Dove Hill Newsroom

Demi Khoury

Bonnie Mace reflects, "A board member wears many hats. The most important characteristic of an effective board member is to listen and engage stakeholders, create a shared vision, and work collaboratively with the other members of the governance team." Bonnie Mace is a part of this very team that works incredibly hard to make the most effective decisions for Evergreen school district. In order to do this, Mace explains that she spends a lot of time at the schools, listening to parents, teachers, and administrators, the very people effected by the board's decisions. From this, she has come to the conclusion that a good board member not only understands the districts, but the wider community, city and state levels. Overall, there are so many effective qualities and strategies of a good board member that Bonnie recognizes and bases her strategies upon

Mace has been involved with the school district for 17 years, ever since her first child started kindergarten in 2000. She began her involvement by volunteering in the classroom, participating in the PTA, and eventually moved her way into the role on the School Site Council. She states, "I enjoyed site council so much that I was a member in both the elementary and middle school Site Councils until 2008. I also was appointed to bond oversight committees for both the Evergreen School District and East Side Union High School Districts, which was a fascinating opportunity and provided me with a strong background in understanding school finance." Mace has extensive experience in understanding the bigger picture.

As a community advocate for Evergreen school district since 1997, Mace states, "I care deeply about the Evergreen community, which I think of as my extended family." Mace continues to nurture that family, continuing her involvement with her second term on the Evergreen School Board. On top of being a Board member, Mace currently works at the Santa Clara County Office of Education in the Curriculum and Instruction Department. She also is the Executive Director of the Santa Clara County School Boards Association that works with all 31 districts in the county. Lastly, she is currently a Delegate Assembly member of the California School Boards Association, which means that she works on state policy too.

Mace's impressive work ethic can be largely attributed to her background. Bonnie acquired a Masters and PhD from UC Berkeley in Political Science and received her undergraduate degree from UCLA. A fun fact about her, which has led her to become passionate about multiculturalism and bilingualism, is that she speaks fluent French having spent her junior year of college in France.

Mace is passionate about education because it is a pathway for children to succeed. She reflects, "No matter where a child comes from, a strong education will allow him or her to build a brighter future. Our public school system gives children the opportunity to develop themselves in a social-emotional context as well. Education is about the whole child, and a good school will support a child both emotionally and intellectually." She is motivated by the opportunity to ensure that each and every child develops his or her full potential. She explains, "It's not just about what was in the past, but what will be in the future."