SF Board of Education Elects Leaders for 2021

San Francisco (January 13, 2021) - The San Francisco Board of Education elected its leaders for the 2021 year on Tuesday night. Gabriela López, who served as vice president of the Board last year, was elected to serve as president in 2021. Alison M. Collins was elected to serve as vice president. 

President López and Vice President Collins are former classroom teachers with experience working in community with families to improve academic achievement and access to quality instruction for all students. 

López was elected to the Board in 2018, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to office in San Francisco and the youngest school board member elected to the San Francisco Board of Education. She is also the first bilingual educator ever elected and the first Latina in over 20 years. 

Before joining the Board, López taught fourth- and fifth-grade Spanish Immersion at Leonard Flynn Elementary School in SFUSD. She was also a mentor for the district’s Mentoring for Success program, a school Arts Coordinator, and a core member of Teachers 4 Social Justice. 

At the height of the pandemic she co-founded the Latino Task Force, which provides COVID testing and wraparound services for families hardest hit. Through her work the Latino Task Force has distributed food, books, school supplies and arts materials, and offered in-person and virtual support for distance learning, socio-emotional learning and arts instruction. 

“Teaching grounded me in the community, and this extensive experience allows me to bring a voice to the district that is seldom heard. I am very grateful to be entrusted with the role of president of our school district and to work in collective leadership that will highlight student voice, strengthen partnerships, and ensure authentic community participation,” said President López.

Vice President Collins was also elected to the SF Board of Education in 2018. Collins has over 20 years experience designing and implementing programs to increase academic achievement, build parent engagement and create positive school culture. As a public school parent, Collins has been an advocate for family voice in making improvements in the public education system. 

López and Collins have authored several resolutions together including the Latinx Resolution, which calls on the District to provide specific support for Latinx students. They also co-authored the Arts Equity resolution to increase access to high quality arts programming for all students.

“Educators, families and students are all going through so much—we are being challenged in so many ways. Nonetheless, with our new president and new board members, and in partnership with families and city and community leaders, I am hopeful for all we can achieve together," said Vice President Collins.

The Board of Education is comprised of seven members, elected at large to serve four-year terms. 

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