“Long before either of us imagined raising families in Walnut Creek, we knew each other as classmates and friends. It means something to me that, decades later, we have both chosen to make this community our home and to invest ourselves in the strength of its public schools.
Walnut Creek has much to be proud of. Strong public schools are one of the reasons families choose to build their lives here. But strong institutions do not stay strong by reputation alone. They require thoughtful leadership, clear communication, good judgment, and a willingness to remain connected and accountable to the full community they serve.
Her message of “Listen first. Lead better.” is not, to me, an argument that boards should simply do whatever the loudest group of parents asks. Great governance requires something harder: listening broadly, asking serious questions, understanding perspectives that may not naturally make their way into the room, and then making decisions transparently and explaining the reasoning behind them.
This matters especially in public education. Not every family has the same amount of time, institutional knowledge, financial capacity, or comfort navigating school systems. Trustees represent all of them. The families deeply involved in PTA and WCEF matter, and so do multilingual families, families receiving public assistance, families new to the district, and parents who may never attend a board meeting. Strong governance requires intentionally understanding all of these experiences.
I also believe board service should add value. Trustees should respect the professional responsibilities of the superintendent and educators while bringing independent judgment, curiosity, oversight, and a deep understanding of the community to the decisions entrusted to them. Their work should make the institution more thoughtful, more transparent, and ultimately stronger.
I know Aileen personally, and I know the seriousness she brings to questions of communication, trust, and responsibility. As a fellow Walnut Creek parent, I appreciate her willingness to step forward and serve a community that has given our families so much.”
