SF Board of Education Elects Leaders for 2026

San Francisco (January 16, 2026) - The San Francisco Board of Education elected its leaders for the 2026 year on Tuesday night. Commissioner Phil Kim was unanimously re-elected to serve as president for a second term, and Commissioner Jaime Huling was unanimously re-elected to serve as vice president. 

President Kim, a former educator, was appointed to the Board of Education in August 2024. President Kim has spent the last 12 years in K-12 public education, as a teacher and leader in the local, state, and national levels. He currently serves as the Deputy Director and Chief of Staff for the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. Before this, Kim served as Executive Director of School Strategy and Coherence within the Office of the Superintendent for San Francisco Unified.

In addition to over a decade working in education and his experience within SFUSD, President Kim has deep expertise in STEM instruction. He has served on the Board of Directors at LYRIC Center for LGBTQ+ youth, and also serves on the Board of Directors of the Alice B Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club. He lives in the Castro neighborhood with his partner Andrew and their Dalmatian, Noe.

Vice President Huling was elected to the Board of Education in November 2024. She has been a public servant for over a decade. As a Deputy City Attorney, she fought for the people of San Francisco to solve some of its biggest problems, including helping secure $350 million to fight the opioid epidemic on our streets. She has sued the Trump Administration multiple times, to protect sanctuary cities, preserve critical funding for programs ranging from early childhood education to public safety to street improvements, and to stop discrimination in healthcare. 

Vice President Huling moved to San Francisco over 20 years ago with her now-husband, Darren.  She lives in Glen Park and is the mom of an SFUSD elementary student in a Spanish immersion program and a rising TK student. 

“I want to congratulate our re-elected Board President and Vice President,” SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Maria Su said. “I look forward to continuing our work together in service of our students and the San Francisco community.”

The Board of Education is comprised of seven members, elected at large to serve four-year terms. The Board President and Vice President are elected by their peers at the first regular board meeting in January of each year and serve a one-year term. The Board determines policy for all public schools, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, in the San Francisco Unified School District and San Francisco County Office of Education. The Board of Education is responsible for establishing educational goals and standards; approving curriculum; setting the district budget, which is independent of the city's budget; confirming appointment of all personnel; and approving purchases of equipment, supplies, services, leases, renovation, construction, and union contracts.

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