Trustee, Trustee Area 2 — San Jose Unified School District

José Magaña is an educator and proud candidate for the San José Unified School District, Trustee Area 2. Raised by a teenage mother and an incarcerated father, José found solace in school and extracurricular activities. Early on, he experienced the power of caring educators and opportunities that come from strong schooling, which led him to attend the University of California system. After being the first in his family to graduate from college, José moved to San José, and then Los Angeles, to teach Kindergarten and 1st grade in underserved communities.  He had the privilege of serving students who were significantly impacted by the opportunity and achievement gap, only to end the year above grade level. He is a true believer that when given the right resources, every community and student can be successful.

After spending four years in the classroom, José made the decision to work in education technology. He has coached and worked alongside over 500 teachers, leaders, and school districts across the country to better incorporate technology into their math instruction, and implement a highly effective early literacy program that supports the individualized needs of every student. Currently, he serves as a commissioner on the Library and Early Education Commission for the City of San José, where he has championed the removal of late fees for children at all city libraries, knowing that if students have just one more obstacle removed from their path to success, they will be more likely to reach their potential.

After meeting as classroom teachers, he and his wife settled in Luna Park Neighborhood near downtown San José. They have continued to prioritize serving their community through education. Ellyn serves students and teachers as the Director of Student Supports for local schools. As a trustee, José will use his experiences to advocate for all students and families by increasing public/private partnerships to protect the arts, provide more opportunities to English language learners, and to push to provide housing for the teachers and staff of the district. He hopes that with your help, he can make those things a reality.

Helen raised her family in San José, and is dedicated to the families and students of the San José Unified School District. Helen and her husband, Dan, raised two sons who attended SJUSD schools. Nick served 8 and a half years in the Marine Corp, and Brandon is working on his Civil Engineering degree. Helen’s commitment to civic engagement and local youth education led her to become a community leader.

Helen has experience working in the classroom with students. She worked directly with students in after-school programs, managed budgets and constituent services,and advocated for the families of Trustee Area #2. Helen also has experience in both the public and private sector.  As a small business owner for more than 15 years, she tackled the challenges of building her own success.

Helen served as a Research Specialist with the San José Unified School District for nearly two decades. In this role, she advocated for our youth every single day. Helen helped struggling students earn their diplomas, maintained and reported student achievement data, and coordinated youth volunteer projects. She would also go on to serve as a volunteer mentor to students. Whether with her own children or in her career with the district, Helen has been an integral part of the SJUSD community and a leader for its families.

Now as a Policy and Legislative Advisor for San José City Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, Helen is working with community and regional leaders every day to fight for the families of San José.

In addition to her career and family, Helen has been a committed volunteer. Helen served as Commissioner with San José Parks & Recreation for six years, serving as Chair for three. Helen has served as the Vice President for the Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association, a former board member with San José Parks Foundation, Committee for Green Foothills, San José Coyote Valley Task Force, and Blue Star Moms, and in many other roles. 

Helen was recognized as Women of the Year for 2017 from Assemblymember Evan Low in recognition of her community engagement. She also received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Association’s Lula Briggs Galloway Working Women’s Award in 2010 as well as Mayor Susan Hammer’s Outstanding Women of Silicon Valley Award in 1996.  

Helen understands the needs of our community, and she has a long record of giving back to San José and its youth  In Helen, San José Unified students, teachers, faculty and families will have a trustee with a proven history of outstanding achievement and dedication to enhancing our community. Helen Chapman is the best choice for our students and the San José Unified School District.

Peter Allen was born and raised in San José. He graduated from Willow Glen Elementary, Hoover Middle School, and Bellarmine College Preparatory and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California.

For the past two years, Peter served as Public Information Officer for San José Unified School District, where he coordinated external and internal communications for the largest and most innovative school district in Silicon Valley and facilitated the engagement of 32,000 students and families, 3,500 employees, and 41 schools. He's excited by the opportunity to bring his passion for education to the Board of Trustees.

Prior to arriving at San José Unified, Peter served as Managing Director of Teatro Visión, a Chicanx-Latinx theater company nurturing arts and opportunity in underserved San José communities. He also owned and operated a small consulting practice specializing in online marketing and political campaigns.

Peter currently serves as Chair of the San José Planning Commission and previously served for four years on the San José Arts Commission. He is proud to be Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Campbell-San José West and was a founding board member of the Silicon Valley chapter of the New Leaders Council.

Peter's family has deep roots in our community going back nearly a century. His grandfather, Pete, owned Allen's Furniture, and his family operated Paolo's Restaurant, both longtime fixtures in Downtown San José. His mother, Janice, taught second grade at Willow Glen Elementary for almost 20 years, and his late father, Jack, was a local CPA serving more than 400 individual, business, and family clients.

Peter's wife, Angelica Ramos, is a public policy specialist, strategic consultant, and President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Silicon Valley. They live with their rescue dog, Josie, across the street from Lincoln High School.