Endorsements- Add Me for 2024!
Personal Endorsements-
Zoe Lofgren- United States Representative
Robert Rivas- Speaker of the Assembly/CA Assemblymember
Alex Lee- CA Assemblymember
Dave Cortese- CA State Senator
Kathy C. Napoli- Gavilan College Trustee Area 1
Alicia M. Cortez- Gavilan College Trustee Area 2
Dr. Gabriel Gutiérrez- Gavilan College Trustee Area 3
Patricia Mondragón- Gavilan College Trustee Area 4
Rachel Perez- Gavilan College Trustee Area 6
Edwin Diaz- Past Gavilan College Trustee Area 3
Melissa Aguirre- GUSD Trustee Area 6
Tuyen Fiack- GUSD Trustee Area 7
Enrique Diaz- Past GUSD Trustee Area 1/Computer Engineer
Sylvia Arenas- Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors D1
Otto Lee- Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors D3
Raeena Lari- Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 7
Yvonne Martinez-Beltrán- Morgan Hill Council Member District B
Dr. Iván Rosales Montes- Morgan Hill Unified School District Trustee Area 5
JR Fruen- Cupertino City Council Member
Rob Moore- Los Gatos Council Member
Lucas Ramirez- Mountain View City Council Member
Emily Ramos- Mountain View City Council Member
Margaret Abe-Koga- Mountain View City Council Member
Sergio Lopez- Campbell City Council Member D2
Peter Ortiz- San Jose City Council Member D5
Domingo Candelas- San Jose City Council D5
Larry Klein- Mayor, Sunnyvale
Richard Mehlinger- Councilmember, Sunnyvale, D5
Patrick Ahrens- President and Trustee Area 2, Foothill-De Anza Community College District
Jorge Pacheco Jr- Oak Grove School District Trustee/Santa Clara County BOE Candidate
Helen Chapman- Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority D3
Katie Causey- Candidate for Palo Alto City Council
Adam Loraine- San Mateo City Council Member D5
Anthony Rocha- Salinas City Council Member D6
Brian Barnacle- Petaluma City Council Member/Clean Energy, Building Decarbonization Coalition
Ken Yeager- Past Santa Clara County Supervisor & San Jose City Council Member
Jorge Mendoza- Nueva Vida Community
Sean Reedy- Gilroy BPAC/Community Outreach Worker
Patrick Flautt- Past Vice-Chair Gilroy BPAC/Past CalTrain CAC
Art Barron- Past Gilroy Planning Commissioner
Vince D. Monroy- Dean of Students for Foundation for Hispanic Education
Rubén Dario & Veronica Villa- Artist and Educator
Maria Del Rosarío Aguilar
Ernesto & Lucy Olivares
Olivier Musi-Verdel
Eric & Nicole Ingram
Daniel Chole
Eugene Bernosky
Joey Garcia
Teresa Perez
Mary & Jim Garcia
Chris & Jill Vanni
Rob Oneto
Jaime & Evelia Rosso
John & Rachel Perez
Richard & Hortencia Cota
Noshaba Afzal
Organization Endorsements-
South Bay Labor Council AFL-CIO
Santa Clara County Democratic Party
Gilroy AFSCME Local 101 Public Works/Police Department Civilians/Clerical/Parks & Rec
Gilroy Teachers Association
Gilroy Firefighters IAFF Local 2805
International Association of Firefighters
Carpenter's Local 405
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 332
Teamsters Local 350
Teamsters Local 856
Teamsters Local 853
IUPAT District Council 16 International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
South Bay YIMBY
Housing Action Coalition
UA Local 393 Plumbers, Steamfitters, HVAC/R
Cement Mason’s Local 400
AFSCME Council 57
South County Democratic Club
SEIU 521
Silicon Valley Stonewall Democrats
Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104
Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee BAYMEC
Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte
Sierra Club Loma Prieta
Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters
Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3
Democratic Activists for Women NOW (DAWN)
Letters of Endorsement-
Zach cares deeply about serving and bettering our community with a keen eye toward the future. I met Zach in 2017 as a fellow Gilroy Bicycle Pedestrian Commissioner, his strong and bold leadership quickly translated into results. Regardless of staffing and political changes and vacancies, Zach has consistently demonstrated that he will not sit back and allow anything to be an excuse for progress and inaction when it comes to supporting the community, working families, and affordable local recreation opportunities.
