Van Le is a dedicated public servant, education leader, and longtime community advocate with more than 40 years of service across Silicon Valley. A refugee who overcame significant barriers, she has devoted her life to expanding opportunities for students, immigrant and refugee families, seniors, veterans, small businesses, and vulnerable communities. Since 2010, Van has served as an elected trustee of the East Side Union High School District, one of California’s largest high school districts. Chosen as board president in 2015, 2021, and 2026, she has championed fiscal responsibility, student achievement, equity, campus safety, and civic engagement. She also helped establish and co-chair the district’s Student Governing Board, giving students a meaningful voice in district decisions, and served as a California School Boards Association delegate from 2021 to 2025. Van founded the Viet-American Cultural Foundation and, beginning in 1992, organized the Children’s Moon Festival, now one of the Bay Area’s largest Asian cultural celebrations. Her extensive civic leadership includes service with the San José Museum of Art, Little Saigon San José Foundation, Viet Heritage Society, VAC NorCal, Boy Scouts of America, MetroED, Work2Future, and NBC Bay Area community initiatives. Her service has earned recognition from members of Congress, state and local leaders, and community institutions, including the Santa Clara County Human Relations Award and the Martin Luther King Jr. Good Neighbor Award. Van holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from San José State University and an associate degree in Business from De Anza College.

Councilmember Bien Doan represents District 7 on the San José City Council. An immigrant who came to America in search of opportunity, Bien has dedicated much of his life to public service and giving back to the community that welcomed his family.

Before joining the City Council, Bien served more than two decades with the San José Fire Department, where he rose through the ranks to become the first Vietnamese Fire Captain in the department’s history. His career as a firefighter and emergency responder shaped his approach to leadership: be prepared, work together, take responsibility, and deliver results.

Since taking office, Bien has focused on making District 7 safer, cleaner, and better served by City Hall. He has worked to strengthen public safety, reduce the cost of living, improve neighborhood services, address homelessness, protect renters, homeowners, and mobile home residents, support small businesses and working families, and demand greater accountability for taxpayer dollars.

Bien has earned broad support from labor, business, police officers, firefighters, community leaders, and elected officials across San José and Santa Clara County.

As a father, former firefighter, union member, immigrant, and Councilmember, Bien believes public service is about bringing people together, listening to the community, and getting things done. He is running for re-election to continue building a safer, stronger, and more responsive District 7 for every resident.