I was born and raised in Panama City, Panama. My mother is a retired teacher and my father a retired casino manager for more than 25-plus years. I received a master’s degree in international tourism in the Canary Islands.  

I have been a Summit County resident for 19 years. I have 15 years of case management experience at Summit Community Care Clinic. I had the opportunity to work with the older adults at Summit County Community & Senior Center. Currently, I work as a Strengthening Families Bilingual Coordinator in Youth and Family Services at Summit County government.

I have served on several boards such as: Family & Intercultural Resource Center and Women of the Summit. Currently, I serve at CommonSpirit St. Anthony’s Hospital and on the CAFÉ Food Rescue Board. I am dedicated to serving the Summit County community and providing help and resources for those in need.

I work very closely with the Latino community. I have been and will be the voice of Latino community that has had no voice.

I enjoy spending time skiing with my family, and I love salsa music and dancing. 

I have a fifth grade daughter attending Dillon Valley Elementary. I am very passionate about my daughter’s education. I am very concerned about the current condition of our school District and its rating.

My focus as a board of education member will be:

Priority No. 1

• I want equal opportunity education for future generations. Improve basic academics especially reading, math and word skills
• I will model proven curriculums used by successful schools and school districts
• Recruit middle and high school students to invest their community hours on elementary students that need help
• Expand tutoring resources to kids that are struggling 
• Create protocols that ensure early screenings for neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, etc
• Increase collaboration with specialists who can promptly evaluate root causes of student’s individual weaknesses

Priority No. 2

Community and communication:

• Encourage parents to get involved in their kids’ education by maintaining parents aware of their kid’s performances, attendance and needs
• Use advisory committees to offer transparent communication to parents and provide proper resolution to their issues  

Priority No. 3

Culture:

• Create a culture of respect, acceptance and kindness among students, staff and community members including older adults
• Assign group projects and activities that require students to work together towards a common goal
• Embrace the differences among students and create opportunities for them to share their unique backgrounds and experiences
• Establish intergenerational programs including mentoring, storytelling, workforce development and community services

Jenniffer Gonzalez is a candidate for Summit School District’s board of education. For more election coverage, visit SummitDaily.com/election.