Who is Charles Hansen, the new candidate for San Mateo City Council?

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So who is Charles Hansen?  He has lived in the area since 2022. He is currently the chief program officer for Peninsula Family Service.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of North Texas and a master’s of business administration from Doane University. He has served as the executive director of the Metro Youth YMCA in Detroit, Michigan, the CEO of the YMCA in Grand Island, Nebraska, and the executive director of the Salvation Army and Boys and Girls Club in Dallas, Texas. According to his bio on the Peninsula Family Service website: “There is no artifice in Charles. He is competent, honest and compassionate. He is committed to the same pursuit of personal and professional excellence that he inspires in others.”

I contacted Hansen for an interview. He declined until closer to filing. But he did send me some additional information about himself. It sounds as if he is preparing himself to be a well-informed candidate.

“Since relocating to San Mateo, I have actively engaged with our community by participating in The Chamber’s Leadership program and the city of San Mateo’s City Services Academy. Additionally, I have served on a county commission to further my understanding of our city and its needs. Throughout my career, I’ve been dedicated to implementing initiatives aimed at enhancing access to quality education and after-school care. Additionally, my commitment to community engagement and amplifying marginalized voices has been a central tenet of my work.”

Meanwhile, Fernandez has collected big bucks and big endorsements. But she is not taking anything for granted and plans to start knocking on doors in her hometown. She is not in favor of historic districts. And leaders of the anti-historic movement are promising big bucks to those who back their ideas.

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Aragon High School is the number one high school in San Mateo County scholastically. It has been called the Lowell High of the Baywood and Aragon neighborhoods. So it is fitting that the former principal of San Francisco’s acclaimed Lowell, Dr. Michael Jones, is the new principal of Aragon. Before that, Dr. Jones was a principal at Mountain View High in Santa Clara County; in San Francisco, the former principal of Galileo and Balboa highs. Sounds like good news for Aragon and the Baywood community.

Aragon has a 72.7% non-white enrollment: Asian 30.9%; Hispanic 27.1%; 11.8% mixed race. The school has a 98% graduation rate. It has five National Merit Scholars this year more than any other school in the county including expensive private schools. 

Dr. Jones is a native of Surry County in Wakefield, Virginia, and grew up in the Charlotte metropolitan area. He has served as CEO and founder of Shakers and Movers Educational (SAME) Foundation and as leader of The Life Center, which is a faith-based movement within the southeastern region of the United States. He is the youngest of nine children.

Dr. Jones received his Ed.D. in educational leadership from Gardner-Webb College; his master’s in educational administration and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Bachelor of Arts in sociology and elementary education from the College of William & Mary. Additionally, Dr. Jones received his diploma in Biblical and Theological Studies from the Calvary Bible Institute. 

He experienced the selective enrollment conflicts at Lowell which he will not face in his new job. The San Mateo Union High School District practices open enrollment unless there is no space available. But he is a veteran of the closed versus open campus battles our schools went through several years ago. 

What he will have to face here are high expectations.

Sue Lempert is the former mayor of San Mateo. Her column runs Mondays. She can be reached at sue@smdailyjournal.com.