Trina Christensen

Trina Christensen

Republican Party

Candidate, Utah State Board of Education District 8

Elections and appointments

Next convention

April 18, 2026

Personal

Profession

Educator and administrator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Trina Christensen (Republican Party) is running for election to the Utah State Board of Education to represent District 8. Christensen declared candidacy for the Republican convention scheduled on April 18, 2026.^[source]

Christensen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Trina Christensen's career experience includes working as an educator and administrator. She has served as the director of Sistema Utah.

Elections

2026

See also: Utah State Board of Education election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on June 23, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Utah State Board of Education District 8

Araueni Olivares (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Utah State Board of Education District 8 on June 23, 2026.

		Candidate
		Araueni Olivares

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for Utah State Board of Education District 8

Nicole McDermott (R) is running in the Republican primary for Utah State Board of Education District 8 on June 23, 2026.

		Candidate
		Nicole McDermott

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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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Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Utah State Board of Education District 8

Araueni Olivares (D) is running in the Democratic convention for Utah State Board of Education District 8 on April 11, 2026.

		Candidate
		Araueni Olivares

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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.

Republican convention

Republican convention for Utah State Board of Education District 8

Trina Christensen (R) and Nicole McDermott (R) are running in the Republican convention for Utah State Board of Education District 8 on April 18, 2026.

		Candidate
		Trina Christensen
		Nicole McDermott

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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.

Endorsements

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Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Trina Christensen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Christensen's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Trina Christensen is a parent, educator, and community leader who believes that thoughtful, courageous investment in children, families, and educators strengthens entire communities. As a parent of five and an educator of nearly three decades, her commitment to public education is deeply personal. She has experienced Utah’s education system from every perspective—at the kitchen table, in classrooms, after school programs, and in policy and governance settings—giving her a grounded understanding of what students and families need to succeed. For more than twenty years, Trina has partnered with families, educators, and community leaders to create safe, supportive, high-expectation learning environments. She currently serves as Director of Sistema Utah, a nationally recognized, tuition-free afterschool music and enrichment program for under-resourced K–12 students. Under her leadership, the program has become a model for whole-child education, integrating academic support, arts education, social-emotional learning, and family engagement. Trina brings proven executive and governance experience and believes public education must be student-centered, accountable, and responsive to community needs.

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?

• Principled, Common-Sense Leadership for Public Education Every decision on the State School Board should be guided by clear principles—not politics or passing trends. As a parent, educator, and community leader, I believe good education policy should empower students, respect parents, support educators, and deliver measurable results. I will approach every decision by asking: Does this serve students? Does it support families? Does it lead to meaningful outcomes? Principled leadership brings clarity, accountability, and trust—so families and educators know what to expect and why decisions are made.
• Putting Children and Families First Schools exist to serve children and the families who support them. I support policies that recognize the whole child—academic success, safety, well-being, and preparation for life beyond the classroom. Parents are essential partners in education, and their voices must be respected and heard. When families are informed, engaged, and treated as partners, students thrive. I will advocate for clear communication, family engagement, and policies grounded in the real experiences of Utah families.
• Accountability That Delivers Real Results Accountability matters—but it must be meaningful. I will focus on outcomes that reflect real student growth and well-being. That means using data wisely, supporting proven and innovative approaches, and prioritizing continuous improvement based on evidence and experience. Education should prepare students to succeed academically and contribute positively to their communities. I am committed to results-driven leadership that strengthens public education and earns the trust of families and taxpayers.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about public policy that puts children and families first and respects the role of parents in their children’s education. In education, that means supporting high standards, local involvement, and clear accountability for results. I believe in empowering educators, encouraging proven, innovative approaches, and being responsible with taxpayer dollars so resources go where they matter most: the classroom. Above all, I am committed to ensuring that schools serve families, that parent voices are heard at the state level, and that public education prepares students to succeed academically, develop strong character, and contribute positively to their communities.

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.

Campaign finance summary

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

See also

2026 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Utah State Board of Education District 8

Website

Facebook

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