Candidate Profile: Daniel Gugala For Wauwatosa School Board

WAUWATOSA, WI — The 2023 spring election is heating up in Wisconsin with several key local and statewide races on the April 4 ballot.

Among the races in Wauwatosa, people will be choosing new members for their local district's school board. Seven people are running for four seats on the board; just one is running unopposed. Those who are elected will serve a three-year term.

Patch asked all seven school board candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing profiles as soon as we receive answers from the candidates.

Here is what Daniel Gugala told Patch about why he should be elected to the Wauwatosa School Board:

Age as of election day:

49

Position sought:

Wauwatosa School Board Seat 6

Party affiliation:

Non-partisan

What is your educational background:

BS-UW-Madison, JD-Marquette

What is your current occupation and work background?:

Chief Compliance Officer. I am an attorney by trade serving as General Counsel for growing businesses which has provided me the opportunity to gain experience in a number of areas including policy management, regulatory compliance, and data analysis. In a prior position I spent nearly 15 years with a company focused on equipping educators to better manage challenging and disruptive behavior.

What previous elected or appointed offices have you held?

None

What is your campaign website?:

https://gugala4tosa.com

Why are you seeking office?

I have been a community member for 25 years and a parent for 16. I have had the chance to see firsthand the district’s strengths and weaknesses and how that has changed over time. I have concerns about the trajectory of the district (#22 ranked district in WI in 2012 to #105 in 2022) and want to ensure a bright future for our schools, teachers and students. I believe my personal and professional experience will help elevate the board and the district.

What is the most pressing issue facing your office, and how do you plan on addressing it?

Student and teacher safety. I would look to improve student and staff safety through the implementation of a fair and consistent discipline policy. I would also work with community partners to create a network of support, and consider alternative placements focused on ensuring students are provided the largest number of opportunities for success. Finally, I would require a consistent mechanism to track student referrals in order to understand trends and develop opportunities for improvement.

What are the critical differences between yourself and the other candidates seeking this office?

Practical experience running successful organizations and the legal background to establish consistent compliance practices that are necessary in any school board. The district has over 600 educators that have thousands of combined years of experience in education that I can tap into. My ability to create a culture of trust and transparency, develop strong feedback channels and a limitless desire to address challenges to find pathways to success are what set me apart.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Establishing safe learning environments, the pursuit of academic excellence, teacher retention, board and district accountability to develop a culture that supports trust and transparency at all levels.

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

I have worked for and on boards in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. I have successfully established systems to monitor performance, increase stakeholder engagement and streamline operations.

What is the best advice ever shared with you?

It’s a quote from Margaret Thatcher – Think of a day when you are completely satisfied. It’s not a day when you lounged around doing nothing, it’s a day when you had everything to do, and you did it!

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a local candidate supported by friends, family and community members. I will be a representative of all students, parents, teachers and the Wauwatosa community and not special interests. Wauwatosa schools should reflect the image and expectations of people in Wauwatosa and not be guided by political agendas.

If you are running for a seat on a school board, do you have any children in the district?

Yes. 2 sons - A junior (Wauwatosa West) and a 7th grader (Whitman).