SUNNYVALE — Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, president of the Fremont Union High School District Governing Board, is running for re-election on Nov. 8.
She is one of five candidates for three seats on the board. Also running are Vice President Rosa Kim, Andrew Aaron Arness, Stanley Kou and Linda Price.
Nakano-Matsumoto has been endorsed by fellow board members Kim, Bill Wilson, Roy Rocklin and Jeff Moe.
Founded in 1923 and located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the FUHSD includes five comprehensive high schools — Cupertino, Fremont, Homestead, Lynbrook and Monta Vista.
Nakano-Matsumoto’s campaign website provides the following description: “As a social worker, she has extensive experience in nonprofit executive management and direct services work in the areas of violence prevention, poverty prevention, mental health, and substance use. Her specializations have been in working with Asian and Pacific Islander American communities; children and youth; and girls, young women, and women, and her passion is in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work.
“She has co-founded several organizations and has been an active volunteer and/or board member of numerous local and state-wide community organizations. She was appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women for Santa Clara County, on the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee of Santa Clara County and the City of Sunnyvale, Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee. Naomi was selected to participate in several highly coveted DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs.
“She was a long-term, active volunteer at her children’s schools, serving on the School Site Councils and chairing PSTA committees. She has helped develop several youth organizations within her temple [Mountain View Buddhist], was an advisor to their high school youth group and a Girl Scout leader. She is a director with the Midori Kai, Inc. and volunteered as a lay jail chaplain providing Buddhist education to inmates.
“She is a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum (ALF–Class XXIV). She has been recognized as:
“Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna, 2019
“Very Special Person Award, Homestead High School PTSA, 2018
“Legacy Award, Sister to Sister-Asian American Recovery Services, 2015
“Community Impact Honoree, Asian Law Alliance, 2013
“Woman of the Year, State Sen. Joe Simitian, District 11, 2009
“As trustee, she has kept her commitment to keep FUHSD a beacon of equity and excellence. As board president, she led the new superintendent search; reviewed and assessed our contracting principals and policies; and developed enhanced partnerships with our feeder school districts, city governments and community organizations.
“She brings years of nonprofit executive management experience; accomplishments in producing innovative programs with successful outcomes; values of servant leadership and expertise in nonprofit governance and ethics. She was appointed and served on Santa Clara County commissions; nonprofit boards and co-founded nonprofit organizations.
“She has championed equity and excellence in learning for all students through increased social-emotional learning services; professional development for teachers and staff; maintaining mission and values-based budgeting; and oversight of our community-supported bonds and parcel tax measures successfully through the pandemic, the closing of school campuses, and remote learning.
“She is committed to quality education for all students through comprehensive high schools, educational options, health and well-being services, and safe campuses all through an equity and excellence focus.”
“I’m grateful for my family for instilling in me the values of character, integrity, compassionate wisdom, resiliency and the importance of learning,” said Nakano-Matsumoto. “They’ve built a village around me to support my growth and development to become a contributing member of a larger community. I have worked to pass on these values to my own children and those in my community. I hope to bring these values in my work as a member of the Fremont Union High School District Board of Trustees.”
“For my friends who live in the Fremont Union District: If you’re lucky enough to have this woman knock on your door, don’t close it on her,” said Debbie Wright Zimmerman, Cupertino High School graduate and mother of two Cupertino High School graduates. “She is beyond amazing. I worked several years with her and got to know her heart. She fights for what she is passionate for, she listens to your concerns and gets things done, and has an incredible work ethic. I can’t imagine anyone better for this position. She will get stuff done. So please vote for her. You’ll be glad you did!”
Endorsers include: Reps. Anna Eshoo and Ro Khanna; former Rep. Mike Honda; State Sen. Josh Becker; Assemblymembers Evan Low and Alex Lee; former Assemblymember Paul Fong; Santa Clara County Supervisors Joe Simitian, Susan Ellenberg, Otto Lee, Cindy Chavez and Mike Wasserman; Mountain View Mayor Lucas Ramirez and Councilmembers Margaret Abe-Koga and Ellen Kamei; Cuperino Vice Mayor Liang Chao and Councilmember Hung Wei; Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein and Councilmembers Omar Din, Alyssa Cisneros, Russ Melton, Gustav Larsson, Glenn Hendricks and Tony Spitelari.
Nakano-Matsumoto has also been endorsed by board members of the Sunnyvale School District, Cupertino Union School District, Saratoga Los Gatos High School District, Santa Clara County Board of Education, Foothill DeAnza Community College District, Gilroy Union School Disrict, Burlingame School District, Oak Grove School District, Franklin McKinley School District and San Jose Unified School Distr