Endorsements
Vice President, Pausd Board
"I endorse John Craig for Palo Alto School Board, due to his commitment to good governance for our school district. John is not afraid to speak up about his convictions, and I strongly believe he will be a voice for greater accountability, good governance, and transparency. John is an active community member, parent, and volunteer, and I believe his attention to detail and commitment to doing what is right will bring tremendous benefit to him as a candidate and as a trustee, and to the school district as a whole, as it moves into a new era of cultural reset with our new Superintendent."
Rowena Chiu
Los Altos City Council
"I’m proud to support John Craig because Palo Alto deserves fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability from its school board. At a time of serious budget challenges and shaken community trust, John will bring the openness, collaborative mindset and stewardship our schools need."
Lynette Lee Eng
Elected Officials
Former Mayor, Palo Alto
"Having served Palo Alto for years, I know our community needs open, transparent, and responsive governance; including governance that is respectful and has integrity. As a PAUSD parent and PTA leader, John Craig will bring parent leadership, vision, and fiscal accountability to the school board. He will promote collaboration between families, teachers, and administrators while prioritizing comprehensive academic excellence, student well-being, and strategic, practical technology.
I encourage Palo Alto voters to support John Craig for the PAUSD School Board."
Lydia Kou
(顧錦珍)
Board Member, San Mateo Union High School District
"John understands the issues facing PAUSD and the demand for community collaboration. He has a solid perspective on how to restore trust in one of the highest performing districts in the area. I share his resolve to speak up in behalf of his constituents and work constructively to solve difficult problems."
Jennifer Jacobson
Former President, Las Lomitas Elementary School Board
“I have confidence that John Craig will work to improve academic opportunities and outcomes for every PAUSD student.”
Paige Winikoff
PALO ALTO city council, finance chair
"Effective public service comes down to fiscal discipline, open governance, and putting community first. John Craig brings a practical, accountable mindset to PAUSD—focusing on measurable student outcomes and transparent leadership. I'm glad to endorse John for School Board."
Greg Tanaka
Former Chair, Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Committee
“I am looking for the kind of leadership on our school board that I know John can deliver! He's a very principled individual with a desire to uphold a family legacy of public service and governance in a positive manner.”
Doria Summa
Clinical Professor (Affiliated) Stanford and Parent of PAUSD Alum
“What impresses me most about John is how he explains his reasoning and considers each student's rights and welfare as an individual. He has a powerful approach to rebuilding trust by engaging community expertise thoughtfully and building processes that ensure fairness and due process.
Allyson Rosen
Mary Bussman
WALTER HAYS PRINCIPAL, RETIRED
"John Craig offers a smart and respectful approach to leading PAUSD on a positive and collaborative path that result in best choices for student learning and growing."
Brian Kim
PAUSD Parent
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Former PAUSD Parent
"I enthusiastically endorse John Craig for the PAUSD Board. I have found John to be a very thoughtful, intelligent, and respectful leader whose calm voice and analytical mind will be invaluable in navigating the many challenges facing our schools. I believe John will be especially effective at driving needed changes in governance and in restoring a culture throughout the PAUSD system where every student is encouraged and supported to live up to their full potential and none are artificially held back."
Brian Suckow
Tingzhen Ming
PAUSD Parent
"As a Palo Alto parent and technology leader, I endorse John Craig for the PAUSD School Board. John brings independent judgment, practical leadership, and a strong commitment to academic excellence. I especially appreciate his focus on transparency, accountability, responsible use of technology, and ensuring that every student has opportunities to reach their full potential. I believe John will listen carefully to families, ask difficult questions, and work constructively to improve our schools."
Molly Menshke
Long time Palo Alto Resident
Sze Ngai Tsai
PAUSD Parent
Sarit Schube
PAUSD Parent and Community Leader
Weidan Liu
PAUSD Parent
Xuan Deng
PAUSD Parent
Yilei Wu
PAUSD Parent
Wendy Pang
PAUSD Parent
Rufei Shi
PAUSD Parent
Jiayue He
Other Endorsements
Professor of Mathematics, Stanford University
"I endorse John for his support of academic excellence."
