Candidate Profile: Bethany Henderson Runs For Falls Church School Board

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Bethany Henderson, a nonprofit CEO and mother of FCCPS students, is running for Falls Church School Board in the Nov. 7, 2023 general election.

There are three School Board seats up for grabs in 2023. Jerrod Anderson and Amie Murphy are also running for School Board.

City of Falls Church voters will have three City Council seats on the ballot as well as three Falls Church School Board seats, Virginia Senate 37th District, Virginia House 13th District, Arlington County Commonwealth's Attorney and Arlington County Clerk of Court.

Early voting for the general election began Friday, Sept. 22. More information on how to vote is available from the City of Falls Church Voter Registration and Office of Elections.

Patch asked candidates for Falls Church School Board to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Henderson's responses:

Name

Bethany Henderson

Office Sought

School Board, Falls Church City

Campaign Website

www.bethanyforschoolboard.org

Age (as of Nov. 7 election)

47

Education

JD Harvard Law School; MA & BA, University of Pennsylvania

Occupation

Social impact leader. Currently I am a nonprofit CEO and UMD adjunct faculty member

Family

My husband and I have 8th and 10th grade daughters who attend FCCPS.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Previous public office positions or appointments

White House Fellow; FCCPS Elementary School Renaming Committee

Why are you seeking this office?

Like many, our family moved to Falls Church City in large part because of the schools. We were drawn to the small, vibrant, engaged public school community and the K-12 IB program. My husband and I now have an 8th grader at Mary Ellen Henderson and a 10th grader at Meridian, both of whom have attended FCCPS schools since 1st grade. We cherish raising our daughters in this small town where neighbors know each other, where teachers and school staff make the effort to know our children as individuals, where people of all ages are civically active, and where our kids have been able to safely explore while building independence. I want to ensure that every child and family in Falls Church City has access to those same opportunities.

What do you see as the top issues facing (your city), and how do you address them in your campaign platform?

Schools should provide every child the opportunity to thrive. 15 years as a parent and nearly a decade working in youth development has taught me that children learn best when they are able to be their whole selves at school. And that educators are most effective when they are empowered to bring their whole selves to work. If elected, I will work to ensure that every member of the FCCPS community experiences - in every interaction with our schools - that they are seen, that they are valued, and that they belong.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

-Falls Church City resident since 2011
-FCCPS parent & frequent volunteer (MEHMS Give Day Co-Chair, Meridian Anti-Hate Committee, OSE Science Olympiad lead, OSE Girl Scout troop leader, Elementary School Renaming Commission)
-award-winning social entrepreneur
-lawyer-turned-nonprofit CEO
->10 years working in education & youth development
->15 years leading social impact organizations
->25 years working in and with local, state, and federal government agencies

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My career has spanned the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. I have decades of experience utilizing and interpreting dense legal and policy documents and both quantitative and qualitative assessments, then using that information to inform continuous systemic improvements. I have worked closely with elected and appointed officials throughout my career. What I've learned is directly relevant to the work of the School Board, including: how to quickly distill dense datasets and policy documents to the core elements; critical formative questions to guide the creation of stakeholder-informed assessments and public policy; how to apply a DEI lens to policy design, delivery, and analysis; how to leverage data to spark action; and how to listen to, synthesize the concerns of, and communicate effectively with multiple diverse stakeholders.

In short, I know how to make actionable policy and policy actionable.

My lifelong passion - and the common thread throughout my career - is fortifying both a thriving democracy and a vibrant civil society. I staunchly believe that a high-quality PK-12 public education is essential to both. I will bring to the work of the Falls Church City School Board a social innovator’s mindset with a laser focus on FCCPS’ strategic vision and an unwavering commitment to centering diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the Board’s work.