Nichelle Henderson
Nichelle Henderson is running for CA Superintendent of Public Instruction in Gardena, California, an open seat. The election was held on June 2, 2026.
Nichelle Henderson is a dedicated educator with nearly 30 years of experience in and beyond the public school classroom. She began her career as a teaching assistant in the LAUSD, and was actively involved in PTA, demonstrating her commitment to community service, later becoming a middle school math teacher. In her current role as a Faculty Advisor and Clinical Field Supervisor for a state-funded teacher preparation program, she leverages her background as a public-school paraprofessional to mentor and support new teacher candidates. She was elected to the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, earning over 1,000,826 votes across LA County.
Henderson, a strong labor advocate and education champion, is an active member of the California Faculty Association/SEIU 1983, where she serves on the statewide representation committee and previously chaired the Faculty Rights Team for the California State University, Los Angeles chapter, representing bargaining unit members. With years of experience in Los Angeles County politics as an elected member of the Los Angeles County Central Committee, she has witnessed firsthand the urgent need for instructional support and targeted resources in public K-14 schools. This experience inspired her to step forward and drive the change she wished to see in both education and local politics.
Like Shirley Chisholm, Henderson is unapologetic about who she is and what she stands for, refusing to give up on the fight for multiculturalism, access to affordable housing and mental health services and increasing workforce opportunities that will advance positive academic and economic outcomes for all members of her community.
As the immediate past Chair of the Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission, current Vice President of the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association and immediate past President of the Los Angeles Community College Board, Henderson has proven her aptitude as a leader as well as her prowess as a collaborator and innovator.
Henderson is a devoted wife, proud mother of four adult children, and a doting grandmother to her three beloved grandchildren. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Henderson, a strong labor advocate and education champion, is an active member of the California Faculty Association/SEIU 1983, where she serves on the statewide representation committee and previously chaired the Faculty Rights Team for the California State University, Los Angeles chapter, representing bargaining unit members. With years of experience in Los Angeles County politics as an elected member of the Los Angeles County Central Committee, she has witnessed firsthand the urgent need for instructional support and targeted resources in public K-14 schools. This experience inspired her to step forward and drive the change she wished to see in both education and local politics.
Like Shirley Chisholm, Henderson is unapologetic about who she is and what she stands for, refusing to give up on the fight for multiculturalism, access to affordable housing and mental health services and increasing workforce opportunities that will advance positive academic and economic outcomes for all members of her community.
As the immediate past Chair of the Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission, current Vice President of the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association and immediate past President of the Los Angeles Community College Board, Henderson has proven her aptitude as a leader as well as her prowess as a collaborator and innovator.
Henderson is a devoted wife, proud mother of four adult children, and a doting grandmother to her three beloved grandchildren. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
