20 Facts About Cindy Chavez

Cindy Chavez was born on April 7,1964 and is an American politician serving as the Manager of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, since 2024.

Cindy Chavez previously served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 2013 to 2024 and on the San Jose City Council, where she was Vice Mayor.

Cindy Chavez ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of San Jose twice, in 2006 and 2022.

Cindy Chavez serves as Chair of the $400 million Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and is a member of the Caltrain's Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board Board of Directors.

Cindy Chavez is a Director of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Cindy Chavez has led efforts to create jail diversion programs for mentally ill offenders and the homeless including sobering stations, crisis stabilization beds and mobile crisis teams.

Cindy Chavez was the architect of Santa Clara County's successful $950-million dollar housing bond in the November 2016 election that will be instrumental in getting housing built for the mentally ill and homeless.

Similarly, Cindy Chavez worked to develop a shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth, a large percentage of whom were kicked out of their homes.

In 2017, Cindy Chavez joined the County in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration - Trump vs Santa Clara County - when the administration threatened to withhold federal funds affecting hospitals, social services and thousands of children, Seniors and the disabled.

Cindy Chavez worked to streamline and improve Santa Clara County's foster care system to include schools and improve the dually involved youth system merging child welfare with juvenile justice.

Cindy Chavez was one of the two Santa Clara County Supervisors who authored the Children's Advocacy Center proposal.

Cindy Chavez is taking action against human trafficking with the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission she founded and co-chairs with the Santa Clara County Sheriff and District Attorney.

Cindy Chavez was first elected to the council in 1998 and re-elected in 2002.

Cindy Chavez sat on local and regional bodies, including the Valley Transportation Authority as vice-chair, VTA Policy Advisory Board and Nanotechnology Infrastructure and Assets Subcommittee.

In 2006 Cindy Chavez ran for mayor in a field of ten candidates hoping to succeed termed-out Ron Gonzales.

Cindy Chavez out-raised her opponents and was the frontrunner in polls.

Cindy Chavez was the director of education and outreach for the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council.

Cindy Chavez became the executive officer of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council in March 2009.

Cindy Chavez helped found and was executive director of Working Partnerships USA, a labor-aligned advocacy group.

In early 2013, Cindy Chavez was elected as the vice-chair of the Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee.