“I believe our leaders should accurately reflect both the community they represent as well as our country. Women leaders, in particular, have the capacity to work collaboratively while empowering individuals. We honor all voices, respect differences, and seek open communication. We understand that the beauty of the choir comes from individual voices, and that the song has many verses, but the greatest impact is realized when voices are raised as one.”
Ellen Sheffer has served on the San Luis Coastal Unified School District Board of Trustees since 2010. She recently completed the California School Board Association’s Masters in Governance program and has served on the planning committee and been a presenter for the Annual Education Conference of that organization. She has been board clerk and president and is currently serving on the policy sub-committee. She wrote and brought forward the Safe Schools Resolution passed by the board in December 2016 which states that no child or family member will be asked about his or her immigration status and that every school district site is a safe place for students and their families to seek help, assistance, information, and safety if faced with fear and anxiety about immigration enforcement efforts. Ellen has twice run unopposed for the office and continues to be passionate about serving the public education needs of the students in San Luis Obispo, Los Osos, and Morro Bay. She will be on the ballot in the November 2018 election. Originally from the Midwest, Ellen moved to California in 1987 and has lived just outside San Luis Obispo since 1994 with her husband and two children. In addition to her trustee work, she works as a paralegal and author and serves on the Advisory Board of the San Luis Obispo College of Law, is on the Board of Directors for Canzona Women’s Ensemble, and is a volunteer for Hearst Cancer Resource Center.