Candidate for
School Board Director; City of Oakland; District 4

Gary Yee, a lifelong Oakland resident, retired from the Peralta Community Colleges as Vice Chancellor for Educational Services in September 2008, after serving stints as director of research, associate vice chancellor of planning, and dean of instruction at Merritt College. He still works to improve access to high quality instructional programs, by consulting with the Career Ladders Project, funded by the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

Yee has worked as an educator for over thirty years, beginning a career in public education in 1973 as a third grade teacher at Cleveland Elementary School, directing the district's Gifted and Talented Education Program (1983-85), serving as assistant principal at Franklin Year Round School and Principal at Hillcrest School (1985-90), and Assistant to the Superintendent (1992-1995). From 1995 until 2005, he served in full time faculty and administrative roles at Boston College, St. Mary's College of California, and Holy Names University, preparing superintendents, principals, and teachers.

While working full time in higher education, Yee also served as executive director for the Oakland Child Health and Safety Initiative (1997-98)Oakland Education Cabinet (1998-2001), and the Early Care and Preschool Initiative (Alameda County Office of Education- 2006).

Yee graduated from Castlemont High School, the University of California at Berkeley (B.A.), California State University at Hayward (Teaching Credential and Masters in Public Administration), and Stanford University (Ed.D.).

Yee was elected President of the Board by his colleagues on January 4, 2010. Yee previously served as President of the Board (2005), Vice President (2005 and 2009), and chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee (2009).

Yee has served on the boards of the East Bay Asian Youth Center, Youth Alive!, Oakland Ready to Learn, California Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Faith Network of the East Bay, and Fruitvale Presbyterian Church. Yee is married to an Oakland Principal (retired) and his daughter directs a school-based health clinic in Oakland. His son is a graphic animator. The entire family graduated from the Oakland Public Schools.