Brian Conrad
Kathryn Hallsten, MD
Former CO-CHAIr, PENINSULA SOUTH BAY GFC CHAPTER
"I enthusiastically endorse John Craig for Palo Alto School Board. He has the temperament, mentality and experience necessary to work for optimal education of all Palo Alto youth. He is a parent of a Palo Alto middle school student and tech executive with business management experience. He is a champion for academic excellence and at the same time, optimizing individual student mental health and well-being. He has experience working across cultures and groups of varying interest. He would be an invaluable addition to our Palo Alto School Board."
Parent, Buhler Board Member
"I have known John for more than 20 years throughout my professional career and the same time we have been friends. Once John has something on his mind, he goes for it, but not in an unreflected way, but in a collaborative, engaging and reflective way. So yes, from my heart I can endorse and wish him and the society success."
Holger Feldhege
Xiaoming Yin
Grit Ventures, Managing Partner
"I’m proud to support my close friend John Craig for School Board. One of the qualities I admire most about John is his remarkable composure. Even in the most difficult and chaotic situations, he never loses his cool. He has an ability to cut through the noise, see a path forward, and bring people with him. I’ve seen this quality in him time and again, and it’s one of the many reasons I’m proud to endorse him."
David Varodayan
PAUSD Parent, professor at CMU
"As a PAUSD parent, I wholeheartedly endorse John Craig for School Board because he brings much-needed transparency, fiscal oversight, and honest communication to our district. His thoughtful, outcome-focused approach to governance will ensure our schools build real trust and deliver for every student."
Danhai Cao
PAUSD Parent
Christine Boehm
Lawyer, Writer and PAUSD parent
Jing Li
PAUSD Parent
Kenny Cheung
PAUSD Parent
Yee Fung Yvonne Leung
PAUSD Parent
Zhaojun Wo
PAUSD Parent
Wei Liu
PAUSD Parent
President, Students Who Oppose Racial Discrimination (SWORD)
“I proudly endorse John for the PAUSD Board of Education. John understands that true academic excellence begins by recognizing every student as an individual with unique strengths, passions, and learning needs. By championing rigorous standards alongside personalized support and flexible pathways, John will ensure our schools empower every learner to thrive. Vote for leadership dedicated to putting our students' future first.”
Nan Zhong
PAUSD Parent and Community Leader
"John has my wholehearted support! He will ask the tough questions, make the tough calls, and provide real oversight. He won’t just go along to get along — he’ll do right by our kids.”
Leor Melamedov
Pearl Chow
Parent of 3 PAUSD Alumni, Former Duveneck PTA President & 11-yr PAUSD Instructional Aide
"As a parent of three PAUSD alumni, a former PTA president, and a former instructional aide with 11 years of classroom experience, I know what it takes for our schools to succeed from every angle. John brings the right financial oversight and independent judgment to protect our classrooms from looming cuts, champion open decision-making, and ensure our schools deliver for every student. John Craig is exactly who we need on the School Board."
Head of Operations at Dexterity
"I’ve known John Craig for more than 25 years—as a classmate at the University of Toronto, a colleague early in our careers, and, most importantly, a longtime friend. Throughout that time, I’ve known John to be thoughtful, sincere, and deeply committed to the things he believes can make his community better.
His passion for strengthening public education and improving our school districts is genuine. John brings curiosity, integrity, and a willingness to listen and engage with different perspectives. I’m proud to call him a friend and happy to endorse his candidacy."
Sahar Boroujerdi
Ricky Xu
PAUSD Parent
"John has been a strong advocate for PAUSD parents. He has consistently helped make sure parents’ voices are heard and that their concerns are brought to the district level, where they can be addressed and resolved. We need board members like John who stay connected to families, listen carefully, and turn community concerns into tangible support for students and parents."
Melissa Anderson
PAUSD Parent
"I endorse John Craig because he has consistently raised community awareness about accountability and transparency in PAUSD—including the nearly $1 million in separation packages for Don Austin and Trent Bahadursingh.
Our tax dollars are hard-earned, and parents and taxpayers deserve to know how they are being spent. I look forward to having John on the Board to demand transparency, strengthen accountability, and make sure the community’s voice is heard.."
Eliseo River Ramirez
PAUSD Parent
Julie Kim
PAUSD Parent