About Suzie Swartz

SVUSD Vice President Suzie Swartz is a strong advocate for our children and our schools. Throughout her tenure, Suzie has worked tirelessly to provide the classroom support needed to address learning loss and challenging behavior, raise achievement and provide safe, nurturing, state-of-the-art learning environments.

She always puts our children first and votes to direct resources where they have the greatest benefit for our students.

In her role as a school board member, Suzie:

Provides safe schools where all children feel welcome and excited to learn
Seeks to attract and retain the finest teachers, administrators and school staff.
Understands the importance of Arts Education, Science, Career Technology (CTE), Engineering and Math (STEM), and Athletics along with the Basics

Continually works to secure resources to enhance these programs and keep them thriving
Knows we must prepare our graduates to move forward whether they are college bound, entering the workforce or enlisting in military service.

Promotes high academic standards, transparency and accountability
Leverages her knowledge to help facilitate change and negotiate budget challenges

A powerful voice for our schools on the local, state and federal levels, Suzie:

Represents SVUSD on the California School Boards Association (CSBA) Delegate Assembly
Serves on the Orange County School Boards Association (OCSBA) Board of Directors
Has been appointed to represent school board members on the CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) Executive Committee
Serves on Saddleback Memorial Hospital Community Benefit Oversight Committee
Has also led the Orange County Education Coalition, bringing together parents, teachers, administrators, classified staff, and board members to advocate for our local public schools

Suzie's leadership and service to our public schools has been recognized and honored:

OCSBA's prestigious Marian Bergeson Award for service to Orange County's public schools
Phi Delta Kappa's Citizen of the Year Award for her years of service to public schools

Prior to being elected to the school board, Suzie also received numerous Saddleback Valley Management Association Recognition Awards for her volunteer service over the years in our district.

Suzie and her husband have lived in Mission Viejo and been involved in our schools for over 30 years. Her sons attended Del Cerro Elementary, La Paz Intermediate and Mission Viejo High where she volunteered:

Del Cerro Elementary PTA Executive board, including terms as President
Saddleback Valley PTA Council Executive Board
La Paz STPO Executive Board
Music Boosters at both La Paz and Mission Viejo High
Mission Viejo High PTSA
Model UN Parent Booster Board at Mission Viejo High
Wrestling and Tennis Boosters at Mission Viejo High
Club Lacrosse Boosters
Various education committees at the district, county and state levels.

Suzie continues to support PTA and is a proud, paid member of all our SVUSD schools' PTAs.

You can usually find Suzie visiting our schools, supporting student events, job shadowing, and volunteering in our community.

As a School Board member and former Preschool teacher, Suzie collaborates well with teachers, parents, students and staff alike.

She always:

Stays well informed
Weighs issues thoroughly
Looks at the big picture
Offers reasoned, thoughtful responses

Suzie understands the importance to foster and support a safe environment that:

Makes all children feel welcome and excited to learn
Values high expectations with high academic standards
Encourages parent involvement
Promotes accessibility of teachers, administrators and school board members
Emphasizes mutual respect
Provides accountability and transparency

A UCLA Graduate with a Masters in Governance Certificate from the California School Boards Association, Suzie has taught preschool and then worked with her husband in public relations. Her sons are Mission Viejo High School graduates and college graduates; one is a media content executive for a major national sports league, and the other is an in-house counsel and senior executive at an international advertising firm. Her school age grandchildren attend public schools.