Wynn's family
Meet Wynn
Committed husband and parent. Dedicated community leader. Concerned long term resident. These are some of the ways I describe myself and are some of the attributes I bring to all I do, and that I would bring to the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) Board of Education.
I’m running because I think I would make an excellent school board member. Why do I say that? Well, here’s how I describe a good school board member:
  1. Passionate about helping children reach their full potential. That describes me. I’ve spent hundreds of hours working with kids as a youth sports coach, teaching them how to be winners on the field and also be winners in life.

  2. Works successfully in government and the public arena.
    I spent five years on the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission and served as Chair for 2, working with elected officials, city staff and the public. I know how to analyze reports, proposals and budgets. I’ve balanced competing public interests on difficult social problems like homelessness.

  3. Comfortable operating at a policy level.
    In addition to the HRC, I’ve served on the board of directors for PACCC and PALL. In my day job, I work for Public Advocates, a legal advocacy organization that deals with equity in education, transit and affordable housing. So I focus on California education policy on an almost-daily basis.

  4. Thinks strategically and creatively.
    I’m not only a strategic thinker, I’ve helped write and implement strategic plans. So I understand how vital that process is to an organization’s success. On literally hundreds of projects, I’ve demonstrated my ability to think out-of-the-box to find creative solutions. At the same time, I don’t like to recreate the wheel.

  5. Communicates effectively and plays well with others.
    That’s what I’ve done my whole career as a communication professional. I’m able to quickly absorb complex concepts and information, then distill them so they can be easily understood. I realize that half of the communication equation is active listening. And my ability to build positive relationships is a key to my success.

  6. A leader.
    Across my life as a professional and volunteer, I’ve brought people together behind a shared vision. I’m willing to take risks and say what needs to be said. I’m ready to make tough decisions and be held accountable.
 
Biography
A native of Buffalo, New York, I've made Palo Alto my home since 1983. I'm married to Amy Balsom, who is Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance at the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences. We have two boys; Ethan, 13, who is an 8th grader at Terman Middle School, and Brian, 10, who is a 5th grader at Barron Park Elementary. We've lived in Barron Park for the past six years.
 
I hold a Masters Degree in Communication from Stanford and a B.S. in Communication from Northwestern University, as well as a California Community College Teaching Credential.
 
I'm Director of Communication at Public Advocates Inc., a non-profit legal and civil rights advocacy organization in San Francisco that has been challenging the systemic causes of poverty and discrimination since 1971, with a focus on state and regional education, transit and affordable housing policy.
 
I have more than 20 years experience as a communication professional, much of it at Stanford University. My background includes directing a media design and development group producing web sites, interactive courseware products, and print materials; managing marketing for digital library initiatives; developing and directing comprehensive strategic internal communication and readiness programs for enterprise-wide systems installations; and producing a wide variety of communication projects. I also spent ten years as an award-winning documentary and educational filmmaker.
 
Over the years, I've served the community in a host of ways. I’ve volunteered in our schools and my religious community. I’ve served in government and on nonprofit boards. I’ve addressed youth issues and worked directly with kids. I am a strong believer that we all have a responsibility to make a positive contribution to the community and society.
 
For more detail about my background, skills and experience, see the following documents: