Vote November 2026  ·  FUHSD Trustee, Area 4  ·  Sunnyvale, CA
Candidate for FUHSD Trustee  ·  Area 4

Every student, heard. Every family, included.

Former special education educator. 26-year Sunnyvale neighbor. Mother of two Homestead High graduates. I'm running for the FUHSD Board because every student deserves to be seen, supported, and believed in.

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Ilanit Eliaz
"Education is about belonging, dignity, and safety."
About Ilanit

A neighbor, an advocate, an educator first.

For more than two decades, Sunnyvale has been the place where Ilanit raised her family, built her career in education, and put down deep roots in the community. She knows our schools from the inside — as a parent who walked her kids through Vargas, Cherry Chase, Sunnyvale Middle, and Homestead High, and as an educator who sat with families when they needed someone to listen.

Ilanit's two children are now university students — proud graduates of Homestead High School and Middle College. Watching them grow up through our local schools shaped her conviction that public education is the single most important investment a community makes in its future.

Before becoming a parent advocate, Ilanit worked as a special education educator. That experience — sitting with students whose needs were complicated, with parents who felt unheard, with families who just needed someone in their corner — became the foundation of how she sees this role. The right support at the right moment can change a student's life. She has watched it happen.

Over the years, Ilanit has devoted hundreds of hours to volunteering across the Sunnyvale schools — as a teacher's assistant, a room parent, an event organizer, and an art docent. She has also been a steady advocate for students with special needs and their parents, and led a parents' support group for families raising children with special needs.

Beyond the schools, she volunteered at El Camino Hospital, where she worked to improve the experience of patients and their families during some of their most difficult days.

Outside the classroom and the school board agenda, you'll find Ilanit volunteering with two local animal-rescue organizations, climbing routes at the local crag, and showing up wherever the community needs another set of hands.

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Six Priorities

One principle: students first.

Strong schools are built by trustees who listen carefully, ask harder questions, and make sure every decision answers the same one: does this make life better for the students and families we serve?

Transparency and accountability

Families deserve clear information about how decisions are made, where money goes, and how students are doing. Trust is built one honest conversation at a time — starting with a board that shows up.

Belonging, dignity, and safety

Every student deserves to feel welcome and safe — physically, emotionally, and socially. That's the floor, not the ceiling. When students feel safe, they take risks, ask questions, and grow.

Partnership with families

Parents know their kids best. I'll make sure families have a real say in school decisions — and that the district treats parents as partners, not problems. When schools and families work together, kids do better.

Voices that often go unheard

Some students get overlooked — students learning English, students with disabilities, and students who don't advocate for themselves. I'll amplify their voices and make sure their needs shape every decision.

Mental health and wellbeing

Academic excellence and student wellbeing reinforce each other. Our high schoolers are under real pressure. They need real support: counselors, programs, and a school culture that says it's okay to not be okay.

Special education that actually delivers

I've sat on the educator's side of the IEP table. Students with special needs deserve advocates who understand the system from the inside — and who hold the district accountable for real outcomes, not paperwork.

Who I'll Champion

Some students never get to write the agenda. They should.

I'm running because the students whose voices are hardest to hear are often the ones a school board most needs to listen to. As trustee, I will ensure that all voices of families and students are included and amplified.

Immigrant Students and Families

Sunnyvale is home to families from all over the world. Newcomer students bring extraordinary perspectives and ambitions to our schools. They deserve schools that meet them where they are — and that build real bridges between home and classroom.

Students with Special Needs

I came to this work as a special education educator. I know how often the right support, the right accommodations, and one adult who truly listens can change everything for a student. Our high schoolers deserve a board that understands that — and acts on it.

Ilanit at the VOTE installation
Supporters gathered at Ilanit's campaign kickoff event
Ilanit’s Campaign Kickoff Event

Education is about more than academics. It's about belonging, dignity, and safety. When students feel supported, they grow and thrive — and it is our responsibility to make sure they do.

Testimonials

Educators, elected officials, community leaders, students, and neighbors standing with Ilanit. Use the filters to see who's behind her.

Endorsed by

Community members, leaders, educators, and officials who have added their names.

The Honorable Richard Mehlinger
Elected Official Sunnyvale City Council, Vice Mayor
The Honorable Eileen Le
Elected Official Sunnyvale City Council Member, District 6
The Honorable Alysa Cisneros
Elected Official Sunnyvale City Council Member, District 2
The Honorable Murali Srinivasan
Elected Official Sunnyvale City Council Member, District 3
The Honorable Gustav Larsson
Elected Official Sunnyvale City Council, Former Vice Mayor
The Honorable Peggy Shen Brewster
Elected Official Sunnyvale School District Board President, Trustee Area 4
The Honorable Bridget Watson
Elected Official Sunnyvale School District Board Trustee, Trustee Area 1
The Honorable Evelyn Castillo Profeta
Elected Official Sunnyvale School District Board Member, Trustee Area 5
The Honorable Pat Carpio-Aguilar
Elected Official Fremont Union High School District Board Trustee, Trustee Area 2
The Honorable John Horner
Elected Official Morgan Hill Unified School District Board President
The Honorable Paige Winikoff
Elected Official Las Lomitas Elementary School District Board Trustee
The Honorable Alex Levich
Elected Official Mountain View – Los Altos High School District Board Trustee
The Honorable Vadim Katz
Elected Official Mountain View – Los Altos High School District Board Vice President
The Honorable Ava Chiao
Elected Official Cupertino Union School District Board Vice President; Teacher, East Side Union High School District
Sunnyvale Democratic Club
Community Organization
Americans4Hindus
National Community Organization
Sunnyvale Safe Streets, Sharlene Liu
Chair
Anna Stepanenko
Fremont High School Parent; Member, FUHSD Citizens Oversight Committee
Carla Kirschenbaum
Teacher
Heather Burns
Teacher, Sunnyvale School District
Todd Dulude
Teacher, Columbia Middle School
Francesca Gutierrez
TK Teacher, Cumberland Elementary
Wendi Smith
Teacher
Naomi Wagner, PhD
College Professor, West Valley College & SJSU
Shirit Megiddo
Speech Therapist
Itai Shechter Gelles
Student
Kevin Martull
Student
May Sui
Former School Site Council Member, Homestead High School
Maya Bronicki
Former PTSA President, Homestead High School
Elana Feinsmith
Former Member, Fremont High School Site Council; Past Chair, Crittenden Middle School Site Council
Gilli Yahalom
Community Leader
Satish Chandra Vale
Community Leader
Susan Salop
Community Leader and Volunteer
Gail Rubino
Mobile Home Park Resident Advocate
Ambrosia Studley
Community Member
Deanna Gonzales
Community Member
Tali Ganir
Community Member
Chen Levkovich
Community Member
Hila Vaisler
Community Member
Yeela Alterman
Community Member
Merav Admon Saban
Community Member
Dana Harduf
Community Member
Orit Menahem
Community Member
Gabby Menahem
Community Member
Roxana Portillo
Community Member
Meirav Nitzan
Community Member
Shai Nitzan
Community Member
Aaron Sofaer
Community Member
Burt Salop
Community Member
Jean Kashitani
Community Member
Tina Martull
Community Member
Kostadin Dobov
Community Member
Slobodan Miskovic
Community Member
Maria Wong
Community Member
Monica Elazar
Community Member
Menashe Elazar
Community Member
Jon Kirschenbaum
Community Member
Susan Ciaburro
Community Member
Manuel Martull
Community Member
Sara Johnson
Community Member
Prajakta Dandawate
Community Member
Meirav Saban
Community Member
Samantha Rojas
Community Member
Jessie Jarecki
Community Member
Karen Lerner
Community Member
Carrie Josefsberg Levin
Community Member
No endorsers in this category yet.

I am confident that Ilanit will work to ensure the best academic opportunity for every FUHSD student.

Paige Winikoff

Trustee, Las Lomitas Elementary School District

Elected Official

As a fellow community leader in the Bay Area, I am proud to support Ilanit. Throughout her more than two decades in Sunnyvale, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to serving families, students, and residents with compassion and dedication.

As both an educator and parent, Ilanit understands firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing our schools. Her years of volunteer service, advocacy for students with special needs, and support for families reflect a leadership style rooted in empathy, collaboration, and action.

Beyond education, her service at El Camino Hospital and across the broader community highlights her unwavering commitment to helping others. Leaders who consistently give back, build bridges, and put people first make our communities stronger.

Ilanit has earned the trust and respect of people from diverse backgrounds, and I am honored to endorse her as a community leader who will continue to make a positive impact for Sunnyvale and the Bay Area.