Zach develops effective relationships with staff members, leaders, and community-based organizations and leverages those ties to effectively educate and engage the community in local government actions. He also has broadened his reach beyond our city, developing relationships with leaders and advocates throughout our region and state. Most recently his work has translated into possible new state and city policies regarding bicycle parking availability in housing complexes as well as free access to bikes for those in need of inexpensive, efficient, safe transportation during the COVID-19 crisis. He also has championed a freely accessed city BMX Pump Track as well as an Adventure Park addition to Gilroy Gardens that could boost local jobs opportunities as well as provide free and low-cost access for locals to trails.
Zach is an advocate for affordable housing and high quality of life for all through walkable and bikeable neighborhoods especially near all multi-family developments. He knows that keeping people local boosts the local economy and job growth and has been a champion of local businesses while partnering to bring people through their doors through community events as well as safe opportunities to walk, bike, and have effective, plentiful, and attractive bike parking.
Zach monitors government actions thoroughly and when he notices government being inactive or making mistakes that may negatively impact the community, he steps up to be a voice for those in need of support and gathers them to influence government action in support of what needs to be done. He collaborates with local community leadership, such as San Ysidro Nueva Vida, to make sure all community members are equitably included in government actions.
Sean Reedy
Gilroy BPAC
Community Outreach Worker
Zach has consistently shown integrity, transparency, and responsiveness while truly representing all Gilroy residents with equity and the highest levels of common decent respect. I have witnessed him celebrating Gilroy’s beautifully diverse communities and being very engaged to sincerely understand the needs & concerns of all community members. Zach has a proven track record to actively seek & receive grants, and collaborate with community organizations to address issues impacting all neighborhood areas.
Noshaba Afzal
Educator, Counselor
Gilroy, CA
I first met Zach Hilton when I joined the Gilroy Bicycle Pedestrian Commission in December of 2018. Ahead of our first formal commission meeting in city hall, I reached out to Zach to introduce myself and find out more about the kind of person he was and what he was interested in advancing in the community. Zach took the time to meet with me and was honest and open about his desire to improve the City of Gilroy's approach to bicycle and pedestrian facilities, trail networks, and safety. He gave equal ground to both his achievements and failures, which impressed me, as the list of projects and direct community involvement was long in his brief time on the commission.
His enthusiasm was contagious and I soon found myself driven to contribute my fair share to the community with his continual guidance and feedback along the way. Zach has a real knack with seeing the potential in someone and lifting them up to become better versions of themselves. One example that specifically comes to mind is when he forwarded me an email about the Caltrain Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) seeking a new member from Santa Clara County. I was uncertain as to whether or not this committee would consider me for membership and if I was qualified enough to consider applying. I reached out to Zach with these concerns and asked him if he saw me being a member on this committee. I will always remember his response back to me, "You won't know unless you apply for it." Well, I did apply for that position, and I am now entering my second year on that very committee.
It is my belief that sometimes we all need a helpful push forward in our lives to be the best versions of ourselves and I see Zach as that type of individual to provide that type of meaningful support. The City of Gilroy needs someone like him on the council. Someone that elevates those around him and that celebrates their successes as they achieve them. His commitment and determination to bring in positive change around those he works with would be a key asset for the not only the City of Gilroy, but for all of Santa Clara County.
I strongly urge anyone who is not already friends with Zach to reach out to him and have a cup of coffee and a brief chat. You will not only have gained a new friend, but potentially a new perspective or two about our local community and a passion to do your share to bring in this same type of positive change that Zach himself seeks for all Gilroy residents.
Patrick Flautt
Gilroy BPAC
From day one, Zach has been one of our biggest supporters and has remained one of our biggest fans. He’s been a supporter of new and local businesses. But more importantly he works everyday for our kids, trying to create safer roadways for pedestrians/biking throughout the city. He’s also working hard to match bikes with kids that need them and... well, I can go on and on but you can read for yourself.
Nicole Ingram
Gilroy, CA
As someone who chose to live and raise my kids here I believe that we need someone like him to share our voice.
Daniel Chole
Gilroy, CA
Whether you are 8 or 80 or in between, Zach is a leader who is championing your issue. He is courageous, bold, and believes that well done is better than well said. Gilroy residents are lucky to have Zach representing them.
Brian Barnacle
Petaluma City Council Member
Clean Energy, Building Decarbonization Coalition
