Hi, I’m Chris Johnson.
Incumbent SYVUHS Board Member and President.

With your vote November 5th, I’ll continue to put my passion to help kids succeed, my leadership skills, and my financial expertise to work to improve our community and country.

Why vote for me?

As your Trustee, I will continue to be a strong advocate for our children's welfare by ensuring they receive the best education to pursue any endeavor they may chose. I believe that we all have a path to follow in life. Whether you are college bound to pursue a professional career or are inclined to pursue a trade, you should be given the best possible educational base to help you pursue your dreams and become a productive, happy member of our society.

I currently serve as Board Member at Large and President of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District Board — it was my honor to be elected to this position by the board in December 2022. I am a lifelong learner — in my tenure, I’ve completed the Masters in Governance program through the CSBA, which has equipped me with the tools to be an effective advocate for our students.

My experience as a business owner and former football coach has reinforced my commitment to teamwork, leadership, and community. These principles have guided me in collaborating with educators, administrators, and fellow board members to navigate challenging issues with positive outcomes. Together, we revised our Mission and Vision statement, set a 3-5 year plan to reverse deficit spending, and addressed administrative turnover by restructuring and hiring a combined Superintendent/Principal to strengthen leadership and save the district money.

I am dedicated to ensuring that every student receives a high-quality education, regardless of their future goals. With your support, I will continue to serve our district with compassion and focus, helping to prepare our students to be productive members of society.

I humbly ask for your vote on November 5th.

Endorsements

Coming soon…

Contractor, Business Owner/Operator

I have worked in the construction industry full time since 1985. The mentors and teachers in my life saw potential and helped nurture me into the man I am today.

In 1995 I started my first company in the hardwood flooring industry which is still running successfully today and has become one of the premier wood flooring companies in the country. In 2017 I purchased a business in the trailer sales and service industry, the business was in dire need of new leadership and is now running efficiently and successfully. As a business founder, owner, operator I have developed a multitude of skills that are required for good leadership and success. I have learned how to budget and make smart financial decisions, how to deal with client relationships, understanding of the need to keep up with current products and affairs and most importantly the ability to create a team that has a safe and happy working environment.

I will embrace the opportunity to contiue to work with my fellow Trustees, parents and faculty to ensure our children have the best possible opportunity to be successful in whatever they pursue.

Coach

I began my coaching career in 1989 under head coach Ken Gruendyke. I quickly found that my passion was as a team builder and leader. Having the opportunity to work with the young men and give them the tools needed to become an integral part of a successful team has been an amazing blessing in my life. The coaching experience has given me insight into the needs of the kids their parents and the educators in our diverse community. It is not often that a “walk on” coach is asked to head coach a varsity football team. I was approached in 2008 by the then A.D. to step into an unfortunate situation that had occurred and take over the position. I embraced the opportunity and although our team win loss record was not the best, as a team and staff we felt it was a success. The most important part of the year was building the team spirit and working hard everyday to achieve a common goal, as well as learning how to be humble in your success and gracious in your defeats.

Parent, 3rd Generation Valley Resident

I am fortunate to be a 3rd generation Santa Ynez Valley resident. Although I never had children of my own, I have always felt a calling to nurture and mentor others. Being a coach filled the void that I had in my life, and when I found the love of my life, she brought with her 2 amazing children that I was able to call my own. The two of them graduated from Santa Ynez High School and have both grown into happy, strong and productive adults. I also have two grandchildren who are now on the way to a happy healthy life.

This valley has been good to my family for generations. I found it an amazing place to grow up and raise a family. There have been so many changes through my lifetime that it would be hard to lay them all out, but the one thing that still remains is the small town feel and sense of community pride. It would be an honor to serve the community that has served me so well.

I’m ready to continue to make a difference and respectfully ask for your vote this November 5th.