South Bay community college district appoints county staffer to board
A staffer for Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee was unanimously appointed to represent Sunnyvale on the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees.
Alexander Gvatua was among five applicants interviewed by the district board at a special meeting on Jan. 15 to fill the Trustee Area 2 seat vacated by Patrick Ahrens, who was elected to the state Assembly in November. Trustee Area 2 covers central Sunnyvale, where Gvatua lives.
Gvatua is a graduate of De Anza College who serves as a policy analyst for Lee and an adjunct professor of political science at San Jose State University, where he earned a political science degree in 2020.
Gvatua was sworn in to office by Chancellor Lee Lambert following the vote.
California Education Code provides that if a provisional appointment is made within the 60-day period following a vacancy, the
Per state law, registered voters in the district may, within 30 days from the date of the appointment, petition for a special election to fill the vacancy. Should no petition be filed, Gvatua will serve the remainder of Ahrens’ term, which expires in 2026.