Tustin, CA Orange County Board of Education Member Rebecca “Beckie” Gomez today announced she is seeking re-election to the OC School Board in March 2020. Gomez, who is also a former two-term Tustin Councilmember, represents District 1 on the five-member Board of Education. Unlike elections for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, there is no runoff after the March Primary and the top vote-getter wins the seat outright regardless of percentage.
“I’m running for re-election to continue the work we’re doing on behalf of students, parents, and teachers at the Orange County Board of Education. I’m proud of the partnerships we’ve established with our school districts and I want to protect local control, improve public education, and create an environment where strong schools and student excellence can thrive in Orange County.”
Prior to being elected to Tustin City Council and the OC School Board, Beckie had been very active in the Tustin Unified School District (TUSD) and her community. Beckie has served as President of the Tustin Public Schools Foundation, Tustin High School Academic Boosters, TUSD Coordinating Council, Thorman Elementary PTA president and Currie Middle School PTA president. She has also been on the Board of Directors for Tustin Girls Softball, Nelson PTA, Tustin Meadows Tiny Tots and the Orange County Women’s Soccer League, along with serving as a long-time youth coach in Tustin Bobby Sox, Tustin Girls Softball, AYSO and NJB.
Since her election to the OC Board of Education in 2016, Beckie has been a strong proponent of students, increased training for teachers, and local control for school districts. She strongly advocates for transparency in Board decisions and she was instrumental in providing guidance to school districts on intradistrict transfers.
Beckie received her Bachelor of Science degree from UCLA School of Public Health, a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Administration from Cal State University Long Beach, and a Master of Arts degree in Sports Fitness and Management from the University of San Francisco. She is currently the Dean of Health Science at Cypress College. Previously, Beckie held various management and consulting positions in hospitals and a national home health agency.
Beckie and her husband John McKeon have made Tustin their home since 1988. They raised three children who attended Thorman and Nelson elementary schools, Currie Middle School, two graduated from Tustin High School and one from Sage Hill School. Her sons are Cal State Fullerton and Sonoma State University graduates and her daughter graduated from Stanford University.