Satish Chandra Vale

Community Leader

Community

I am proud to support Ilanit Eliaz for the School Board. I first met her many years ago when I had the privilege of teaching her son in kindergarten. From the very beginning, it was clear how deeply she cared about children and their success.

Over the years, I have watched her become a tireless advocate for students, especially those with special needs. She consistently works to ensure that every child is seen, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive. She approaches challenges with kindness, compassion, and determination, always keeping the best interests of students at the center of her decisions.

What stands out most is her willingness to speak up for what is right, even when it is difficult. She listens to families, values educators, and genuinely cares about creating schools where all children can succeed.

Our students deserve leaders who are thoughtful, dedicated, and committed to doing what is best for children. I believe Ilanit embodies those qualities, and I wholeheartedly endorse her for School Board.

Francesca Gutierrez

TK Teacher, Cumberland Elementary

Educator

I've known Ilanit for many years and have observed through the years her enthusiasm, dedication, and experience with special education and helping those who need it, access it.

Shirit Megiddo

Speech Therapist

Educator

I am proud to endorse Ilanit Eliaz for the Fremont Union High School District Board. As a former special education educator, a longtime Sunnyvale resident, and a parent of FUHSD graduates, Ilanit brings valuable firsthand insight into the diverse needs of students. Her unwavering commitment to transparency, equity, and inclusion ensures that every student feels supported, heard, and valued. With Ilanit's leadership, all students will have the opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential.

Susan Salop

Community Leader and Volunteer; parent of a current FUHSD student

Community

I'm excited to support Ilanit because she wants to improve our schools for all our students. She is a candidate who recognizes that the status quo is leaving a lot of kids behind.

Jessie J.

A Homestead parent

Community

Ilanit is a strong advocate for safe routes to school.

Sharlene Liu

Chair, Sunnyvale Safe Streets

Community

Ilanit genuinely cares about our children — not just their education, but their well-being, their opportunities, and their future. She believes every child deserves the chance to succeed, and that belief guides everything she does.

What makes Ilanit so special is her character. She is a person of unwavering integrity, independent thinking, and genuine kindness. She listens with empathy, treats everyone with respect, and always does what she believes is right, even when it’s not the easiest path.

Her commitment to our community is demonstrated not only through her words but through years of volunteer service and active involvement in local organizations. She has consistently stepped up to help others and make our community stronger.

Our schools need leaders who are thoughtful, compassionate, and focused on what is best for students and families. I can’t think of anyone better than Ilanit. I wholeheartedly support her and hope you’ll join me in voting for Ilanit Eliaz.

Anna Stepanenko

Fremont High School Parent; Member, FUHSD Citizens Oversight Committee

Community

Ilanit knows how to listen with intention and inquiry, and she is not afraid to ask hard questions. She will bring a unique, fresh, can-do energy to the Board. She’s ready to tackle challenges, seek solutions, and implement much-needed change in the community. It is time for a changing of the guard so Ilanit can help lead the way.

Carrie Josefsberg Levin

Community Member

Community
In the Community
Endorse Ilanit

Add your name.

Endorsements from neighbors, parents, educators, and community members are how local campaigns are won. If you believe in Ilanit's vision for our schools, add your name below.

By endorsing, you're publicly standing with Ilanit and helping send a strong signal to neighbors who haven't decided yet. Your endorsement may be displayed on this site (with your permission) and shared with our community organizers.

Have a longer story to share, or want to host a meet-and-greet in your home? Mention it in the message field — Ilanit reads every note personally.

Endorsement form

Volunteer

Lend a hand.

Local campaigns are won by neighbors showing up for each other. There's a role for every kind of volunteer — whether you have an hour a week or a few hours a month, here's how to plug in.

We'll match you with what fits your time, skills, and comfort level. Most volunteer roles are flexible and can be done from home. New to political campaigns? Even better — we'll train you.

Once you submit, a campaign coordinator will reach out within a few days to confirm next steps.

Volunteer sign-up

Let's Talk

Come introduce yourself.

Ilanit wants to hear from you — what's working in our schools, what isn't, and what you'd want to see from your next trustee. Reach out, ask a hard question, or just say hi.

"Please feel free to come and introduce yourself."

Email

ilanit4fuhsd@gmail.com

District

Fremont Union High School District
Trustee Area 4 — Sunnyvale, CA

Connect

Map of FUHSD Trustee Areas — Area 4 highlighted in green, Sunnyvale, CA

FUHSD Trustee Areas · Area 4 is Sunnyvale