Final Pasadena School Board Candidate Qualifies for November Ballot

The remaining candidate who pulled papers for the November Pasadena School Board election has qualified to run in the race.

Juan Carlos Perez officially qualified on Thursday, August 8, one day before the deadline.

He faces incumbent Jennifer Hall Lee in District 2.

A longtime resident of Altadena and Pasadena, Perez, a former teacher and current marketing director, is running on a platform of modernizing schools, integrating technology, and fostering inclusive environments. He has named transparency, accountability, and focusing on student needs as his top priorities.

“My mission is to ensure every child in our district receives the highest quality education, regardless of their background,” Perez said in a statement launching his campaign.

Born in Peru, Perez immigrated to the United States at a young age. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and pursued graduate studies at the University of California Berkeley.

The Pasadena Unified School District is divided into seven geographic subdistricts covering areas in Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, and unincorporated county pockets. The Board of Education comprises representatives from each subdistrict.

In other races, Lisa Kroese qualified for District 6 and will face incumbent Tina Fredericks. Scott Harden qualified for District 4 and is currently running unopposed.

The school district holds plurality elections, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins even if they do not receive more than 50% of the vote. The election will be held on November 5.